Indigenous Peoples

“We respect the sacred wisdom of each religion, spiritual expression and indigenous tradition.” - URI Principle 2
Caminhos Da Terra CC Indigenous Blessing

Indigenous voices have been an essential part of URI since its beginning. Cooperation Circles act to protect Indigenous peoples' rights to live and thrive in accordance with their traditions.

Examples of our work in this Action Area:

  • Comunidad Cosmica CC, in Buenos Aires, Argentina preserves Indigenous cultures' rich oral histories by publishing written stories.
  • 1God CC, in Clayton, Victoria, Australia, leads a movement to return uncovered Aboriginal human remains for dignified burial in accordance with Aboriginal traditions.
  • Indlondlo Zulu Dancers Cultural and Art Centre, in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, keeps traditional Zulu dances, costume, and culture alive through classes and performances.

The URI delegation delivers prayers and sacred water from around the world as part of the Interfaith Day of Prayer at the Oceti Sakowin Camp on December 4, 2016. URI has a long history of honoring Indigenous traditions, protecting the environment, and creating cultures of peace, justice, and healing for the Earth and all living beings.

Search for Cooperation Circles (CCs) with a focus on Indigenous Peoples

Stories

URI AL&C Online Youth Training

Between August and September 2021, the URI AL&C Online Youth Training organized by the URI Global Program for the participation of youth was developed with the intervention of 15 young people from the CCs: Aflaiai, Constructores de Puentes, Teusaquillo, Mukua, Quinaroes , COEMATI, The Descendants of Guatemaya, Samay, ACRE from the countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama and Venezuela.

Jal Jamin Jangal Movement

To answer this urgent call from nature and fight this threat against indigenous rights and lives, URI CCs from the region have embraced the “Jal Jamin Jangal Movement” (save the Water, Land, and Forest), making its core mantra.