Indigenous Earth Community Podcast

Frank Oscar Weaver
  • 4.7 (63)
  • NATURE
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Journey alongside Indigenous conservation heroes from around the world, as they share ancient wisdom for our modern environmental crisis. This podcast bridges traditional ecological knowledge with practical steps to turn eco-anxiety into meaningful action. On Indigenous Earth you’re not just a listener; you’re an active participant in a transformative mission to become true stewards of our planet. Unlike typical sustainability content that overwhelms, these episodes leave listeners feeling calmer and grounded while providing accessible ways to reconnect with nature. Indigenous Earth delivers upbeat yet honest conversations that remind us we don’t just live on this Earth—we are this Earth. Indigenous Earth Community Podcast is powered by Indigenous Earth INC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to sharing Indigenous knowledge through storytelling to inspire action for a thriving planet.

  1. JAN 25

    Why Native People Were the First Scientists (And What That Means Today) with Laylalanai Gocobachi

    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 shows us how to bridge traditional wisdom and modern science. You'll learn how she combines climate data with elder observations about disappearing plants, and why the Earth is constantly speaking to us, through snakes climbing trees before floods, through plants receding, we just need to remember how to listen. This is for anyone who's felt like one person can't make a difference, anyone searching for hope in these challenging times. What You'll Discover: How to start listening to what the Earth is trying to tell you (practical signs to observe) Why "water doesn't separate us, it connects us"—and what that means for your work The exact process for braiding Indigenous knowledge with Western science How to overcome imposter syndrome when you're the only one in the room Why showing up matters even when you doubt yourself Simple ways to reconnect with nature and find knowledge keepers in your community Resources: Follow Laylalanai Gocobachi on LinkedIn and Instagram Watch for her documentary on Planet Forward about traditional crops across the border 📚 Support This Podcast & Indigenous Youth Workshops: When you purchase books through our Indigenous Earth Bookshop, you directly support independent Indigenous booksellers AND fund our hands-on workshops for Native youth worldwide. Every book purchase helps preserve traditional ecological knowledge for the next generation. 🌱 Connect with Indigenous Earth: Workshops: https://www.indigenousearth.org/p/indigenous-earth-workshops/ Newsletter: https://www.indigenousearth.org/newsletter/ Music Credit: "Pascola Dance - Mamna Cialim (Green Spinach)" performed by Musicians and Singers from Old Pascua Village, Tucson and Rio Yaqui, Sonora from the album Yaqui Ritual and Festive Music (Canyon Records, 2002). Published by DMG Arizona Music/Public Domain. Topics: Traditional ecological knowledge, intergenerational learning, Yaqui culture, climate assessment, Indigenous youth leadership, desert wisdom, water sovereignty, environmental science, knowledge braiding, listening to Earth

    23 min

  2. 10/19/2025

    How to Start an Environmental Career (Without Losing Your Values) with Andrea Everett

    Want a green career but worried you'll have to compromise your values? Andrea Everett from the Pueblo of Ysleta del Sur shows there's another way. Andrea shares how she turned her midnight business decision into MatriARC PROJECTion LLC, a drone and GIS mapping company that serves communities instead of extracting from them. She reveals why she turns down high-paying work that doesn't align with her Pueblo values, and how that actually attracts better opportunities. You'll also hear the inspiring story of how a group of Pueblo women came together after Feast Day to reclaim their traditional farming roles. They secured land, built two hoop houses, and are now growing ancestral seeds: Hopi corn for ceremonies, Pueblo chiles, tobacco, and marigolds for Day of the Dead. Healing in community while creating a foundation for the next generation. What You'll Discover: How to break into GIS and drone careers  Why staying true to your values attracts the right work Starting a business with just faith and a grant that showed up unexpectedly How youth learned to fly drones while connecting with sacred sites and elders Traditional farming techniques: three sisters planting, waffle gardens, soil preparation Why healing happens in community, not isolation The power of starting small, even a few plants in pots Resources: Books: Braiding Sweetgrass, Radical Cartographies, Muskogee Tools of Futurity Video: Native Cartography - Challenging Western Notions of Place Connect: Andrea Everett Story Maps. https://borderlore.org/a-sacred-rivers-sovereignty/ indigenousearth.org Topics: Green careers, GIS mapping, drone jobs, Indigenous agriculture, seed sovereignty, rematriation, traditional farming, values-based business, career advice for Native youth

