Spring Sustainability 2012
Transcript of Spring Sustainability 2012
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Indigenous Wisdom & Modern ScienceOne-Day Telesummit, June 2, 2012, 9am - 4pm
PANELS:
Opening Ritual
All My Relations: Reclaiming Our Place in a Larger Order - In this panel, Indigenous wisdom-
keepers and modern scientists discuss what it means to be interconnected, how we know it and its
practical implications for sustainability.
Greening the Body-Heart-Mind - This session will cover wisdom and practices for greening our body,
mind and heart and making us more alive, healthy and aligned within the larger social, spiritual and
ecological contexts of our cultures and our world.
Greening our Organizations & Communities - We'll explore best practices for greening our
organizations and communities - making them more organic, fluid and adaptable, and resonant with the
larger communities of which they are a part.
Honoring the Earth - This panel will discuss how we honor the Earth. How can we blend the Earth-
honoring traditions of Indigenous peoples with emerging science and technology to catalyze ecologicaldefense, restoration and stewardship?
Sustaining Indigenous Initiatives - International Funders for Indigenous Peoples
Acknowledgments and Closing Ritual
The Shaman's Apprentice - Introduction by co-producer Abigail Wright - Replay of the
documentary movie available athttp://springofsustainability.com/video
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PRESENTERS: Evelyn Arce, Director, International Funders for Indigenous Peoples Sharon Brown, Publisher, Sacred Fire Magazine Apela Colorado, Founder, Worldwide Indigenous Science Network Mbali Creazzo, Traditional Healer, Diviner & Medicine Woman Lawrence Ellis, complexity-science organizational consultant & spiritual activist Karla Galdamez, physicist, bridge-builder between culture & science Tom Goldtooth, Executive Director, Indigenous Environmental Network Louis Herman, evolutionary cosmologist & political philosopher Karen John, Indigenous & modern organizational development Gabor Mat, physician & author of four best-selling books Larry Merculieff, Alaskan indigenous representative and environmental advocate Kahu Lyons Naone, Hawaiian spirituality, ancient warrior arts, and rituals David Perlmutter, neurologist, author, radio & TV personality Chief Evon Peter, culturally-based leadership and sustainability Mark Plotkin, ethnobotanist, Time Magazine's "Environmental Hero" Belvie Rooks, educator; weaver of spirituality, feminism, environmental justice Namonyah Soipan, Yoruba initiate, Maasai initiate, clinical psychologist Hardin Tibbs, thought leader, strategy consultant and futures researcher Abigail Wright, award-winning documentary film writer and producer
Opening Ritual
Recorded on June 2, 2012Apela Colorado: PhD. Oneida, Gaul Elder, Director of the Worldwide Indigenous Science Network,
Director of The Indigenous Mind ProgramMbali Creazzo : Integrative Medicine Practioner, Traditional Healer, Diviner
Lawrence Ellis: Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Contemporary Complexity Science
Kahu Kapi'ioho'okalani Lyons Naone : Healing Practitioner, Hawaiian elderHardin Tibbs: A co-developer of the industrial ecology concept, strategist and futures thinker.
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Apela Colorado, Ph.D. is a member of the Oneida tribe and is a traditional
cultural practitioner. She received her Bachelor of Arts & Master of Science
degrees from the University of Wisconsin. As a Ford Fellow, Apela studied for
her Doctorate at both Harvard & Brandeis Universities, and received her Ph.D.from Brandeis in Social Policy in 1982. She created the first doctoral program in
traditional knowledge at the California Institute of Integral Studies. In 1989, Dr.
Colorado founded the Worldwide Indigenous Science Network (WISN). WISN
initially brought together Indigenous practitioners of traditional knowledge and western scientists in a
series of international workshops, conferences, and overseas projects. The work created a forum and
established a process to promote consensus, collaboration and cooperation between experts of
Indigenous and western knowledge in conservation and education programs, and alternative resource
development. WISN is currently undergoing a redesign, and will relaunch with a new direction and new
programs in the next few months. In 1997, Dr. Colorado was one of twelve women chosen from 52
countries by the State of the World Forum to be honored for her role as a woman leader. She is Director
of Wisdom University's Indigenous Mind Program, which offers Masters and Ph.D. degrees.http://www.wisn.org
Mbali Creazzo is a native of South Africa and as a descendant of a Khoi Khoi
female healer, closely related to the Bushmen. She was raised in London where
she was educated to Post Graduate level in Therapeutic Bodywork from the
University of Westminster. This led her to the exploration of traditional andancient practices as remedies for healing the ailments of the modern world. She
has a solid foundation in Integrative Medicine and continues to work in the
Healing Arts for the last 30 years. She is a Traditional Healer, Diviner and medicine woman in the
Dagara tradition of West Africa. As a voice for the ancestors she brings us home through Divination,
Ritual and Sacred Journeys to South Africa. She is dedicated to the preservation of Indigenous wisdom.
