Indigenous Elders of the Condor & Eagle Summit (9/21/2016)

Indigenous communities from throughout Abya Yala converge in New York as they pledge to influence the UN General Assembly on climate issues and native land rights.

Indigenous focused events taking place throughout New York City; native people continue to express solidarity throughout the colonized United States. (9/21/2016) Source: Pati Ankali

The indigenous community of Abya Yala, as America is called amongst some true natives, is converging in New York to discuss water rights, land rights and global climate concerns. Throughout the city, events are taking place to express native solidarity throughout the colonized United States. While people continue to reject the false narrative of a post-indigenous United States, they are also seeking to internationalized the issue of native rights, choosing to express many concerns also in the context of the UN General Assembly taking place simultaneously.

Among the notable elders are LaDonna Brave Bull Allard Tamakawastewin, the Standing Rock Sioux Nation leader and historian, who will be meeting with the Sacred Circle of Indigenous Elders from Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, Argentina, Mexico & Canada. She is anticipated to speak at 310 E. 44th St, Manhattan on Sept 21st and Sept 22 on the topics of water, sacred sites, land and indigenous rights. On September 22, the event will take place at 44th/2nd Avenue. People should enter through the DC1 entrance - the event will take place from 1 to 6 pm.

The conference organizers contextualized their event as follows: "the conference, described as the Indigenous Elders Of the Condor & Eagle Summit (also known as the UEI TLATOKAN: Grand Council of 10+1 Sacred Circle of Grandmothers & Grandfathers Sages of the Planet) is held against the backdrop of a historical moment prophesied as the "Rise of the Eagle, the Condor and the Quetzal", symbols used as metaphors for the creation of alliances between the indigenous nations of North, Central and South America."

The organizers mention on their facebook page that the event is also a continuation of an Indigenous Elders conference held ten years earlier in Peru that ended with a commitment to further organize among indigenous peoples. According to their press release, the summit "has events throughout the week of September 21-25 with a focus on ceremony and the sharing of cultural teachings and medicine". Finally, "the conference is organized by a network of indigenous activists based in NYC", which is growing in visibility.