48-4 Regaining Balance at the Intersection of Indigenous Languages and Climate Change

In the global discourse on climate change, Indigenous communities are often described as vulnerable groups facing adverse impacts. However, Indigenous Peoples are not passive victims. We are knowledgeable on the impact of climate change with adaptation and mitigation strategies encompassed within land management systems. This knowledge is intricately preserved in Indigenous languages, which often contain ecological insights that can aid in adaptation to climate change.

Scholars and activists are increasingly pointing to Indigenous Peoples worldwide as having solutions to the climate crisis. They are primarily interested in the technological practices of Indigenous Peoples, such as cultural burning, water systems engineering, and other forms of ecological stewardship that have protected and enhanced biodiversity for millennia. Focusing on technical solutions, however, is superficial. When we practice our ceremonial traditions and embody our traditional philosophies in daily practice, appropriate land stewardship ensues, benefitting the entire ecosystem.

Our Tribe, the United Houma Nation, is a state-recognized Tribal Nation located along the Louisiana Gulf Coast with a population of approximately 17,000 citizens. While a significant portion of our Peoples still reside in southern Louisiana, an increasing number have been forced to relocate to higher ground—some moving a few hours north, others leaving the state altogether. The forces behind this migration are complex, but the result is undeniable: the fragmentation and destruction of our community.

Djalma Ramalho Gonçalves (ARANÃ CABOCLO) Indigenous languages are more than forms of communication. They are reservoirs of Traditional Knowledge generated and sustained by the Earth, expressed through a Peoples’ cultural, linguistic, and ecological practices and reflecting an interdependence between human wisdom and the natural world. They are living, co-evolving knowledge that transcend generations and play a fundamental role in protecting socio-biodiversity and addressing climate change.