This edition of Notable Blogs covers a wide range of subjects. As always we invite you to visit the authors, and let them know your thoughts and appreciations.
We begin with a post about the problematic nature of our North American Thanksgiving holidays, a subject I have been writing about recently.
The Image Lab highlighted a video from TED, stating:
This TED talk is very timely. We celebrated Thanksgiving last week in America. It is a seemingly innocuous and very American holiday. But it always lingers in the back of my mind how our taking this country came to be. We took it. Many people think that’s all forgiven and forgotten now since Native Americans have casinos. However that has not really even begun to make up for what was lost.
The photos in this presentation tell the tale of life today on the Pine Ridge Reservation while Aaron discusses the history.
Joshua Kahn Russel wrote about efforts by First Nations people to bring increased awareness of the consequences of fossil fuel pollution to the COP-16. Here in Vermont, where annual temperatures are rising sharply, and particulate matter from Midwestern coal plants sickens many children, we are acutely aware of the need to curb, and reduce greenhouse gasses, as well as particulate emissions.
Cancun, Mexico, Dec 2, 2010 – Indigenous Peoples of Canada and their allies from around the world are in Cancun at the COP-16 climate summit demanding real action to reduce fossil fuel pollution. Over twenty people with color-coded T-shirts that spelled out the words “Shut Down the Tar Sands” in both English and Spanish gathered in front of the Maya building to directly deliver their message to UNFCCC delegates. Participants included Indigenous community representatives from fossil fuel impacted community across Canada and the U.S., many carrying personal banners linking tar sands with the destruction of their territories.
Iskote launched a new blog which will promote blogs written by Indigenous people:
This blog promotes blogs by Aboriginal, First Nations, Metis and Non-Status Indians people and organizations. My thinking behind this promotion is – well, sharing – a value inherent in the cultures of Aboriginal people. I believe the more people take part on the internet in this way, the more we share our ideas about everything about culture, events, issues and their solution and move toward leadership accountability.
Lilian Nattel informs us of a momentous event!
York University is the first Canadian university to “officially sanction the use of a language other than English or French in graduate work.” Alfred Metallic in the Faculty of Environmental Studies is “the first PhD candidate at York to defend his thesis in an Aboriginal language – it was written and spoken in the Mi’gmaw language.”
And finally, Walking the drum…. reminds us of the value of service, especially during the holidays:
Service exists beyond our ability to measure it. Whether knowingly or not, each of these has become a vessel for Spirit. A little light can go a long way during the holidays which, for those without friends or family, can certainly be a dark and lonely time. . .
Dreaming the World 