On Indigenuity Learning the Lessons of Mother Earth

Mother Earth is calling on us to act—the collective wisdom of thousands of years of Indigenous knowledge can guide us.  Indigenuity, or Indigenous ingenuity, stems from an ancient idea and practice that Native peoples have engaged in for millennia. It was born of a careful mindfulness and attentiveness to our planet and all of its creatures, and a recognition that human experience is intertwined with all that surrounds us. As a society, we rarely pay attention to our land, air, and water, exacting a high price for all life on this planet. On Indigenuity is a call for us to learn a key lesson: it’s time to apply ancient Indigenous wisdom to solve modern problems.  The author, leading Indigenous thinker Daniel Wildcat, discusses some of the most important Native knowledge that is the foundation of science, the environment, biology, and our culture, arguing that restoration through the practice of Indigenuity is essential if we are to make progress toward saving our home.   By surrounding ourselves with human creations, Wildcat contends that we have created an “insulated ignorance” for ourselves, and what we need to solve the problems of the twenty-first century is a different perspective. Drawing upon history, personal experiences, and extensive research, Wildcat invites readers on a profound journey of discovery, bridging the gap between how we’ve already tried to help our planet and the traditional Indigenous knowledge that could be the key to making a real difference.  

Daniel R. Wildcat is a Yuchi member of the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma. His service as teacher and administrator at Haskell spans 37 years. In 2013 he was the Gordon Russell visiting professor of Native American Studies at Dartmouth College. Dr. Wildcat received an interdisciplinary Ph.D. from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. In 1994 he partnered with the Hazardous Substance Research Center at Kansas State University to create the Haskell Environmental Research Studies (HERS) Center.

Introduction
Let’s Get Started
For Our Children
Let’s Stop Lying
 

1. Beauty Surrounds Us

Why Indigenous Voices Will Be the Most Important in the Twenty-First Century
Smoothing the Ground
 

1. A Time for Mending

Indigenuity—A Beginning
 

1. Land Back!

Land Back—Indigenuity in Action
The Ioway Tribal National Park
Right Relations
The Nature–Culture Nexus
A Non-Anthropocentric Worldview
 

1. To See in a Different Light

Indigenuity, the Waste Problem, and a Wetlands Example
A Wetland’s Healing and Restoration: An Exercise of Indigenuity
 

1. A Poem for Emma Olivia

A Grand Transformation Needed to Address Climate Change
 

1. Out of Doors

Finding Our Home with Mother Earth
Take Education Out-of-Doors