We Recognize the Sacred Rights of Air & Sky
our original languages hold whole lineages of story, song, prayer, and memory
As Indigenous & Native peoples, we still remember the words of those who departed this world, decades ago, when the wind will whisper their story. We, as Native people, never had to be told to ‘respect women’ or to listen to our elders, to nurture children, or to protect the earth. Indeed, there is not even a word in our languages for environmentalist. This is because it is all built into our words and our way of life.
Our values and histories are intimately intertwined, as we align with each other again with renewed commitment to be good future ancestors and responsible descendants.
The sacredness of air that sweeps the land, the creatures, the rocks, plant relatives, and the people, cleans and carry away all that needs a deep winnow. It stirs the ashes from our sacred smoke, helping us to pray for renewal, thanking all seen and unseen for the benevolence of what gives us life for another cycle—each year, each moon, each day, and each dawn—we take a deep breath knowing that we are of this universe—and whatever happens to one of us, the other breaths in.
We protect the air.
air is sacred
The sacred air is constantly threatened by colonization-sourced impurities, pollutants, toxins, and contaminants that attack our most vulnerable. The removal of forests, the dumping of waste, the processing of gasses, the fossil fuels, the denial of cultural practices that prevent out of control fires. All of these are incongruent with sacred air. It is easy for our senses to be dulled by the ugliness of profiteering off of natural resources, but our body and our spirits know, and at some point we will not be able to return to a world where there is clean air again.
May our eyes, our words, and our breath be turned toward transformative and courageous cleansing. Life-affirming air that brings our existence into full sensory connection with intergenerational brilliance. The ancestors and the Earth remember and love to hear our songs on the winds—they carry our offerings of our everyday work, our advocacy, our activism, and our prayers for deep cleansing Earth breath.
The ancestors and the Earth remember
and love to hear our songs on the winds.
Breath of Change: Join the Movement for Pure Air and Sacred Skies
As guardians of the air that sustains us, your voice and actions are pivotal. The Urban Native Collective invites you to join us in this crucial endeavor to protect and purify the air we all share. Whether it's through supporting sustainable practices, advocating for the preservation of natural habitats, or participating in cultural and environmental activism, every step you take makes a difference. Stand with us in honoring the sacred rights of air and sky, ensuring that future generations can breathe deeply, knowing they are part of a universe cared for with respect and love. Embrace our heritage of stewardship, engage in our initiatives, and help us sing our songs of renewal and hope on the winds. Together, we can foster a world where the air remains a life-affirming force, carrying the legacy of our ancestors and the promise of a cleaner, healthier future for all.