Living WITH Earth Rather Than ON Earth
Who is Tiokasin Ghosthorse?
Tiokasin is a member of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation of South Dakota and has a long history with Indigenous activism and advocacy. Tiokasin is the Founder, Host and Executive Producer of “First Voices Radio” Syndicated National/International (formerly “First Voices Indigenous Radio”) for the last 29 years in New York City and Seattle/Olympia, Washington. In 2016, he received a Nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize from the International Institute of Peace Studies and Global Philosophy.
Other recent recognitions include: Native Arts and Cultures Foundation National Fellowship in Music (2016), National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship Nominee (2017), Indigenous Music Award Nominee for Best Instrumental Album (2019) and National Native American Hall of Fame Nominee (2018, 2019). He was awarded New York City’s Peacemaker of the Year in 2013. Recently, he was also nominated for “the 2020 Americans for the Arts Johnson Fellowship for Artists Transforming Communities”.
Tiokasin is a “perfectly flawed human being.”
Quick Overview
Tiokasin Ghosthorse begins this podcast by painting a picture of his childhood and experiences as an indigenous person growing up in the United States and being forced to ignore his own culture. He talks about how western education is very binary and restrictive, whereas non-western education (for lack of a better word) allows one to make choices and actually grow. He also mentions how indigenous cosmovision and spirituality can help us address the current challenges humanity faces, especially in regards to education and climate change. He help us see that Earth is always changing and moving…. but, we, the humans are the ones who need to change with the Earth, and this may only happen if we live with the Earth and on her rhythm and not on Earth. Tiokasin creates an insightful, thought-provoking atmosphere in this extremely interesting podcast interview.
Questions Addressed in this Episode
- Can you share with us where were you born and where you grew up?
- Any example of your learning experience as a child or in your youth? Do you have a transformative learning moment you could share?
- How is knowledge shared in your culture? How education-learning take place in your community?
- Conventional and mainstream education is undergoing a major paradigm shift. How do you envision the way in which learning, and education should take place? What can we learn from the traditional indigenous cultures on this?
- How human values can be cultivated among the young generation?
- What is the native American cosmovision (and spirituality) and how can it help us address the current challenges humanity face?
- What are the synergies we can find between the values (and worldviews) articulated in the Earth Charter and the Indigenous cosmology?
- What is the value you see in multi-cultural dialogue and collaboration?
- How can we humans contribute to the well-being of Earth?
- How do you understand Climate Change and the challenges to address them?
- What are the inner dimensions of Climate Change?
- What would be your message to the youth?
Listen to this episode
Duration: 1:02:40
