Episode 15: On Native American perspectives on the natural world, animal stories, the role of human beings, and how we can heal the Earth together, with spiritual leader, permaculture designer and teacher, Dan Wahpepah

If you have ever been interested in Native American perspectives on the natural world, animal stories, and how we can heal the Earth, Dan Wahpepah is your guy. He has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom, based on years of experience in learning about the Red Road. Here are some of the topics he shared on this interview: The importance of food in native life, including a discussion about food forests vs gardens. How the “grain culture” has had such a great impact on our world. Plants and animals as “elder relatives.” Egosystem vs ecosystem. How colonization created cognitive dissonance. Everything is connected and how each elder relative has something to teach us, some particular kind of medicine. Dan shares some wonderful animal stories, including two versions of a creation story about how Turtle Island, or America, was formed. How to live with an abundance mindset, using give-aways and plantings, to create an economy based on nature. We all chose to be here now because we each have medicine to give. We are here to bring hope in this time of great transition. Daniel Wahpepah grew up immersed in American Indian Movement culture and traditional ways. His father is a spiritual leader and his uncle founded the West Coast AIM. Dan switched schools 18 times as he traveled extensively with his father, learning about the Red Road. He eventually landed on the reservation where he participated and held an officer's position in ceremony at the age of 18. He eventually moved away from the rez and now lives in Oregon on Rogue/Shasta unceded territories. Dan is a trained permaculture designer as well as an esteemed teacher, consultant, and speaker about native American ways. He founded Red Earth Descendants, a Native based non-profit serving Southern Oregon since 2005. For more information about Dan, visit his website at: https://www.danwahpepah.com