www.ourdivinemedicine.com
Lawrence Ellis comes from peoples of Africa and Turtle Island (North America).
He is a mix of African (several Southern and Western African peoples), African
American and Tsalagi (Cherokee) peoples. Raised away from his ancestral
homelands and from many (though not all) of his ancestral traditions, much of his
life has focused on returning to those traditions, and on bridging the best of
ancient wisdom and contemporary innovations in support of creating a sustainable
world. He is a complexity-science organizational consultant (one who applies insights from the study of
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complex systems in nature, science & society to human organizations), and a spiritual activist. He
received early training in both fields at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, with
interdisciplinary studies on the application of Gandhian nonviolence to individual and large-scale
change. His life work focuses on applying concepts of & practices for embodying the
interconnectedness of lifedrawn from contemporary complexity-science, and select ancient wisdom
traditionsto todays foremost crises. Perhaps the greatest revolution of our time is in the way that we
see and live in the world as holistic, ecological and deeply interconnected a reemphasis for many
ancient cultures, and a shift for many modern cultures. He has worked extensively in community,corporate, movement-building and spiritual settings for many years. At the invitation of Mahatma
Gandhi's grandson, he represented the U.S. in a yatra (journey) in India commemorating Gandhi and
Martin Luther King.
www.LawrenceEllis.org,www.PathsToChange.net
Kapi'ioho'okalani Lyons Naone is a noted Hawaiian practitioner, born andraised in the most isolated place (Hawaii) in the world, and in the most secluded
place on the island of Maui. He was trained from a very early age to be a
"Kahu" (keeper of ancient knowledge) by his Kahu grandmother and one of her
teachers who was then 102 years old. He has spent his entire life as a Hawaiian
practitioner, first in secret, but more openly in the last 30 years. Kahu Naone is
known for his vast knowledge in Hawaiian hands-on spiritual healing (Iluna A'e),
Hawaiian herbal medicine (La'alapa'au), conflict resolution (Ho'oponopono), Hawaiian spiritual warrior
arts (Lua), among others. He travels extensively especially in Europe where he works with museums,
lectures, and conducts workshops and retreats. His work with women and men groups in helping them
understand their sexuality and purpose in life has made him one of the most sort after practitioners and
lecturer in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. More importantly Kahu is regarded as being extremelyknowledgeable in ancient indigenous calendars, celestial rhythms, rituals of passage, interconnectedness,
and the role it plays in the survival and movement of humanity.
www.hawaiian-spiritual-healing-academy.com
Hardin Tibbs is a futurist and strategist. Now based in England, he used to work
for Global Business Network (GBN), the scenario planning firm in California,playing a role in its early development in the 1990s. Trained as an industrial
designer, he is a fellow of the RSA in London, teaches at various business schools
in the UK, and helped create the Oxford Scenarios Programme. His writing about
industrial ecology while a consultant at Arthur D. Little Inc. in the late 1980s
helped to define a new way of looking at environment and technology, and his
ongoing research focuses on charting the future path of transmodern society. His website is
www.hardintibbs.com.
