Okla Hina Ikhish Holo and WECAN: Protecting Indigenous Lands and the Climate

In the face of growing environmental challenges, Indigenous communities have long stood on the frontlines of the climate crisis. One of the organizations working to address this is Okla Hina Ikhish Holo, a grassroots Indigenous-led movement in collaboration with the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN). Together, they are advocating for the protection of sacred lands, Indigenous sovereignty, and climate justice, empowering Indigenous women and communities in their fight to safeguard the Earth.

"Okla Hina Ikhish Holo," which means "People of the Sacred Earth" in the Choctaw language, represents a broad alliance of Native American communities dedicated to protecting their ancestral lands and cultural heritage. Central to their mission is the belief that Indigenous people, with their deep spiritual connection to the land, hold valuable knowledge and practices essential to restoring balance with nature.

WECAN International and women for climate justice!WECAN

Through their collaboration with WECAN, Okla Hina Ikhish Holo is elevating these voices to ensure that traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is recognized as a powerful tool in addressing climate change. TEK involves holistic land management strategies passed down through generations, emphasizing sustainability, biodiversity, and respect for all living beings.

Okla Hina Ikhish Holo and WECAN's partnership highlights Indigenous women's leadership in environmental advocacy. Indigenous women are often the stewards of their communities’ knowledge systems and play a crucial role in sustaining ecosystems. This collaboration recognizes that the leadership of women is key to advancing the fight against environmental degradation and social injustice.

WECAN, an international organization that empowers women to take meaningful action for climate justice, amplifies the efforts of Okla Hina Ikhish Holo. Together, they organize workshops, gatherings, and advocacy initiatives that bring together Indigenous women leaders to share their stories, strategies, and solutions for tackling environmental threats.

The work of Okla Hina Ikhish Holo and WECAN encompasses a variety of initiatives aimed at protecting Indigenous lands, challenging harmful environmental practices, and promoting community-led solutions. Some of their key campaigns include:

Defending Sacred Sites: Both organizations are active in campaigns to stop deforestation, fossil fuel extraction, and infrastructure projects that threaten Indigenous territories. They advocate for the protection of sacred sites that are vital to the spiritual and cultural identity of Indigenous peoples.

Promoting Climate Justice: The organizations work to ensure that Indigenous communities, who often suffer the worst effects of climate change, are included in national and global discussions about environmental policy. They emphasize the importance of climate justice, which not only addresses environmental impacts but also the social and economic inequalities exacerbated by climate change.

Supporting Food Sovereignty: Okla Hina Ikhish Holo and WECAN also support the preservation of traditional food systems and sustainable agricultural practices. These systems are critical to maintaining biodiversity and building community resilience in the face of climate change.

A central aspect of the collaboration is raising awareness about the importance of Indigenous rights and environmental protection through education and advocacy. By amplifying Indigenous stories and solutions on a global stage, they seek to shift the narrative surrounding environmental protection. Their message is clear: Indigenous voices must be at the heart of climate action, as their knowledge offers invaluable insights into sustainable living and ecological harmony.

Through conferences, public talks, and partnerships with other environmental organizations, Okla Hina Ikhish Holo and WECAN are reaching a wider audience and fostering solidarity with other movements for environmental justice.

At its core, the work of Okla Hina Ikhish Holo in partnership with WECAN envisions a future where Indigenous peoples have full control over their lands, and where their traditional wisdom is respected as central to global environmental policy. They advocate for a world where ecological balance is restored, where climate justice is realized, and where Indigenous women lead the way toward sustainable solutions.

By blending activism, education, and community engagement, Okla Hina Ikhish Holo and WECAN are reshaping the global approach to environmental challenges, placing Indigenous knowledge and leadership at the forefront of the climate justice movement.

In their combined efforts, they continue to remind the world that protecting Indigenous lands is not just a moral imperative but a critical step in addressing the global climate crisis.

You can watch a short film, Growing Indigenous Food Sovereignty: Okla Hina Ikhish Holo Network directed by Monique Verdin and Osprey Orielle Lake here:

The film takes the audience on a journey to the end of the Mississippi River, in the place the Chahta (Choctaw) call Bvlbancha, the Okla Hina Ikhish Holo, People of the Sacred Medicine Trail, where a network of femme and nonbinary Indigenous gardeners, are working urgently to respond to the climate crisis.

Says Monique, "As climate catastrophes worsen, and extreme droughts and flooding become the new normal, it is imperative that Indigenous communities lead as we develop renewed systems for climate justice and food sovereignty. Globally, 80% of biodiversity exists within Indigenous territories, and several studies confirm that Indigenous peoples are the best stewards of their homelands, with Indigenous women and femmes providing the backbone of their communities and holding vast knowledge and skill gleaned through their traditional role as healers, culture shapers, and caretakers of water and land.  Okla Hina Ikhish Holo is re-establishing old trade routes and networks while adapting and co-designing new future paths for tradeways that strengthen decentralized systems of support, build circular economies, and support local biodiversity, food sovereignty, and stewardship of their traditional territories. In the Mississippi River Delta, lndigenous territories are disappearing at one of the fastest rates on earth, due to a legacy of extractive practices and a changing climate. Developing and supporting local Indigenous food networks is crucial for ensuring the continuation of sacred and long-standing cultural practices connected to food, medicine, and the land."

Monique Verdin (United Houma Nation) is the Project Leader, Co-Coordinator of WECAN Food Sovereignty Program and director of the Land Memory Bank & Seed Exchange. Osprey Orielle Lake is the Executive Director of WECAN and Co-Coordinator of WECAN Food Sovereignty Program.

Find out more here: www.wecaninternational.org and here https://ohih.net