Environmentalist face devastating burnout rates - 96% experience high or very high exhaustion levels from working on environmental issues. BIPOC communities bear this burden even more heavily, standing on the frontlines of climate destruction.

For this Earth Warrior Challenge we are looking on how Indigenous wisdom offers a powerful antidote: connecting with your environmental ancestors.

What You'll Experience:

The Connection Process:

Resources Referenced:

Special Thanks:

Connect with Indigenous Earth:

Topics: Climate burnout, ancestral connection, environmental activism sustainability, Indigenous wisdom practices, water divining, intergenerational environmental calling, BIPOC climate trauma, spiritual ecology, activist resilience

Join us as we return with Professor Susan (Sue) Chiblow, one of our most beloved guests whose wisdom bridges Indigenous science with academic research. As an Ojibwe professor and International Joint Commission commissioner, Sue reveals the right way to learn from Indigenous knowledge—without appropriation or harm.

Discover how to respectfully access traditional wisdom, trace your own ancestral stories, and apply Indigenous practices to solve environmental problems in your own community.

What You'll Experience:

Essential Reading Mentioned:

📚 Support This Podcast & Indigenous Youth Workshops: When you purchase the books Sue recommends through our Indigenous Earth Bookshop, you directly support independent Indigenous booksellers AND fund our hands-on workshops for Native youth worldwide. Every book purchase helps preserve traditional ecological knowledge for the next generation. 🌱

🎬 Watch Recommended: "The Americas Before Christopher Columbus" series on APTN - 10 episodes showing the incredible innovations of Indigenous peoples across the continent

Connect with Indigenous Earth:

"We're not trying to save the planet—the earth will be fine. We're trying to save ourselves and learn to be better humans." - Sue

Topics: Water protection, Indigenous science, chemical contamination, glyphosate, traditional ecological knowledge, displacement trauma, academic-Indigenous knowledge bridge, Ojibwe wisdom, environmental justice, intergenerational healing 

Join us as we journey to the Hawaiian Islands with Molly Mamaril, a powerful voice bridging Hawaiian wisdom with modern environmental and economic solutions. Born in Hawaii but raised in Minnesota's Hawaiian diaspora, Molly shares her transformative journey back to her ancestral home and reveals practical ways to apply the sacred values of aloha in your own life and community.

Discover how you can support local economies, restore damaged environments, and build stronger communities using time-tested Hawaiian principles of reciprocity and abundance. Learn why changing where you spend your money can be one of the most powerful actions you can take today.

🎧 Don't Miss Frank's Episode on Heartbeat Narratives!

Connect with Molly Mamaril:

📚 Support This Podcast & Native Youth Workshops: When you purchase books on Indigenous wisdom, and environmental restoration through Bookshop.org, a portion of your purchase directly supports this podcast and our workshops for Native youth across the globe. Your book purchases help us continue sharing Indigenous stories and empowering the next generation of Indigenous leaders. 🌱

Stay Connected:

"If we speak through our purchases, that is one really tangible thing that we can do to make a difference." - Molly Mamaril

Topics: Hawaiian culture, Indigenous reconnection, hula dance, ocean restoration, sustainable economics, aloha values, environmental conservation, cultural storytelling, diaspora experience, community resilience 🌺

Join us as we travel to the Caribbean rainforests of Costa Rica with Robert Mora, a proud Bribri community member and cultural guide. In this heartfelt conversation, Robert shares how the Bribri maintain their profound connection with water, healing traditions, and community rituals. Discover the spiritual significance of rivers and waterfalls, the sacred role of cacao ceremonies, and how shamanic practices provide healing for visitors from around the world.

Visit indigenousearth.org to watch exclusive footage of Robert playing traditional flute music by the "Awa" (medicine man/shaman) hut, and witness the powerful community-building Jala de Piedra ceremony where dozens gather to move ancient stones that will ground their food and medicine.

