NDF’s Inclusion & Equity Committee recognizes the importance of Native American Heritage Month. IEC-sponsored Dharma at the Movies will feature films about Native Americans: “Gather” in November, and in December a video of Robin Wall Kimmerer speaking about the importance of reciprocity. We hope you will join us for these events, which are in line with Buddhist traditions of honoring our ancestors, including the Earth, whose witness of the Buddha’s right to sit on the seat of enlightenment enabled him to defeat Mara. We are also facilitating a book club (registration is now closed however) reading Braiding Sweetgrass, the influential book by Robin Wall Kimmerer about the importance of indigenous peoples’ perspectives in amplifying scientific knowledge

There are a multitude of ways to increase your knowledge of Native American culture and honor contributions to the way we live today. Starting locally will enhance your knowledge of the place where you live. Supporting Native-made, owned or operated businesses, goods and services is a material way to show appreciation and support. Native American artists and artisans, for example, continue to create visionary works, and can likely be found in your area or close by. You can also visit or look online for information from the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian.

We welcome you to join us in learning about and supporting those who stewarded these lands for thousands of years before we arrived. To see what tribal lands you live on, go to this link: https://native-land.ca/