http://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://www.hawaiian-spiritual-healing-academy.com/http://www.hawaiian-spiritual-healing-academy.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.hawaiian-spiritual-healing-academy.com/http://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://www.lawrenceellis.org/ -
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All My Relations: Reclaiming Our Place in a Larger Order
Recorded on June 2, 2012Mbali Creazzo : Integrative Medicine Practitioner, Traditional Healer,
DivinerKahu Kapi'ioho'okalani Lyons Naone : Healing Practitioner,
Hawaiian elderGabor Mat: Physician, Psychotherapist, Author, SpeakerHosted by Sharon Brown
Sharon Brown is publisher ofSacred Fire magazine and an executive director of
Sacred Fire Foundation. She has 30 years experience in media development,
beginning in University of Virginia where she was editor of the weekly
newsmagazine. She spent several years in television production and studio
management before crossing into advertising sales management for cable
industry leader TCI. Later she joined TCI programming asset Liberty Media
where she served as VP Programming & Strategic Marketing for cable channeland digital media development. She's been a consultant since 2001.
www.sacredfiremagazine.com
Mbali Creazzo is a native of South Africa and as a descendant of a Khoi Khoi
female healer, closely related to the Bushmen. She was raised in London where
she was educated to Post Graduate level in Therapeutic Bodywork from theUniversity of Westminster. This led her to the exploration of traditional and
ancient practices as remedies for healing the ailments of the modern world. She
has a solid foundation in Integrative Medicine and continues to work in the
Healing Arts for the last 30 years. She is a Traditional Healer, Diviner and
medicine woman in the Dagara tradition of West Africa. As a voice for the ancestors she brings us home
through Divination, Ritual and Sacred Journeys to South Africa. She is dedicated to the preservation of
Indigenous wisdom.
www.ourdivinemedicine.com
Kahu Kapi'ioho'okalani Lyons Naone is a noted Hawaiian practitioner, born
and raised in the most isolated place (Hawaii) in the world, and in the most
secluded place on the island of Maui. He was trained from a very early age to be
a "Kahu" (keeper of ancient knowledge) by his Kahu grandmother and one of her
teachers who was then 102 years old. He has spent his entire life as a Hawaiian
practitioner, first in secret, but more openly in the last 30 years. Kahu Naone is
known for his vast knowledge in Hawaiian hands-on spiritual healing (Iluna A'e),
http://www.sacredfiremagazine.com/http://www.sacredfiremagazine.com/http://www.ourdivinemedicine.com/http://www.ourdivinemedicine.com/http://www.ourdivinemedicine.com/http://www.sacredfiremagazine.com/ -
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Hawaiian herbal medicine (La'alapa'au), conflict resolution (Ho'oponopono), Hawaiian spiritual warrior
arts (Lua), among others. He travels extensively especially in Europe where he works with museums,
lectures, and conducts workshops and retreats. His work with women and men groups in helping them
understand their sexuality and purpose in life has made him one of the most sort after practitioners and
lecturer in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. More importantly Kahu is regarded as being extremely
knowledgeable in ancient indigenous calendars, celestial rhythms, rituals of passage, interconnectedness,
and the role it plays in the survival and movement of humanity.
www.hawaiian-spiritual-healing-academy.com
Gabor Mat M.D. was for many years a family practitioner. Former Medical
Coordinator of the Palliative Care Unit at Vancouver Hospital, he also worked for
twelve years in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside, including at Insite, North
Americas only supervised injection site. He is the author of four Canadian
bestselling books, published in nearly twenty languages internationally,
including, most recently, the award-winningIn The Realm of Hungry Ghosts:Close Encounters With Addiction. He is a speaker in great demand, addressing
professional and lay audiences on issues of stress and health, child development, ADHD, and addictions.
His next book is entitled Toxic Culture: How Materialistic Society Makes Us Sick. He is also Adjunct
Professor of Criminology, Simon Fraser University.
http://drgabormate.com/
Greening the Body-Heart-Mind
Recorded on June 2, 2012Karla M. Galdamez: Doctorate in Theoretical Physics, research consultant at Institute of Noetic SciencesDavid Perlmutter: Neurologist, Author
Namonyah Soipan: Founding Director of Source Systems Training, Inc., Psychologist, Shaman
Hosted by Belvie Rooks
Belvie Rooks work and vision weaves the worlds of spirituality, feminism,
environmental and social justice--with a passion for engaged dialogue--as her
way of bridging the various socially constructed divides. She is co-founder (withDedan Gills) of Growing a Global Heart, a project to plant a million trees along
the Trans-Atlantic Slave Route in West African and the Underground Railroad in
the United States as a way honoring the millions of lives lost during the slave
trade while focusing on global warming and catastrophic climate change. She is
also one of 20 scientists, educators, environmentalists and visionaries featured in the Journey of the
Universe Educational DVD Series. She is the Creator and Host of ConverZations That Matter, an
important conversations series rooted in an exploration cosmology, consciousness and social justice. She
has featured such thought leaders as: Brian Swimme, Riane Eisler, astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Matthew
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Fox, Carl Anthony, Barbara Holmes, Cornell West, Joy DeGruy, Mary Evelyn Tucker, Tom DeWolf and
Drew Dellinger. As a producer, in 2001, she worked with Danny Glover on the television series
Courage, which was selected by TV Guide as one of the top ten inspirational shows.