"The water brings me a lot of peace" - Robert Mora

Topics: Indigenous healing, Bribri culture, waterfall ceremonies, medicinal plants, cacao rituals, Costa Rica, environmental wisdom, community traditions

5 Ways to Honor Our Green Spaces with Watson Whitford

Episode Summary

In this powerful episode, Frank Oscar Weaver is joined by Watson Whitford (Wapanatak), co-president of UNITY and member of the Chippewa Cree tribe and Navajo Nation. Together, they explore five essential ways to be a mindful visitor in parks and natural places, weaving together traditional wisdom and practical guidance for honoring our green spaces.

The Five Ways to Honor Green Spaces

Notable Quotes

"We're a part of this circle of life. I'm no higher than a ladybug. I'm no higher than a buffalo. And we're all the same. We all come from the same place." - Watson Whitford

"I want this place to be beautiful. I want there to be clean water, clean air to breathe, to be healthy animals and healthy plants. Not just for my relatives that are here with us now, but for people that will be coming in the future that aren't even here yet." - Watson Whitford

"Our traditional ways of ceremony are good... we don't talk down about other people's way of religion or talk down about the way other people pray. You know, because we want to be uplifting. We want to help each other." - Watson Whitford

Special Offer

Visit indigenousearth.org to receive an exclusive video prayer from Watson Whitford, guiding you in practicing mindful visitation to green spaces.

Connect with Watson Whitford

Support UNITY

UNITY (United National Indian Tribal Youth) supports Indigenous youth leadership across the nation. Your donation helps:

Donate at: unityinc.org/donate

Stay Connected

Credits

This podcast acknowledges that many parks and natural areas are on ancestral Indigenous lands that have been stewarded by Native people for thousands of generations.

Topics: mindful visiting, indigenous lands, environmental stewardship, wildlife respect, ceremonial spaces, leave no trace, climate change, indigenous wisdom, nature connection, community engagement

 In this powerful episode, we meet Alastair Lee Bitsóí from Naschitti, Navajo Nation, New Mexico, a water clan storyteller whose journey weaves together traditional Indigenous wisdom and modern advocacy. From the challenges of water access affecting one-third of Navajo households to the unexpected healing power of an ancient Four Corners potato, Alastair shares how returning to the land has become a path toward personal and community healing.

🌱 Through stories of water harvesting, traditional farming, and generational healing, Alastair reveals how Indigenous knowledge systems continue to thrive and adapt in today's world. Join host Frank Oscar Weaver for an intimate conversation about resilience, restoration, and the profound connection between land and healing.

✨ Key Highlights:

🌎

Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of historical trauma and mental health challenges.

Crisis Support: Native Crisis Line partners with Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and the Indian Health Service. Text NATIVE to 741-741 to connect with a crisis counselor.

🌎

💫  Learn more at: www.indigenousearth.org

Share Your Thoughts: Help shape our show: www.indigenousearth.org/survey/2024-survey/

Connect with us on Instagram:

Host: Frank Oscar Weaver @frankoscarweaver

Guest: Alastair Lee Bitsóí @alastairbitsoi

Music Credit:

Traditional Flute Performance: Andrew Thomas (Diné), Product Specialist at Indian Pueblo Store Production

We’re joined by Anagali Duncan, founder of the nonprofit Seven Ravens, who shares their inspiring mission to bring books written by Indigenous authors to Native youth. The Indigenous Book Drop initiative is about more than just books—it’s about empowerment, representation, and fostering a deeper connection to culture and heritage.

Anagali’s story sheds light on the systemic challenges Indigenous youth face in accessing culturally relevant education and the transformative power of storytelling in shaping identity and resilience.

✨ What You’ll Learn:

🔗 Support the Indigenous Book Drop:

💸 Donate to the GoFundMe 

📦 Ship directly via Amazon, Send them to:

7 Ravens

PO Box 1327 Stilwell Oklahoma 74960

Books Needed:

Ages 4-10:

We Are Water Protectors  

Being Home  

Ages 11-15:

Braiding Sweet Grass (3 have been donated)

Never Whistle at night

Ages 16-18:

Notable Native People (20 have been donated)

Invisible No More Voices from Native America

Sobriety group:

A guide to sobriety ten gentle reminders (3 donated need 17 more)

Connect with Seven Ravens: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/274841377525608

Thank!! 

