The Indigenous Connections Team hosted a wonderful event at the Duwamish Longhouse on April 20. The Duwamish Tribe donated the Longhouse and several members of the tribe attended the event. About 15 current and former East Shore members attended, including Reva María Cristina, who opened the event with a welcome and blessing. Members of other local UU churches also contributed food and volunteer time: University UC, Northlake UUC, Woodinville UUC, and Westside UUC members showed up and supported the event. The Duwamish Alive Coalition worked with us to get the word out and even ended their morning work parties early so that volunteers could attend our event in the afternoon.
Jacob Johns (Akimel O’Otham and Hopi) and Jeff Ferguson (Spokane) honored all of us with moving, inspiring stories, and their energy was infectious. The Longhouse was bursting at the seams: full of people, full of the moving spirit, and full of love for our earth, sky, and waters. We counted 70 people at the peak.
One of the goals of the event was to make the connection between local, hands-on earth-water stewardship and an international presence of indigenous voices, lifting up our earth-water relatives and anchored by prayer, song, and ceremony. Several people noted the powerful message that all efforts matter, whether at COP, along the Duwamish River, or in the Longhouse: All of us moving in the same direction toward climate justice and a more respectful, reciprocal relationship to Mother Earth can shift our world and our planet. As Jacob says, “The future is not yet written.”
by Carrie Bowman, Indigenous Connections