World Symposium on Humanity

Native American leaders, including Ernie Peters, Wallace "Mad Bear" Anderson, Oh Shinnah Fastwolf, James Cachunkse, and Bobby Woods, speak at 1979's "World Symposium on Humanity," held in Los Angeles and Toronto.

00:25Copy video clip URL Title card: World Symposium on Humanity

00:49Copy video clip URL Onscreen text: “North American Indians Visit World Symposium on Humanity. Ernie Peters, Leader of the Longest Walk. Oh Shinnah. Thomas Banyacya. Medicine Story. Mad Bear.  

01:16Copy video clip URL Oh Shinnah Fastwolf performs of “a song about purification.”

02:16: At the World Symposium on Humanity in Los Angeles, Mark Lawrence gives a speech about the need for people in North America to connect to their roots, to Native American traditions, and to “the ground beneath us.” He introduces “a very holy man,” Ernie Peters.

03:34Copy video clip URL A speech by Ernie Peters, a “Sioux Medicine Person.” Peters talks about the importance of plants and animals.  

05:19Copy video clip URL A musical performance by Oh Shinnah. 

06:04Copy video clip URL Peters: “The fifth generation is upon us. It’s almost too late to be dancing. What are we going to leave for our children? What are we going to leave for our unborn? Have we ever thought of that? The Indian, thanks to Columbus, has been thinking this since the beginning of time. We have been surviving with all our relations: the rocks, the trees, the water. We have been surviving. We have been learning how to exist. We have been learning how to sit on a mountaintop. How many of you sat up there and grab a sage brush and exchange places with it. How many of you sat there and became a plant or an animal and looked at us through the eyes of these things?” Discussion of the imposition of materialistic value. 

08:09Copy video clip URL Discussion of the sweat lodge. The importance of dignity and honor. 

10:02Copy video clip URL Oh Shinnah discusses Earth as “the mother.” How women are also warriors and how they “must do something about it.” 

11:07Copy video clip URL Peters talks about Sioux religion and spirituality, which they do no export or impose on others. Understanding Sioux spirituality requires an outsider to come to the Sioux culture. 

12:14Copy video clip URL Peters discusses the destruction of sacred Native American land by the American Government. 

13:10Copy video clip URL Oh Shinnah returns for a performance and discussion of how mothers should raise their boys. 

16:15Copy video clip URL From Toronto: Medicine Story. A Wampanoag man talks about the destruction of the earth because of people’s greed, and the prophecies of Native American peoples that foresee either total destruction or communal healing. 

19:15Copy video clip URL Oh Shinnah performs.  

21:08Copy video clip URL Peters discusses The Longest Walk. 

21:43Copy video clip URL Onscreen text: “Redman in North America”: traditional drum circle and singing, as Peters leads a tipi raising. Peters in voiceover discusses the unity and support for Native Americans and empathy for their plight in the 20th century. 

24:38Copy video clip URL Further discussion of The Longest Walk and the support shown by Buddhists. Onscreen text: “Indian plea & demonstration to save the Hupa reservation.” Calls for the American government to honor the treaties that they signed with native tribes. 

26:17Copy video clip URL The need to make the rest of the world aware that Native American people have a great deal to offer them. Footage of the demonstration. 

30:40Copy video clip URL Peters observes that the non-Native world will save itself by supporting and embracing Native communities and Native worldviews. Footage of the drum circle. 

35:18Copy video clip URL Onscreen text: “Aztec Dancers.” A dance performance. 

36:28Copy video clip URL James Cachunkse, Hopi Spokesman, speaks of the need to return to old traditions. More Aztec dancer performance. 

39:50Copy video clip URL Cachunkse shows an illustration of a Hopi prophecy about the future of mankind, followed by Thomas Banyacya discussing the dire results for humanity if the world continues to exploit and destroy the earth. 

41:30Copy video clip URL Oh Shinnah discusses worldwide destruction of Mother Earth’s sacred spaces. 

43:07Copy video clip URL Cachunkse discusses the prophecy illustration and the two directions that humanity might follow: destruction or redemption. Banyacya discussing a similar illustration of the prophecy. 

45:33Copy video clip URL Discussion of the return of the Hopi way of life. Further footage from Aztec dance performance. 

46:33Copy video clip URL Peters discusses the purpose of Sioux dances

49:13Copy video clip URL Iriquois leader Wallace “Mad Bear” Anderson talks about the suffering of the earth and the hope for a better world.

51:15Copy video clip URL Peters invites Buddhist Monks from Japan (of the Niponzon Mihoji Order) to perform. Onscreen text: “Continental Peace Walkers for World Disarmament.” 

53:17Copy video clip URL “Sacred Ways Today”: Peters discusses the relationship between the pipe and their religion. 

55:16Copy video clip URL Toronto: Sun Bear speaks briefly. Bobby Woods leads a prayer, asking for blessings. Followed by footage of a communal dance. 

58:07Copy video clip URL Oh Shinnah: “I think that my message to humankind is to take off your shoes and put your feet on the ground and know where you are.” 

58:43Copy video clip URL Peters: “Unless we start waking up and leaving a trail that the children are gonna be proud to follow, there’s no hope for them.”

59:47Copy video clip URL A prayer to “Our Sacred Mother the Earth.” End title card and end credits. 

 

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