Tom 'Putuparri' Lawford’s people have lived in the desert of Western Australia for over forty thousand years. They lived a nomadic life knowing they could always retreat to their sacred

Tom 'Putuparri' Lawford’s people have lived in the desert of Western Australia for over forty thousand years. They lived a nomadic life knowing they could always retreat to their sacred waterholes when times were hard. Kurtal is one of the most important of these waterholes in the heart of the Great Sandy Desert. It is the site where underground artisan water known as ‘jila’ or ‘living water’ comes to the surface and it is where the spirits of Putuparri's people return to when they die.

When Europeans arrived, their cattle and horses fouled the water holes and forced Aboriginal people off their land. Many of them worked on cattle stations where they retained a physical link to their Country. But in the late 1960s when the courts introduced equal pay, many Aboriginal people were forced off the stations into towns like Fitzroy Crossing.

Putuparri grew up in Fitzroy Crossing as part of an activist family. He was ten years old when he joined the picket line at Noonkanbah Station to fight oil-drilling on sacred land.

Rights of Mother Earth Conference

Domination of and the destruction of the values of the land can be seen when our Indigenous Knowledge is ignored or not shared by all. If we do not

Rights of Mother Earth Conference

Domination of and the destruction of the values of the land can be seen when our Indigenous Knowledge is ignored or not shared by all. If we do not perform ceremonies of thankfulness then those things that sustain us will be destroyed.

2018 Geography of Hope: Wyatt Hersey—painter, illustrator, and natural historian

The

2018 Geography of Hope: Wyatt Hersey—painter, illustrator, and natural historian

The 2018 Geography of Hope Conference explores the theme of “Finding Resilience in Nature in Perilous Times” on Saturday, March 17, and Sunday, March 18. During these fraught days of political upheaval, social turmoil, and environmental assaults, the conference shows ways to build emotional and spiritual resilience, using nature as a touchstone.

Since 2008, Geography of Hope conferences have become known for illuminating the relationship between people and the land, and for strengthening that bond through the compelling voices of writers, artists, and activists who offer both inspiration and calls to action.

"How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis,” a fundraiser for Sogorea Te’ Land Trust and book launch for “The Story is in Our Bones.”

"How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis,” a fundraiser for Sogorea Te’ Land Trust and book launch for “The Story is in Our Bones.”

Many thanks to the amazing speakers! Speakers included:
Corrina Gould (Ohlone)— Tribal spokesperson for the Confederated Villages of Lisjan and Director of Sogorea Te’ Land Trust
Isabella Zizi (Northern Cheyenne, Muskogee Creek and enrolled Three Affiliated Tribes)— Organizer with Idle No More SF Bay and Movement Rights
Leila Salazar-Lopez —Executive Director Amazon Watch
Osprey Orielle Lake —Founder and Executive Director Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) and author of "The Story is in Our Bones: How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis.”
Moderation: Tracey Osborne— Associate Professor in the Management of Complex Systems Department at the University of California, Merced
---------------------------
We are at a choice point for humanity. As social and ecological crises escalate globally, it is clear that the dominant cultural worldview, informed by colonization, patriarchy, capitalism, and racism is displaying a relationship with Nature and each other that is devastatingly unjust and out of balance.

To live in a healthy and equitable world, we must fundamentally change how we respect and interact with the Earth and one another. To change the present and future, it is imperative to change the narrative and amplify worldviews and stories of solutions that transform the dominant worldview from an extractivist, colonial paradigm of exploit and extract to a thriving, globally-conscious one of respect and restore.

During this event, movement leaders and change-makers wove together stories, worldviews, and experiences of restoration and justice that demonstrate the world we know is possible and needed. We knew in our bones this time was coming. And now we must act in solidarity more than ever, as we continue building a powerful movement founded on principles of justice, love, and a fierce dedication to our planet and our communities.

This event was both a fundraiser for Sogorea Te’ Land Trust and the launch of the book by Osprey Orielle Lake, "The Story is in Our Bones: How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis." All book proceeds at this event will be donated to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust to support the powerful work of Corrina Gould and her leadership in the urban Indigenous women-led land trust based in the San Francisco Bay Area that facilitates the return of Indigenous land to Indigenous people.

To learn more about the book: https://ospreyoriellelake.earth
To learn more about Sogorea Te’ Land Trust: https://sogoreate-landtrust.org/
To learn more about the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network: https://www.wecaninternational.org/