Her published works have appeared in a number of books and anthologies including Sacred Poems andPrayers in Praise of Life, edited by Mary-Ford Grabowsky (Doubleday). She has taught at theUniversity of the District of Columbia, the State University of New York at Old Westbury and the
University of California, Santa Cruz. She has also lectured and presented workshops at a number of
colleges and Universities. She has also served on the boards of the Urban Habitat Program, the EllaBaker Center for Human Rights, Positive Futures Network/Yes Magazine, Bioneers and is a current
board member of the Institute of Noetic Science and the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation.
www.growingaglobalheart.com
http://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/ed-series-previews/
http://www.facebook.com/growingaglobalheart
http://www.ciis.edu/About_CIIS/Publications/CIIS_Today_Spring_2011/
ConverZations_that_Matter_Series.html
http://growingaglobalheart.weebly.com/selma-tree-planting.html
Karla Galdamez has worked in several scientific institutions varying from
NASA Ames, to the Neutrino Laboratory at Tufts University culminating in a
doctorate degree in theoretical physics during which she studied the interlace
between classical and quantum theory from a mathematical representation
perspective. Currently, she studies quantum effects in superfluid Helium 4 as a
visiting scholar at the University of California and works as a research consultant
at the Institute of Noetic Sciences concentrating in foundations of quantummechanics and interpretations of the measurement problem in the double slit experiment. Karla
Galdamez was born and raised in El Salvador during the time of the war and has experienced the effects
of conflict and resolution. Originating from a humble family whose roots emanated from the small town
of San Francisco, she was taught love and compassion by her grandfather, a plant healer, an herbalist
and a farmer. She also holds a deep practice of meditation and yoga-asana as well as Aikido. She finds
her grounding and peace in these disciplines as well as her inner strength and guidance that lead her,
through the mountains and valleys of life experience.
Dr. Galdamez believes strongly that current science is in need of integrating back to its source of
wholeness through the inclusion of the inherent relation between heart and mind. She stands firmly on
the idea that subjective and objective knowledge are necessary for a new transformation through which a
new science will emerge. This new science, a further matured version of our current science, will becharacterized by the inclusion of emotional and mental states . Following such belief, she collaborates in
several consciousness related fields upholding a view, emanated from one of the foundation fathers of
quantum theory, John Von-Neumann, and more currently Henry Stapp. In such view, the observer has an
important influence on that which is observed. In other words, conscious observation plays a role in the
dynamics and results of our experiments; and, as such, consciousness is intertwined with the world as
we know it. As a meditator, and a scientist, walking the path of awakening, Karla Galdamez, enjoys
taking part in cross-discipline conversations with the goal in mind of focusing on what brings us
together rather than apart. She believes that in doing so, apparently distinct traditions could discover
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together a new paradigm of being and living in which the wisdom of various traditions is integrated
while yet remaining distinct and true to their source.
