As we finalize our October newsletter today, it is Monday, October 9. We are commemorating Indigenous Nations Day. Many American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Indigenous people throughout the country are acknowledging their heritage and history.
We share the belief that every day is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, but this official day provides us with a special day to honor our diverse and rich cultures, and positive contributions of our ancestors. We especially like to reflect on our strengthened resilience and the healing of our people as we continue to overcome issues ongoing today.
We are also celebrating America’s increasing awareness and understanding of First Peoples. President Biden issued a proclamation stating that Indigenous Peoples’ Day is intended to “honor the sovereignty, resilience and immense contributions that Native Americans have made to the world.” He added: “we have more to do to help lift Tribal communities from the shadow of our broken promises, to protect their right to vote and to help them access other opportunities that their ancestors were long denied.” Statements like this increase appreciation and respect for First Peoples.
Our new neighbors are realizing that we are no longer just in history books. We are still here. At Elderberry Wisdom Farm, we are honoring the earth, our Oldest Grandmother, and the ancestors of the land. We are working the land, increasing biodiversity of the soil, and helping to restore ecosystem health in the Mid-Willamette Valley. We are working to offer it as an emerging best practices restoration model during this, the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030, and our partners are embracing our climate resilience principles for habitat restoration and helping it to become a promising best practices model.