    37 min

  3. 08/25/2025

    How to Connect with Your Ancestors (And Why)

    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 connecting with environmental guardians in your lineage sustains planet work across generations Why this practice transforms climate anxiety into ancestral strength The Connection Process: Identify family members who shaped your environmental calling - the bird watcher, the hiker, the gardener Interview relatives who knew them if they've passed on Learn their names and stories (names hold power) Honor them through daily practices and sacred space Spend time with them, experience nature together  Resources Referenced: NPR Article: "How to make an ancestral altar: A cross-cultural guide" Climate Burnout Research Report (96% statistic) Special Thanks: Frank's mother for sharing the water diviner grandfather story My awesome cousin Joenna for the English translation Dr. Susan Bell Chiblow for the Indigenous wisdom classroom practice Connect with Indigenous Earth: Website: indigenousearth.org Newsletter for more Earth Warrior Challenges Topics: Climate burnout, ancestral connection, environmental activism sustainability, Indigenous wisdom practices, water divining, intergenerational environmental calling, BIPOC climate trauma, spiritual ecology, activist resilience

    5 min

  4. 08/05/2025

    How to Learn Indigenous Knowledge the Right Way (Dr. Susan (Sue) Chiblow)

    Join us as we return with Professor Susan (Sue) Chiblow, one of our most beloved guests whose wisdom bridges Indigenous science with academic research. As an Ojibwe professor and International Joint Commission commissioner, Sue reveals the right way to learn from Indigenous knowledge—without appropriation or harm. Discover how to respectfully access traditional wisdom, trace your own ancestral stories, and apply Indigenous practices to solve environmental problems in your own community. What You'll Experience: Sue's groundbreaking work fighting harmful herbicides like glyphosate in Canadian forests 🌲 Why Indigenous peoples aren't the only ones responsible for fixing environmental problems—it's all of us The powerful classroom exercise that helps students understand their own displacement stories How maple syrup, potatoes, and canoes are Indigenous innovations the world still uses today 🍁 Traditional water ceremonies that connect us to our universal origin story The difference between saving the planet (impossible) and saving ourselves (essential) Practical ways to honor the Indigenous peoples of the land you currently live on Why trees teach us better coexistence than most humans ever manage Essential Reading Mentioned: "Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence" by Gregory Cajete "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer "Traditional Ecological Knowledge" (multiple authors) "Water Voices from Around the World" (2001) 📚 Support This Podcast & Indigenous Youth Workshops: When you purchase the books Sue recommends through our Indigenous Earth Bookshop, you directly support independent Indigenous booksellers AND fund our hands-on workshops for Native youth worldwide. Every book purchase helps preserve traditional ecological knowledge for the next generation. 🌱 🎬 Watch Recommended: "The Americas Before Christopher Columbus" series on APTN - 10 episodes showing the incredible innovations of Indigenous peoples across the continent Connect with Indigenous Earth: Workshops: https://www.indigenousearth.org/p/indigenous-earth-workshops/ Newsletter: https://www.indigenousearth.org/newsletter/ "We're not trying to save the planet—the earth will be fine. We're trying to save ourselves and learn to be better humans." - Sue Topics: Water protection, Indigenous science, chemical contamination, glyphosate, traditional ecological knowledge, displacement trauma, academic-Indigenous knowledge bridge, Ojibwe wisdom, environmental justice, intergenerational healing

    34 min

  5. 06/03/2025

    Ancient Hawaiian Practices to Transform Your Daily Connection with Nature (with Molly Mamaril)