David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABIHM is a Board-Certified Neurologist andFellow of the American College of Nutrition who received his M.D. degree from
the University of Miami School of Medicine where he was awarded theLeonard
G. Rowntree Research Award. After completing residency training in Neurology,
also at the University of Miami, Dr. Perlmutter entered private practice in Naples,
Florida. Dr. Perlmutter is a frequent lecturer at symposia sponsored by such
medical institutions as Columbia University, the University of Arizona, Scripps
Institute, New York University, and Harvard University. He has contributed extensively to the world
medical literature with publications appearing in The Journal of Neurosurgery, The Southern MedicalJournal, Journal of Applied Nutrition, andArchives of Neurology. He is the author of:The Better BrainBook and Raise a Smarter Child By Kindergarten, and is recognized internationally as a leader in the
field of nutritional influences in neurological disorders.http://drperlmutter.com/
Namonyah Soipan, Ph.D., trained in western psychology and alternative healing,
is a shamanistic psychologist, who has facilitated workshops in Japan,the United
Kingdom, Amsterdam, Belgium, Africa, India, Thailand, Virgin Islands and the
United States. Namonyah began her shamanic journey over twenty five years ago
when she was afforded an opportunity to live with, research and ultimatelybecome initiated into the Maasai peoples spiritual medicine practices. She lived
with the Maasai for a year in Narok's deep interior on the border of Kenya and
Tanzania; her rite of passage was an exciting, painful, transformative and amazing reach into the
innermost realms of her soul. She utilizes sacred ceremony and holistic therapy to assist people healing
from the aftermath of trauma, and other imbalances relating to mind, body and soul. Integrating the
ancient shamanic traditions of the Maasai, Taslagi people, Ifa tradition of the Yoruba and Peruvian
shamanism, Namonyah's eclectic modalities have assisted men and women in their search for deep
alignment to the soul of Earth. This blend of depth psychology in conjunction with African and Native
American medicine wisdom teachings is what she refers to as "Namshamanism." Namonyah is
presently studying acupuncture and Chinese medicine in San Francisco. After completion she will return
to paradise:the Virgin Islands, and realize her healing center, one that will integrate all her vast andincredible modalities.
Greening our Organizations and Communities
Recorded on June 2, 2012Herbert John Benally: Founder of The Hozhogo Iina Institute, Professor in Dine Studies
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Karen John: Navajo Community Facilitator & Trainer
Evon Peter: Gwich'in Leader, Speaker, Writer, Tribal Counselor at Gwanzhii and Tundra Dialogues
Hardin Tibbs: A co-developer of the industrial ecology concept, strategist and futures thinker.
Hosted by Lawrence Ellis
Dr. Herbert Benally, Ph.D was raised on the Navajo Nation amidst poverty,
welfare and a deep cultural chasm between his Din culture and western society
education. After graduating from Tuba City High School, Benally entered with
honors admission to Arizona State University, but dropped out to complete a
USMC tour of duty in 1968. After his tour of duty, Benally returned to school and
graduated within three years with a BA in psychology, completed his MA in
guidance and counseling and then completed his Ph.D. in school finance and
education administration from the University of Arizona. Benally has also served as a visiting scholar to
various noted academic institutions such as UC Berkeley, and was named 2003 Gifted Educator of the
Year in the state of Arizona, and has presented published materials to Beijing Institute in China, OxfordUniversity in Manchester, England, Hawaiian Immersion Schools and Washington State Annual Gifted
Leadership Symposium.
Dr. Benally's publications include his dissertation: Hzhoogo naash doo: Toward a Construct ofBalance in Navajo Cosmologyas well as The Pollen Path, Navajo Way ofKnowing, The SpiritualSide of Writing, Beauty Way Curriculum: Navajo Nation Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention
Curriculum Project. His areas of instruction include Navajo culture, philosophy, oral tradition and styles,
Navajo History, Navajo Tribal Government and Indian of North America.
dinecollege.edu
Karen John is Navajo/Din; she is Kinyaaanii (Towering House People), born
forNaastzhDine (Zuni People), her maternal grandparents are Ashiih (Salt
People), and her paternal grandparents are Tlshchii (Red Cheek People).
Karen lives in Shiprock, New Mexico, with her husband, Randy, and their
youngest children, Octaviano and Sophie; their oldest children, Randy, Jr. and
Marissa are both in college. Karen has worked with Shiprock Health Promotion
for 14 years as a Health Promotion/Disease Prevention Program Specialist. She
has a Bachelors Degree in Zoology from Colorado State University, and 18 years experience in group
facilitation and planning. Karen worked for a national Tribal non-profit organization and a privateconsulting group where she learned skills and processes in higher education, group facilitation and
strategic planning. Since returning to the Navajo Nation, she has gained many valuable insights about
historical and cultural teachings as they relate to community wellness planning. She currently
collaborates with various projects including Restoring & Celebrating Family Wellness Committee,
Healthy Native Community Partnership, and Navajo Area Community Advocacy Team. Karen is
grateful to be able to share group facilitation and planning methods support, training and resources with
local Navajo community groups and organizations working toward community wellness.
