The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, has a sacred obligation regarding our environment; these are ancient laws handed down from one generation to the next. These teachings are basic principles of respect, conservation and appreciation. The Haudenosaunee recognize other forms of life inhabiting the earth have a reason to be here just as much as we, each has duties that keep the rest of creation in a reciprocal balance. Humans are but a part of the natural world and Mother Earth is a relative, not a resource. We as indigenous peoples are not better than but rather equal to other living beings with different responsibilities. For this reason, we continue to operate under our traditional mandate to be stewards of the earth, and to preserve the land, water and our fellow creatures for the Seventh Generation in the future.
Extractive Industries & Our Responsibility to Mother Earth
Indigenous cultures and identities are synonymous with our lands. We recognize that our Indigenous relatives are struggling against the extraction of resources on their lands, including mega-projects such as hydroelectric dams, hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking), pipelines and the contamination of the Tar Sands in Alberta, Canada, the violations to sovereignty at Standing Rock and all over the world. These threats are in direct violation of UNDRIP Article 32, affirming Indigenous Peoples right to free, prior and informed consent and UNDRIP Article 25 which affirms Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen our distinctive spiritual relationship with our traditionally owned lands.