Onjisay Aki International Climate Summit

June 8-10th, 2017

Turtle Lodge, Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba, Canada

The Onjisay Aki International Summit on Climate Change, initiated by the Turtle Lodge and hosted by First Peoples, took place at Turtle Lodge in June 2017. The Summit brought Indigenous knowledge of living in balance with nature’s laws together with contributions of other climate leaders from the international community.

The Summit participants wrote the Onjisay Aki International Calls to Action within four themes: 
ancestral knowledge, sovereignty, relationships, and transformation (highlighted in the video above)

The Onjisay Aki Summit convened speakers over three days who engaged in activities that encouraged the comprehension and appreciation of Indigenous knowledge, and roundtable discussions that focused on action. Especially significant was the lifting of a special Pipe that had been commissioned by the Elders, and the coming together and sharing of knowledge from the North and South Americas, in fulfillment of a prophecy commonly identified among Indigenous Peoples as the Prophecy of the Eagle and the Condor.  The Summit culminated with an ancient ceremony to build a Thunderbird nest, to acknowledge and re-establish a human alliance with nature.  

The message and Calls to Action born in the Summit are inspiring a national and international dialogue on cultural and environmental stewardship, based on Indigenous values, in partnership with all people. Our children are the center of our lives, and we believe this message can provide guidance for current youth and future generations.