    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-tested Hawaiian principles of reciprocity and abundance. Learn why changing where you spend your money can be one of the most powerful actions you can take today. What You'll Experience: Simple daily practices inspired by aloha values that strengthen relationships and reduce stress Molly's personal journey from the Midwest back to her Hawaiian roots through hula dance 💃 How one community removed 3 million pounds of invasive seaweed to restore an entire bay ecosystem 🌊 Why supporting local farmers and businesses creates lasting change in your community Traditional Hawaiian economic models that prioritized abundance over scarcity The profound difference between ancient and modern hula as cultural storytelling Practical ways to honor your local environment and cultural heritage 🎧 Don't Miss Frank's Episode on Heartbeat Narratives! Want to hear the other side of this incredible conversation? Frank was Molly's guest on Heartbeat Narratives where they dive deep into his passion for the sacred Ava drink, mind-bending sci-fi stories, the magic of his childhood nickname "The Storyteller," and so much more! It's a completely different conversation that reveals Frank's most personal stories and the experiences that shaped him into the storyteller he is today. Listen to Frank on Heartbeat Narratives - you'll discover sides of him you've never heard before! Connect with Molly Mamaril: Above the Sides Podcast: Stories of how we weave the values of aloha into our personal and professional lives - Listen Here Heartbeat Narratives Podcast: Stories of joy about the people, places and passions we love - Listen Here 📚 Support This Podcast & Native Youth Workshops: When you purchase books on Indigenous wisdom, and environmental restoration through Bookshop.org, a portion of your purchase directly supports this podcast and our workshops for Native youth across the globe. Your book purchases help us continue sharing Indigenous stories and empowering the next generation of Indigenous leaders. 🌱 Stay Connected: Newsletter: https://www.indigenousearth.org/newsletter/ "If we speak through our purchases, that is one really tangible thing that we can do to make a difference." - Molly Mamaril Topics: Hawaiian culture, Indigenous reconnection, hula dance, ocean restoration, sustainable economics, aloha values, environmental conservation, cultural storytelling, diaspora experience, community resilience 🌺

    27 min

  6. 04/22/2025

    How to Experience Sacred Healing Using Ancient Bribri Wisdom" (Costa Rica Indigenous Tour)

    Join us as we travel to the Caribbean rainforests of Costa Rica with Robert Mora, a proud Bribri community member and cultural guide. In this heartfelt conversation, Robert shares how the Bribri maintain their profound connection with water, healing traditions, and community rituals. Discover the spiritual significance of rivers and waterfalls, the sacred role of cacao ceremonies, and how shamanic practices provide healing for visitors from around the world. What You'll Experience Robert's personal journey of healing and reconnection with his Indigenous roots The deep spiritual significance of water in Bribri culture and daily life Traditional cacao ceremonies and their transformative healing power Insights into the role of the "Awa" (medicine man/shaman) in community wellness The communal "Jala de Piedra" ritual where entire villages transport sacred stones Indigenous perspectives on environmental challenges and climate change Connect with Robert Mora Instagram: @the_usekol_man Tours: Experience authentic Bribri village visits and ceremonies with Robert Special Content Visit indigenousearth.org to watch exclusive footage of Robert playing traditional flute music by the "Awa" (medicine man/shaman) hut, and witness the powerful community-building Jala de Piedra ceremony where dozens gather to move ancient stones that will ground their food and medicine. Stay Connected Newsletter: indigenousearth.org "The water brings me a lot of peace" - Robert Mora Topics: Indigenous healing, Bribri culture, waterfall ceremonies, medicinal plants, cacao rituals, Costa Rica, environmental wisdom, community traditions

