Oren Lyons – To Survive, We Must Transform Our Values

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Published 2024-04-24
We can all see the Earth is heating up, that polar ice and glaciers are melting, and that ever more fires, floods and droughts are screaming at us that our climate is unraveling. Our societies are also showing signs of unraveling. But the legendary, world-renowned Native American Rights leader, Oren R. Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation, who, among countless achievements, helped establish the UN’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations and authored or co-authored such profoundly influential texts as: Wilderness in Native American Culture and Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations and the U.S. Constitution, is here to tell us that we can’t give up. We have profound responsibilities to coming generations, and time is of the essence, but if we want to reverse course to prevent climate catastrophe and achieve real peace, we will have to dig deep to transform contemporary society’s core values that underlie and drive the existential crises we are facing.

This keynote talk was delivered at the 2024 Bioneers Conference. To see other talks from the conference, visit www.bioneers.org/2024talks

All Comments (21)
  • @JM-yd9sm
    As a British person, I can see that we need the guidance of Native peoples from around the World to help guide us back to our shared humanity; anchored in an appreciation of our oneness with all things in our World. I see the Native Nations as the guardians of our true nature and oneness. I honour your Leaders, the People and your Ancestors. Your stories, traditions and wisdom must be preserved.
  • @Malouco
    😮 94 YEARS OLD AND SHARP AS A BURNING SPEAR 🔥 He could run for President 🌳🌍
  • @aldebaranredstar
    94 years old! Great speech by a great man!❤️❤️❤️🌟🌟🌟👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙏🙏🙏
  • I am the grandson of Russell Loud Hawk from the Oglala Lakota Nation. It is a great honor to hear the words of a great man to walk Unci Maka Mother Earth.
  • @ron_amok369
    “When Great Spirit draws the bow, the arrow always hits the mark.” Oren Lyons, 1993 “Peace”. Thank you, sir.
  • @Dragonfly0314
    The American public has been kept ignorant from the very beginning. Let’s remove the wool from our eyes and gather with our true family. Thank you Oren Lyons for the work you are tirelessly doing to shed light, and for sharing the way to live in loving care of each other.
  • @lightwillprevail
    I'm a native fire keeper and have used those words, a dog shaking it's fleas, to describe the situation on our earth mother. If we continue down the path of greed and not come together as a species, regardless of race, we will not survive 🙏 🔥 🐻 🐾
  • @debbietodd8547
    Oh to sit around a fire and listen to this dear man all night......one night would not be enough🙏
  • @JoniRitaOfficial
    I wanted to cry listening to this man. His honesty and truth is refreshing to listen to at this time. So powerful.
  • @shelpal8776
    I stood up in my classroom and I asked if I was going to be graded on what’s in the history books or what was the truth about the American Indian😊 we weren’t savage as depicted in the history books and I boldface asked I was sent to the principal’s office and suspended from school, and I cried with tears of sadness for my people thought you should know
  • @user-df6fx2bc2z
    Thank you my Grandfather, I wish you and your family a long and beautiful life.
  • @AtmanGoldenAge
    Dear Brothers. This wisdom has fallen on deaf ears for decades. We are up for a shake. I believe we are about to shift in the Golden Age. 2025 is the cliff. Glad to be incarnated now to witness this great shift. Looking forward to meeting with my brothers in the new earth after the coming tribulations. Namaste and love 🙏.
  • @joanneadahk124
    Oren, wishing you were our President ❤️ bless you Chief 🫶
  • @HawaiiLimey
    I don't think most people understand what he was trying to convey. The great upheaval IS coming, many will die. Most support the master that is about to cut them down. The peace is meant in how we treat each other, the current political climate with rampant attacks shows our true sentiment. Mother Gaia is about to purge to rid the sickness. She works in cycles of millenia.
  • @Rnue
    As a Metis citizen, also Scandinavian and Eurasian, middle child, child of divorce, grandfather subjected to residential school, and twin spirit dealing with multiple major and ambiguous grief and loss, so much trauma, I spend every day simply struggling to exist and belong in a world that doesn't believe in me, know me or want or acknowledge me. Other than maybe by a few of those on the anonymous mental health site 7 Cups of Tea, I'm treated with abuse and toxicity at best every day of my life. I've never stopped showing up and will just keep going - remembering that sacred part of me and living by it's light.
  • @EvakerstinL
    I think, if the world will have peace, there must be leaders from your people that's in power on that continent
  • So much gratitude to you Mr. Oren Lyons for educating me in this matters. Much love and blessings to you! ❤️🙌🙌❤️🌈♥️❤️