Copenhagen 2009: A defining moment for Mother Earth & tar sands & Kandi Mossett
I just spent the past four days, ending Saturday, at the Native Peoples Native Homelands Workshop II in Prior Lake, Minn. It was an inspiring conference attended by grassroots organizers, indigenous scientists, White House and NASA representatives. I had the opportunity to watch an amazing collaboration among some 300 people who all worked together to help shape the Mystic Lake Declaration, a document outlining the concerns of indigenous peoples as world leaders get ready to go to Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Climate Change talks scheduled to take place in December. I will post the document as soon as I get the go ahead from the drafters, a group of about 15 people who gathered ideas from the the workshop participants.
While at the conference, we heard from young and old alike, all people with like minds who are working to save the planet from further destruction, a climate crisis brought on by the continued use of fossil fuels. One of the people who energized the workshop was Kandi Mossett of the Indigenous Environmental Network. Mossett showed a video of the tar sands in Canada, the world's largest and dirtiest environmental disaster. As for the tar sands, watch this tar sands blow video and see what our thirst for oil is doing to Mother Earth.
Also, if you want to read a story on the Mystic Lake Declaration, I have a story on Indian Country Today. It was posted late Friday. I'm planning on a longer story for posting later Monday.
Jodi Rave
Jodi Rave Spotted Bear
(Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation)Founder & Editor in Chief
Spoken Languages: English
Topic Expertise: Federal trust relationship with American Indians; Indigenous issues ranging from spirituality and environment to education and land rights
Sharing Is Caring
This article is not included in our Story Share & Care selection.
The content may only be reproduced with permission from the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance. Please see our content sharing guidelines.
© Buffalo's Fire. All rights reserved.
Help us keep the fire burning, make a donation to Buffalo’s Fire
For everyone who cares about transparency in Native affairs: We exist to illuminate tribal government. Our work bridges the gap left by tribal-controlled media and non-Native, extractive journalism, providing the insights necessary for truly informed decision-making and a better quality of life. Because the consequences of restricted press freedom affect our communities every day, our trauma-informed reporting is rooted in a deep, firsthand expertise.
Every gift helps keep the fire burning. A monthly contribution makes the biggest impact. Cancel anytime.
Respect The Fire
At Buffalo's Fire, we value constructive dialogue that builds an informed Indian Country. To keep this space healthy, moderators will remove:
- Personal attacks, harassment, or hate speech
- Spam, misinformation, or unsolicited promotion
- Off-topic rants and excessive shouting (All Caps)
Let’s keep the fire burning with respect.