    39 min

  7. 02/06/2025

    5 Ways to Honor Our Green Spaces with Watson Whitford

    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 Connect with the issues affecting natural spaces Educate yourself about environmental challenges Take action in your community Leave It Better Than You Found It Take responsibility for keeping spaces clean Think of future generations Protect the beauty of our lands Honor Ceremonial Spaces Recognize the sacred nature of many parks Respect ongoing ceremonies Seek permission and guidance Respect Wildlife Boundaries Avoid disturbing animal behavior Maintain appropriate distances Remember every creature has its place Get in the Right State of Mind Ask permission before entering natural spaces Practice mindful visitation Show gratitude through offerings   Notable Quotes "We're a part of this circle of life. I'm no higher than a ladybug. I'm no higher than a buffalo. And we're all the same. We all come from the same place." - Watson Whitford "I want this place to be beautiful. I want there to be clean water, clean air to breathe, to be healthy animals and healthy plants. Not just for my relatives that are here with us now, but for people that will be coming in the future that aren't even here yet." - Watson Whitford "Our traditional ways of ceremony are good... we don't talk down about other people's way of religion or talk down about the way other people pray. You know, because we want to be uplifting. We want to help each other." - Watson Whitford Special Offer Visit indigenousearth.org to receive an exclusive video prayer from Watson Whitford, guiding you in practicing mindful visitation to green spaces. Connect with Watson Whitford Email: copresident@unityinc.org Instagram: @watson_whitford05 Role: Co-President of UNITY   Support UNITY UNITY (United National Indian Tribal Youth) supports Indigenous youth leadership across the nation. Your donation helps: Support Indigenous youth programs Preserve traditional knowledge Foster environmental stewardship Develop future leaders Donate at: unityinc.org/donate Stay Connected Subscribe to our newsletter: indigenousearth.org Follow Indigenous Earth Community on Instagram at @frankoscarweaver   Credits Host: Frank Oscar Weaver - Pai Tavytera - Tribe of Paraguay Guest: Watson Whitford -Navajo/ Chippewa Cree  Sound Engineer: Jake Kelch    This podcast acknowledges that many parks and natural areas are on ancestral Indigenous lands that have been stewarded by Native people for thousands of generations.   Topics: mindful visiting, indigenous lands, environmental stewardship, wildlife respect, ceremonial spaces, leave no trace, climate change, indigenous wisdom, nature connection, community engagement

    34 min

  8. 01/06/2025

    How to Farm using Traditional Seeds (with Alastair Bitsóí)

    In this powerful episode, we meet Alastair Lee Bitsóí from Naschitti, Navajo Nation, New Mexico, a water clan storyteller whose journey weaves together traditional Indigenous 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, and generational healing, Alastair reveals how Indigenous knowledge systems continue to thrive and adapt in today's world. Join host Frank Oscar Weaver for an intimate conversation about resilience, restoration, and the profound connection between land and healing. ✨ Key Highlights: Traditional Indigenous farming practices in Navajo Nation Water rights and accessibility in Indigenous communities The cultural significance of the Four Corners potato Mental health and healing in Native communities Indigenous environmental stewardship 🌎 Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of historical trauma and mental health challenges. Crisis Support: Native Crisis Line partners with Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and the Indian Health Service. Text NATIVE to 741-741 to connect with a crisis counselor. 🌎   💫  Learn more at: www.indigenousearth.org Share Your Thoughts: Help shape our show: www.indigenousearth.org/survey/2024-survey/   Connect with us on Instagram: Host: Frank Oscar Weaver @frankoscarweaver Guest: Alastair Lee Bitsóí @alastairbitsoi   Music Credit: Traditional Flute Performance: Andrew Thomas (Diné), Product Specialist at Indian Pueblo Store Production

    51 min
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4.7
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Journey alongside Indigenous conservation heroes from around the world, as they share ancient wisdom for our modern environmental crisis. This podcast bridges traditional ecological knowledge with practical steps to turn eco-anxiety into meaningful action. On Indigenous Earth you’re not just a listener; you’re an active participant in a transformative mission to become true stewards of our planet. Unlike typical sustainability content that overwhelms, these episodes leave listeners feeling calmer and grounded while providing accessible ways to reconnect with nature. Indigenous Earth delivers upbeat yet honest conversations that remind us we don’t just live on this Earth—we are this Earth. Indigenous Earth Community Podcast is powered by Indigenous Earth INC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to sharing Indigenous knowledge through storytelling to inspire action for a thriving planet.

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