Alumni Spotlight: Melissa Nelson
Melissa Nelson attended a Whole Thinking Retreat in 2006 and joined our faculty in 2007. We interviewed her recently about her work in California and around the country on issues surrounding indigenous rights.
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1) With what organization are you affiliated?
The Cultural Conservancy, an indigenous rights non-profit organization. I am also affiliated with the American Indian Studies Department at San Francisco State University.
2) What does your organization do?
The Cultural Conservancy is a research, education, and advocacy organization focused on the revitalization of indigenous cultures and their ancestral lands. We do a lot of work to maintain and renew indigenous knowledge, stories, songs, and languages. Because of the intimate connection between indigenous cultural practices and environmental health, we also do work to protect native lands, sacred sites, restore native biodiversity and traditional foods and plant urban and rural native gardens.
3) What do you consider to be the most exciting part of your work at the moment?
Cultivating and supporting the intersection of health, plants, food, culture, and art to show that creative solutions are possible for seemingly intractable ecological and cultural problems. We are doing this through two exciting projects:
RAIN FED – Renewing American Indian Nutrition, Food, and Ecological Diversity: we are creating an Urban Indian native food garden to increase urban Indian communities’ access to local, organic, native vegetables and creating educational programs on gardening, permaculture, nutrition, native cooking, and the cultural knowledge and teachings of Native American foods.
Indian Canyon Healing Pole project: Through our Artist-In-Residence program we worked with Polynesian wood carver Tonu Shane Eagleton to create a 30-foot, 3 ton, salvaged yellow ceder healing pole (totem pole) as a symbol of survival and resilience for the local California Indian tribe, the Ohlone. We gifted it to a special place called Indian Canyon where they will use the healing pole as a place for storytelling, gatherings, events, and ceremonies. It will also be used as a symbol of healing for the sacred foods of California, focusing on the Abalone species of the California coast. Educational materials are being created about the history of the pole, native California Indian foods, and the educational and healing powers of environmental and cultural art.
4) Would you consider yourself to be an environmentalist? If not, how would you categorize yourself and your work?
I see myself more as a simple human being concerned about the health of our planet and humanity. I used to consider myself an environmentalist, but unfortunately, that term tends to divide rather than unite people. It’s a label that has become too limiting and too loaded. So I am first and foremost a human being, then an indigenous rights activist and educator, then an environmentally concerned person. I think it is very important that we see that our environmental problems are a result of human decisions and behaviors and so that’s where we need to focus our attention. So being a humanist is as important as being an environmentalist because ultimately there is little difference between people and the environment, we just think there is. Still, I am very happy that there are so many people committed to conserving and restoring endangered species, habitats, and landscapes and I commit a lot of my time to supporting that work too.
5) What motivates you most?
Doing the impossible; inspiring individual transformation and social change; manifesting visions of health, healing, and community; creating sacred spaces where nature and culture coalesce; inspiring a sense of place and a sense of wholeness.
6) What is one of the biggest obstacles you face in your work, and what methods have you devised to overcome it, if any?
Limited resources – time, money, tools, space to create. To overcome this requires having clear, feasible goals, developing reciprocal partnerships to share resources, and being creative about finding multiple sources of funds and tools. The limited time factor is always an issue, but it means that one has to really focus and prioritize what project to work on based on its viability, impact, moral and financial support, and other factors.
7) Who are your teachers, the people that most influence you and your work?
Native Leaders/Teachers – the late Vine Deloria, Jr., and John Mohawk, Tobasonakwut Kinew, Greg Cajete, Leroy Little Bear, Inez Talamantez, Paula Gunn Allen, Katsi Cook, Marilyn Youngbird
Scientists/Philosophers – David Bohm, Ken Norris, David Suzuki, Arne Naess
Poets – Rumi, Neruda, Pattiann Rogers, Gary Snyder, Robinson Jeffers, Lucy Topahonso
8) Are there any organizations or coalitions out there that you think are shining examples of “whole thinking” in practice? What are they, and what are they doing?
Occidental Arts and Ecology Center – a model sustainable community with permaculture designed lands, wildlands, and integrated human use areas that train and teach people how to care for the land and waters and create more just, sustainable systems. They also work with the local California Indian tribe, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, so truly walk their talk in terms of honoring and supporting the traditional environmental knowledge of their place.
Native Science Academy – integrating the best of indigenous and western science knowledge systems and practices to create models of educational transformation, and a holistic new paradigm of “science” and learning. Implementing this vision through dialogues, curriculum, and new methodologies in schools, universities, and indigenous communities.
I honestly and humbly say that the work we do at the Cultural Conservancy strives to implement “whole thinking” in practice. The two examples above give an idea of that work.
9) What gives you hope?
Places like Center for Whole Communities and Occidental Arts and Ecology Center; the bright enthusiasm of youth; the creative imaginations of artists and musicians; the patience and compassion of elders who have survived atrocities; a hummingbird drinking from a passion flower.
10) Finally, if you could have every Center for Whole Communities alumnus do one thing, what would it be?
Recognize that everywhere you live and work, you are standing on sacred ground, on places that were and continue to be part of an indigenous communities ancestral homeland. If you are involved with a land trust, preserve, park, or other conservation area or land base, know that Native Americans historically had a relationship to that place that goes back thousands of years. And Native peoples are still here today and would most likely be very interested in restoring a relationship to their ancestral places. As a land steward, you can create reciprocal partnerships with tribes and native groups to protect and restore natural and cultural resources together. By recognizing time-tested ecological knowledge, these alliances can help increase the health of the land and of the people.