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Evon Peter is from a small mountain village in Northeast Alaska called Vashraii
Koo (Arctic Village). He and his wife Enei Begaye Peter, a Navajo from Shonto,
Arizona, support culturally based leadership and sustainability projects in Alaska
and the Southwest through the Indigenous Leadership Institute and the BlackMesa Water Coalition. Evon is an owner of two family businesses, the Alaska
based consulting firm Gwanzhii and an eco-friendly T-shirt screen printing
company, Nomadic Stars. He also serves as the host of Tundra Dialogues. From a
young age, Evon chose to follow a path that has challenged him to look within himself and into history
in order to build something healthier for future generations. He has served as a Chief for his tribe,
founder of several non-profit service organizations, and facilitated gatherings around the world. He
resides in Fairbanks, Alaska with his wife and four children.
http://www.evonpeter.com
www.tundradialogues.com
www.gwanzhii.com
Hardin Tibbs is a futurist and strategist. Now based in England, he used to work
for Global Business Network (GBN), the scenario planning firm in California,
playing a role in its early development in the 1990s. Trained as an industrial
designer, he is a fellow of the RSA in London, teaches at various business schools
in the UK, and helped create the Oxford Scenarios Programme. His writing about
industrial ecology while a consultant at Arthur D. Little Inc. in the late 1980s
helped to define a new way of looking at environment and technology, and hisongoing research focuses on charting the future path of transmodern society. His website is
www.hardintibbs.com.
www.hardintibbs.com
Honoring the Earth
Recorded on June 2, 2012
Tom Goldtooth: Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental NetworkLouis Herman: Political Philosopher, Head of Political Science Department at the University of
Hawai`i-West O`ahu
Larry Merculieff: Co-Founder of Alaska Indigenous Council on Marine Mammals
Mark Plotkin: Co-Founder of The Amazon Conservation Team, Ethnobotanist
Hosted by Sharon Brown
http://www.evonpeter.com/http://www.evonpeter.com/http://www.tundradialogues.com/http://www.tundradialogues.com/http://www.gwanzhii.com/http://www.gwanzhii.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.hardintibbs.com/http://www.gwanzhii.com/http://www.tundradialogues.com/http://www.evonpeter.com/ -
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Sharon Brown is publisher ofSacred Fire magazine and an executive director of
Sacred Fire Foundation. She has 30 years experience in media development,
beginning in University of Virginia where she was editor of the weekly
newsmagazine. She spent several years in television production and studiomanagement before crossing into advertising sales management for cable
industry leader TCI. Later she joined TCI programming asset Liberty Media
where she served as VP Programming & Strategic Marketing for cable channel
and digital media development. She's been a consultant since 2001.
www.sacredfiremagazine.com
Tom B.K. Goldtooth is the executive director of the Indigenous Environmental
Network based at Bemidji, Minnesota. He has been awarded with recognition of
his achievements throughout the past 35 years as an activist for social change
within the Native American community. From a U.S. Army veteran in the early
70s in Fort Lewis, Washington, he went to college with a emphasis in social
work getting active in the development of social and family counseling and
support services in the Native communities of Tacoma, Washington, on the
Navajo Nation, at the Lower Sioux community in Morton, Minnesota and later becoming the Executive
Director of the St. Paul American Indian Center in the early 1980s. From his participation and
leadership as a coordinator of the Environmental Program of Red Lake Nation at the First National
People of Color Environmental Justice Leadership Summit in 1991 in Washington D.C. to the 2010
World Peoples Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba, Bolivia
and the recent United Nations Convention on Climate Change in Cancun, Mexico, he has become an
environmental justice leader, both locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. In 2000, he co-
produced an award winning documentary film, Drumbeat for Mother Earth, which addresses the affects
of bio-accumulative chemicals on Native people. From the strength of his community organizing
experience he has brought the local issues of environmental and economic justice and the rights of
Indigenous peoples to the national and international level on issues of persistent organic pollutants,
climate change, mineral extraction, protection of biodiversity, globalization, and water. Tom is a Sun
Dance leader and active in his ceremonial responsibilities. He is known for implementing innovative
approaches for inspiring Native young people and students to take leadership in building healthy and
sustainable Native communities.
http://www.ienearth.org/
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Louis Herman is a political philosopher at the University of Hawai`i-West
O`ahu. He was born in an Orthodox Jewish community in Apartheid South
Africa, educated at Cambridge, England and initiated into visionary politics
through the Israeli Kibbutz movement. He came to Hawaii many years ago to getsome philosophical distance from his roots and a more planetary perspective on
politics. He has just completed a book, Future Primal: How our Wilderness
Origins Show Us the Way Forward (New World Library, forthcoming, Fall 2012).
