Indigenous Environmentalism: Honoring Our Relationships and Responsibilities with Nature

For thousands of years, Native American peoples have had a deep connection to the land they live on. From cultural burning—setting small controlled fires to improve a habitat—to only taking what was needed, Indigenous peoples protected and respected the land. When Europeans began colonizing the land that would become the United States, Native nations were forced from their homes. Later, the US government and non-Native companies built dams that flooded sacred lands and oil pipelines that threatened waters. Yet Indigenous peoples continued to stand up for nature. They are speaking out to reclaim their lands and care for them once again.