-Caveat Lector- -----Original Message----- Date: Tuesday, January 26, 1999 11:35 AM Subject: The Elders Speak to NASA > >NASA Listening To Native >Elders To Help Save Environment >Salt Lake City Tribune >1-21-99 > > >The Nome Eskimo elder lamented that nowadays his homeland in winter >is too >warm for the life system to sustain itself -- only 20 degrees below >zero >instead of 70 below. His people have learned to live in balance >with the ice >and cold. But now the Bering Strait is sick. Sea ice is forming >later, >affecting the animals who breed on it. The sea pups aren't ready to >leave when >the ice melts, so they die or are abandoned. The hunters say the >walrus are >skinny, and they have to hunt farther into the tundra because the >caribou know >the thin ice won't sustain their weight. > >In the old days, the elders in Alaska could forecast the weather by >watching >the stars. But now, says one Siberian Yupek elder, ``The Earth is >so fast now. >We can't predict the weather anymore.'' > >Many native prophesies warned of a time when the people would be >confused, and >the old and the young would die first. The prophesies said the >trees would die >from the tops down and the world would be in danger. > >Using ``eyes'' from space, NASA officials have seen that the elders >are right. >Its officials conclude that the ``Earth is a living system that is >distressed.'' So now, NASA has turned to native elders for counsel >as it >examines the effect of climate change on the U.S. population, >environment and >economy. NASA brought together a gathering of several hundred >elders for a >five-day climate-change workshop in Albuquerque, N.M., last fall. >NASA is >seeking to merge the knowing and wisdom of people who understand >the >responsibilities that humans have to the Earth with the knowledge >of non- >native scientists. > >The elders who attended the conference, called the Circle of Wisdom >Native >Peoples/Native Homelands Climate Change Workshop, stated: ``It is >this >spiritual connection to Mother Earth, Father Sky and all Creation >that is >lacking in the rest of the world. . . . We call upon the people of >the world >to hold your leaders accountable.'' > >According to documents issued by the workshop, temperatures will >become warmer >in the Northern Hemisphere by 5 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit within the >next 20 >years. The primary source of human-induced climate change is the >burning of >oil, gas and coal. The melting of sea ice ``affects the exchange of >energy >continuously taking place on the Earth's surface,'' according to >NASA. While >it might seem a distant problem to many people in the United >States, all life >is interconnected. > >We have long said that native prophesies are misunderstood. They >not only are >spiritual visions, but often also come from a life-science >observation of the >natural world. When people understand that they are not separate >from the >natural world, they will seek to honor and understand it. This is >why Chief >Joseph said long ago that the Earth was part of his body and they >were of one >``mind.'' > >Native people traditionally have understood that the Earth and >universe have a >mind and a spirit, a cosmic intelligence that responds to us, to >our >intentions. ``Earth is a living mother, an organism. I know none of >us would >think of abusing our birth mother. She is a spiritual woman . . . >that gives >life. Through our ceremonies, we honor her life-giving power so >that she can >continue to nourish us,'' says Cheyenne elder Henrietta Mann. > >When people no longer live and learn from the land, their >disconnection to it >leads to the abuse of Mother Earth. Along with the land, native >people's >traditions die: their food, their ceremonies, medicinal plants, >their fibers >for making sacred baskets. And much of it has been through the >greed of market >economies and the perversions of science and technology that have >claimed or >contaminated the land, particularly native lands, through >deforestation, >pesticides, industrial waste, radioactive poisoning and mining. >``What good is >an economic system if our children die anyway?'' asked a Kanaka >Maoli elder >from Hawaii. A nearby flip-chart read, ``There is no >post-environment >economy.'' > >There are myriad things to be done, including requiring companies >to factor >the environmental impact of their projects into their businesses, >and >demanding that all public projects invest in clean and renewable >forms of >energy. But most of all, we must begin to value life in all its >manifestations. > >Corbin Harney, a Shoshone elder, says the spirits of the land and >the >ancestors are waiting for people to recognize their responsibility >to Mother >Earth. ``They want to hear us pray so that they can work with us, >so >everything can heal.'' > >Brightest Blessings even in the darkest of times, >Love to heal the heart, Light to guide your way. > >Kat Steingraber >Elemental Circle of Spirit >ICQ: 1492782 > >AlabamaPaganAwarenessLeague >SouthEastern Regional Director >Education Director >http://canisminor.knology.net/~elemental > >"I was abducted by space aliens and I vote!" > > > DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
