Indigenous Identity and Sustainability

Published Oct 31, 2023 by
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Since time immemorial, the Earth’s lands and waters have been central to the social, cultural, spiritual, mental, and physical well-being of Indigenous peoples. It is essential that we do everything we can to honor sites that hold historical, spiritual, or ceremonial significance. As climate change and uncertain sustainability continue to become more apparent, a call for “Indigenous knowledge” is being brought to the table. According to the UN Department of Public Information, Indigenous lands make up only 20% of the Earth’s territory but contain 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity. Indigenous communities typically view the term “being” as a more collective term, encompassing the ecosystems, animals and other species, and all other natural entities. As “human beings,” we are such a small piece in the large circle of life but can make decisions that impact both our survival and our environment’s survival. This land is sacred to the many Tribal Nations who have long advocated for its protection, and establishing a national monument demonstrates the importance of recognizing the original stewards of our public lands.  Indigenous Knowledge is a core piece of what we mean when we talk about collaborative conservation. Indigenous peoples continue to use these areas for religious ceremonies, hunting, and gathering of plants and other materials, including some found nowhere else on earth.

The connection to nature, the universal, and the cosmos creates an understanding of shared responsibility between what is taken from and what is given back to the Earth that is practiced among Indigenous communities and helps define how these communities have continued to have sustainable practices, despite the continuous shifts in social and environmental worlds. For most indigenous communities, sustainability is the practice of collaboration and reciprocity with nature. It is the intentional practice to find a balance between the natural earth and all its beings, for those now and generations to come, along with the perspective of being part of the ecosystem, not on it or above it.

A notable example of Indigenous sustainability is the American Indian Cultural Garden on UNC’s campus, which hosts community educational events about Indigenous gardening and land practices.
Another example is the Indigenous Guardians Network which has Indigenous experts help Indigenous Nations care for the land, water, and animals on traditional territories and engage with other land users, industry representatives, and government agencies to determine policies that are more efficient.

North Carolina has the largest population of Indigenous Peoples east of the Mississippi River and the eighth largest in the United States. As noted in the 2020 census, Indigenous Peoples make up 1.6% of the population. The percentage is higher when including Indigenous Peoples in combination with other races. The State of North Carolina recognizes eight tribes:

North Carolina also has granted legal status to four organizations representing and providing services for American Indians living in urban areas: Guilford Native American Association (Guilford and surrounding counties), Cumberland County Association for Indian People (Cumberland County), Metrolina Nativa American Association (Mecklenburg and surrounding counties), and Triangle Native American Society (Wake and surrounding counties).