📋 We Need Your Input!

🔗 Connect with Indigenous Earth Podcast:

Let’s make this Giving Tuesday a day of meaningful change for Indigenous youth!

In this episode, we’re joined by Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu, a descendant of the Ashanti Empire, who shares his remarkable journey of cultural identity, ancestral heritage, and environmental advocacy. Growing up in Ghana, Nana experienced a profound spiritual calling to lead his people and protect sacred lands.

You can watch the podcast here:

✨ What You’ll Learn:

🔗 Connect with Land Rights Defenders:

📋 We Need Your Input!

🔗 https://www.indigenousearth.org/survey/2024-survey/

🔗 Connect with Indigenous Earth Podcast:

Join us for this inspiring conversation and take the next step in protecting our shared planet! 🌱

What if the answers to the climate crisis are here?

In this special Indigenous Peoples’ Day episode, host Frank Oscar Weaver speaks with Indigenous leaders from across the world who are on the front lines of the fight to protect their lands and our planet. Impirita, an Indigenous leader from Peru, shares the harsh reality her community faces as industrial mining contaminates rivers that have provided life and sustenance for generations.

“All these rivers are contaminated, not just by sewage, but also by mining activities,” – Impirita

Frank reflects on the wisdom of Indigenous teachings, like those of Dr. Don Dexter from the Klamath Tribes, who explains how removing Indigenous people from their lands disrupts a natural cycle that keeps ecosystems in balance. Beth Tupara-Katene from Aotearoa (New Zealand) reminds us of the deep responsibility of reciprocity between people and nature, and the urgent need to protect sacred lands.

From the ancient mounds of the Tocobaga tribe in Florida, believed to protect the region from hurricanes, to the laws that silence the words "climate change," this episode explores the modern challenges Indigenous communities face. These storms and disasters are not merely natural—they are #UnnaturalDisasters, fueled by climate pollution.

🌍 Take Action:

• Support local tribes and advocate for Indigenous rights.

Join us in honoring the Earth by standing with those who have been defending it for generations.

Credits:

"It's a good day to be Indigenous” is a quote from 1998 independent film “Smoke Signals" Highly recommend it! 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_Signals_(film)

https://freesound.org/people/simongray/sounds/339321/

🎧 Listen now to learn how you can take meaningful steps to protect our planet and support Indigenous communities: Indigenous Earth Podcast.

What if rivers were more than just water—they were living beings with spirit, memory, and life?

In this episode, Frank Oscar Weaver speaks with Impirita Samani, an Indigenous Ashaninka leader from Peru, about her people's deep connection to rivers and the devastating impact of illegal mining.

"We treat the river as a living person, even though it may seem invisible, it is always present." – Impirita Samani

Impirita shares how environmental destruction not only pollutes their sacred waters but displaces Indigenous communities, severing cultural and spiritual ties to the land.

Learn how we can reconnect with rivers, not as guardians, but as children of the Earth, and take steps to protect these vital sources of life.

Impirita is sharing the beautiful Ikaro Ashaninka song “TSIROWANKO”, which pays homage to the magical bird Tsirotsi (Cacicus Cela). This bird is a spiritual guide in the Amazon, imitating the songs of the jungle and carrying messages from PAWA, the creator of the universe.

This song symbolizes the resilience of Ashaninka culture, the power of the feminine, and the deep bond with the natural world. Just as “TSIROWANKO” leads us to the heart of the Amazon, our episode delves into the threats Indigenous communities face from environmental destruction and cultural displacement, and how we can unite to protect the sacred rivers and lands.

🌟 Take Action:

• Support Impirita Samani’s work: Connect here.

Credits:

Photo by Neil Giardino

Music By: Impirita Samani 

Illegal gold mining thrives in Amazon, miners attack indigenous people | WION Climate Tracker | News

🎧 Listen now to discover how you can help protect rivers and support Indigenous communities: Indigenous Earth Podcast.