The work takes its inspiration from the wisdom of the San Bushman hunter-gatherers of the Kalahari
and other earth-based societies. It offers a model of a planetary politics based on a convergence of the
oldest and the newest, shamanism and science.
Larry Merculieffhas almost four decades of experience serving the Aleuts of thePribilof Islands and other Alaska Native peoples in a number of capacities in
positions including City Manager of St. Paul Island, Commissioner of the Alaska
Department of Commerce and Economic Development, President and CEO of
Tanadgusix Corporation, Chairman of the Board of The Aleut Corporation, and
General Manager of the Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association. Merculieff
received the Environmental Excellence Award from the Alaska Forum on the
Environment for his lifetime achievements on environmental issues, as well as the Buffet Finalist Award
for Indigenous Leadership. He is featured in a book published by Second Story Press entitled "Native
Men of Courage." Merculieff also co-authored a book published by Les Intouchables in October 2009,
called Aleut Wisdom: Words of an Aleut Messenger.
Mark J. Plotkin, Ph.D., L.H.D. is a renowned ethnobotanist who has spent
almost three decades studying traditional plant use with elder Shamans
(traditional healers) of tropical America. He is the president and co-founder of
The Amazon Conservation Team, a non-profit organization that works in
partnership with indigenous people of tropical America to conserve the
biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest as well as the culture and land of its
people. Time magazine has called Dr. Plotkin an "Environmental Hero for thePlanet", and Smithsonian magazine hailed him as one of "35 Who Made a Difference" in 2005. Dr.
Plotkin has written several influential books:Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice; Medicine Quest: InSearch of Nature's Healing Secrets; and Discover Magazine's 2002 book of the year,The KillersWithin: The Deadly Rise of Drug-Resistant Bacteria. He was featured in the Academy Award-nominated IMAX film Amazon and in the award winning documentary The Shaman's Apprenticeby
acclaimed filmmaker Miranda Smith. Dr. Plotkin's work has been covered by PBS, Fox TV, NBC
Nightly News, Today Show, CBS' 48 Hours, National Public Radio, and in Life, Newsweek,
Smithsonian, People, and The New York Times. His awards include the Roy Chapman Andrews
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Distinguished Explorer Award (2004), the "International Conservation Leadership" award (2010), and he
was among the Skoll Foundation's "Social Entrepreneurs of the Year" (2008). Educated at Harvard,
Yale, and Tufts University, Dr. Plotkin has served as World Wildlife Fund Director of Plant
Conservation; Conservation International Vice President, and as Research Associate at Harvards
Botanical Museum and the Smithsonian.
www.amazonteam.org/
www.theshamansapprentice.com
Sustaining Indigenous Initiatives
Recorded on June 2, 2012Evelyn Arce: Executive Director, International Funders for Indigenous Peoples
Evelyn Arce of Chibcha descent (Colombian-American) has been leading
International Funders for Indigenous Peoples since 2002 as Executive Director.
She obtained herMasters of Art in Teaching degree at Cornell University with a
concentration in Agriculture and Adult Education, and was a high-school teacher
of Science, Horticulture, and Independent Living for seven years. Evelyn was
chosen to participate in the Donella Meadows Fellowship Leadership program, a
systems think tank on creating sustainable ways to effectively make long term
changes through leadership. Evelyn was a communications consultant for the Iewirokwas Program, a
Native American Midwifery Program and coordinated the American Indian Millennium
Conference held at Cornell University in 2001. She has also been a diversity consultant for Cornells
Empowering Family Development Program. Evelyn serves on the board of United Way for Franklin County in New York State.
