Cultural Reconnection Episodes

Hey friends, it's been a while. Like many of you, we've been navigating a lot on the environmental and overall news front lately, so today I'm doing something a little different. I think back to those early days kayaking with friends here in Florida, searching rivers for trash. Some days we'd arrive and the water was pristine. We almost felt bad, like we had nothing to do. My mentor smiled and said, "just enjoy it, sometimes we need to remember why we do what we do." That's what this episode ...

Feeling overwhelmed by climate change and disconnected from nature? What if the solutions we need have been here all along, in the wisdom our ancestors knew, in the plants growing in our backyards? Laylalanai Gocobachi, a Pascua Yaqui woman and Unity Earth Ambassador, learned this from her grandfather who sent her into the Arizona desert with grocery bags to "shop" for dinner. He taught her the desert is like our pantry, and that Native people were the first scientists. Today, Laylalanai s...

Environmentalist face devastating burnout rates - 96% experience high or very high exhaustion levels from working on environmental issues. BIPOC communities bear this burden even more heavily, standing on the frontlines of climate destruction. For this Earth Warrior Challenge we are looking on how Indigenous wisdom offers a powerful antidote: connecting with your environmental ancestors. What You'll Experience: The exercise from Dr. Sue Bell Chiblow's Indigenous science class Why co...

Join us as we journey to the Hawaiian Islands with Molly Mamaril, a powerful voice bridging Hawaiian wisdom with modern environmental and economic solutions. Born in Hawaii but raised in Minnesota's Hawaiian diaspora, Molly shares her transformative journey back to her ancestral home and reveals practical ways to apply the sacred values of aloha in your own life and community. Discover how you can support local economies, restore damaged environments, and build stronger communities using time...

5 Ways to Honor Our Green Spaces with Watson Whitford Episode Summary In this powerful episode, Frank Oscar Weaver is joined by Watson Whitford (Wapanatak), co-president of UNITY and member of the Chippewa Cree tribe and Navajo Nation. Together, they explore five essential ways to be a mindful visitor in parks and natural places, weaving together traditional wisdom and practical guidance for honoring our green spaces. The Five Ways to Honor Green Spaces Become a True Steward Con...

In this powerful episode, we meet Alastair Lee Bitsóí from Naschitti, Navajo Nation, New Mexico, a water clan storyteller whose journey weaves together traditional wisdom and modern advocacy. From the challenges of water access affecting one-third of Navajo households to the unexpected healing power of an ancient Four Corners potato, Alastair shares how returning to the land has become a path toward personal and community healing. 🌱 Through stories of water harvesting, traditional farming, an...

We’re joined by Anagali Duncan, founder of the nonprofit Seven Ravens, who shares their inspiring mission to bring books written by Indigenous authors to Native youth. The Indigenous Book Drop initiative is about more than just books—it’s about empowerment, representation, and fostering a deeper connection to culture and heritage. Anagali’s story sheds light on the systemic challenges Indigenous youth face in accessing culturally relevant education and the transformative power of storytelling...

In this episode, we’re joined by Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu, a descendant of the Ashanti Empire, who shares his remarkable journey of cultural identity, ancestral heritage, and environmental advocacy. Growing up in Ghana, Nana experienced a profound spiritual calling to lead his people and protect sacred lands. You can watch the podcast here: https://youtu.be/pZF3JtpQGvs?si=uCjn0gbvAfU6TK-M ✨ What You’ll Learn: • The power of ancestral wisdom and spiritual practices. • The struggles of ad...

Let's meet Jm (him/her) from the Tboli people of the Philippines, a fashion designer using organic materials found in nature to craft stunning, sustainable fashion pieces. Jm's passion extends beyond just fashion; she aspires to inspire the next gene...

🎤 Exploring Personal Values to Kickstart a Green Career Are you ready to dive into the world of green careers and unleash your passion for sustainability? Join Brooke Wheeler-Nez, an Environmental Educator and I on a special episode of Indigenous Ea...

🎤 Indigenous Knowledge Meets Western Science with Susan (Sue) Bell Chiblow 🌳In this inspiring and thought-provoking episode, we're joined by Susan (Sue) Chiblow, an assistant professor at the University of Guelph in their new Bachelor's of Science ...

🎤 Episode 35 - Following the Ancestors' Call: Brooke Wheeler-Nez’s Education Journey In this episode of Indigenous Earth, we have Brooke Wheeler-Nez, an Environmental Educator with the Bureau of Land management. Diné (Kinyaa'áanii, Ta'neeszahnii)  ...

Hello! I want to wish you a Happy New Year! As we start this new spin around the sun, I wanted to share some updates with you, and most importantly, thank you for being a part of our journey. On a recent trip to the Yucatan Peninsula I meet a Nahuatl...

🎤 Episode 32 - Dr Don Dexter , Modoc member of the Klamath Tribes of Southern Oregon In this episode of Indigenous Earth Community Podcast, we have Dr. Don Dexter, a Modoc storyteller. He will share his experience in pursuing higher education as an...

On this episode we talk to Antonio Teoli from the Amazonic about: The start of the Amazonic Project, where Antonio Teoli—an award-winning game composer and sound designer—lived in the Amazon for 4 years and fell in love with the culture and musicality an...

From the Murray–Darling river system, one of the largest in the world, and home to ancient fish traps, with a rich and deep culture is where my next guest Kabushka Ngemba comes from.  Kabushka Ngemba is a very successful commissioned contemporary indigen...

A very hard-hitting interview with Neil Giardino, an American journalist whose storytelling focus is on the Amazon and indigenous peoples. Neil is a freelance journalist who has stories published on NBC and Al Jazeera, who just returned from a trip to Pa...

A great episode to start is Episode 21: "A poem for the Earth by an Indigenous Nahuatl Women Esmeralda Gonzales" Welcome to Indigenous Earth Community Podcast My name is Frank Oscar Weaver,  Growing up in Paraguay, I participated in many environmental pr...

To honor the Indigenous people of Mexico, we have Esmeralda Gonzalez, who is a teacher of the Indigenous language Nahuatl, and also an earth guardian, leading group of students in reforestation projects of native trees. Esmeralda shares the ancient wisdo...

Natasha Akiwenzie shares with The Seven Grandfather teachings, and how they can help us bring balance to our relationships with ourselves and the planet.  Natasha runs an Environment nonprofit group of First Nation fishers and others who care about Clima...

Considered a rising star in the Seminole Tribe of Florida and crowned as the 36th Miss Indian World, Cheyenne Kippenberger is committed to helping her community. She gives back to her community by preserving and sharing the traditions and history of the ...

Yuahula Alay Kalapalo is in ground zero of the Amazon deforestation, the Xingu region. We talk about what Yuahula is witnessing in the Amazon burning fires, and how he's creating music and film to bring awareness to the problems that the fires have cause...

Angela Noah (@angno97) is a National Indian Tribal Youth Peer Guide, the Current Miss Indian University of Oregon, an Earth Ambassador , and a very community driven individual. I learned so much from her in the half an hour we shared together. We go over...

Supper happy of the conversation I had with Sháán díín Cedar , who is an avid outdoors woman, in fact, Sháán díín is one of the ambassadors for Native Outdoors!  In the season finale of our podcast,  we talk about her advocacy for people of colors to enj...