As IFIPs Executive Director, Evelyn brings a vision of philanthropy that is in accord with Indigenous
culture, values, and spiritual sensibilities. She leads IFIP into its second decade of educating funders
about critical Indigenous issues and supporting the philanthropic community in its efforts to increase
funding to Indigenous communities and causes around the world. A tireless networker, Evelyn has
brought together culturally diverse individuals and organizations through IFIPs programs and events,
helping to leverage vast reserves of resources.
www.internationalfunders.org/
Acknowledgments and Closing Ritual
Recorded on June 2, 2012Lawrence Ellis: Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Contemporary Complexity Science
http://www.amazonteam.org/http://www.amazonteam.org/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.internationalfunders.org/http://www.internationalfunders.org/http://www.internationalfunders.org/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.amazonteam.org/ -
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Lawrence Ellis comes from peoples of Africa and Turtle Island (North America).
He is a mix of African (several Southern and Western African peoples), African
American and Tsalagi (Cherokee) peoples. Raised away from his ancestral
homelands and from many (though not all) of his ancestral traditions, much of hislife has focused on returning to those traditions, and on bridging the best of
ancient wisdom and contemporary innovations in support of creating a
sustainable world. He is a complexity-science organizational consultant (one who
applies insights from the study of complex systems in nature, science & society to human
organizations), and a spiritual activist. He received early training in both fields at Oxford University on a
Rhodes Scholarship, with interdisciplinary studies on the application of Gandhian nonviolence to
individual and large-scale change. His life work focuses on applying concepts of & practices for
embodying the interconnectedness of lifedrawn from contemporary complexity-science, and select
ancient wisdom traditions to todays foremost crises. Perhaps the greatest revolution of our time is in
the way that we see and live in the world as holistic, ecological and deeply interconnected a
reemphasis for many ancient cultures, and a shift for many modern cultures. He has worked extensivelyin community, corporate, movement-building and spiritual settings for many years. At the invitation of
Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, he represented the U.S. in a yatra (journey) in India commemorating
Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
www.LawrenceEllis.org, www.PathsToChange.net
The Shaman's Apprentice - Introduction by co-producer Abigail Wright - Replay of
the documentary movie available athttp://springofsustainability.com/video Recorded on June 2, 2012Abigail Wright: Producer, Writer, Media ConsultantThe Shaman's Apprentice: Feature documentary by Miranda Productions, narrated by Susan Sarandon
Abigail Wrightproduces and writes documentaries for the independent film
company, Miranda Productions, Inc., illuminating complex subjects such as
farming, forests, and traditional shamanism. These films have accumulated over
eighty major awards and have been broadcast all over the world. She is currentlydeveloping an online series for kids on the wonders of food and cooking. Abigail
has acted, written, and directed for theatres in the USA and Canada. She also
works as a media consultant for emerging technology companies and teaches
documentary production at Boulder Digital Arts. She serves on the boards of two cultural organizations,
both of which strive to preserve the wisdom of traditional elders.
www.mirandaproductions.com
www.theshamansapprentice.com
http://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://springofsustainability.com/videohttp://springofsustainability.com/videohttp://springofsustainability.com/videohttp://www.mirandaproductions.com/http://www.mirandaproductions.com/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.mirandaproductions.com/http://springofsustainability.com/videohttp://www.lawrenceellis.org/http://www.lawrenceellis.org/ -
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Interspersed with mythical, dream-like folktales narrated by actress Susan
Sarandon, The Shaman's Apprentice blends the mystique and the reality of Dr.
Mark Plotkin's captivating journey into the heart of the Amazon in pursuit of theShaman's secrets of medicinal plants. The award-winning film by Miranda
Productions illustrates a success story about a man who recognized the
importance of his quest not only for the benefit of those from whom he studied
but ultimately for the world at large. With dazzling visuals, cutting edge science
and a compelling story, The Shaman's Apprentice merges the shamanic and the scientific in a feast for
the eyes, the heart, and the mind.
http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/,www.mirandaproductions.com,www.amazonteam.org
The Indigenous Wisdom & Modern Science Summit is a program of the Spring of
Sustainability virtual series.
http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.amazonteam.org/http://www.amazonteam.org/http://www.amazonteam.org/http://www.amazonteam.org/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/http://www.theshamansapprentice.com/