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United States and the same in Canada. They might well “there is a lot of concern in the
have some kind of health institute, but then it might
be led by one person, so, if that person retires as s/he indigenous communities about
should, or if something happens and we lose one valuable trees, about the water, about the
member, it takes sometimes a decade to replace the loss air, about the soil, and about wild
with someone. It is not like in a country like Belgium or
South Africa where there is a huge group of people from animals. the Westerners does it
amongst whom somebody can come forth, a boy, a girl through non-profit organizations,
– somebody that has leadership talents and can advance
for herself/himself, eventually leading the community or but we do it through the
the Nation with us. We are a small community of small community.”
units, so, when we lose somebody, it takes a long time to
replace the loss. I’m always looking at the youth. Do you
want to meet a professor, do you want to write a paper?
So, to make sure that the future generation is there to
take over is perhaps one of the biggest challenges.
have a statement of solidarity. So, we have community
Are you in contact with other Indigenous groups around members that attend these events.
the world?
Yes, we are hosting a reception at the United Nations Does this give you more attention from the general
th
on the 25 of April with the Canadian Council for the public?
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. We hope to Yes, especially now in a time of crisis. You can read for
see the attendees come to our event. We have hosted instance in The New York Times that people have micro
Indigenous from Australia, New Zealand and many other plastics in their own blood stream or in their lungs, and
places. So, there have been wonderful opportunities to it is not a mythical illusion in protest against pollution.
meet with other Indigenous peoples. I can throw something on the ground and I can end up
absorbing it as it gets broken down, and I cannot even
We often hear that the Indigenous people are one of the see that. I think that people are really starting to pay
driving forces in protecting the environment. What is attention. The solution to pollution is not dilution but
your take on this? only finding ways of not polluting and to be circular and
That’s correct. We are among those who have lived most to minimize the impact on the environment.
recently on the land compared to other communities and
civilizations, so, we have an awareness of the importance What are your future plans?
of all life whether you see it or not. This means soil life, I’m excited about many of the community stuff we are
air life, water life… We were very active in anti-pipeline doing. We have a residency on Governors Island, a small
protests in the Mid-West. People said that’s because you are island, just off the tip of Manhattan. We have a house
Natives. Yes, but it is also because we focus on respecting there we use for cultural programs. We go out there
all life and are protecting everybody. When oil gets into with the kids. We have a youth council. The kids play
the drinking water, anybody will drink that – a white around, it is safe and there are no cars. It’s going to be a
kid, for example, and that white kid can then develop great summer out there. We also do a lot of Land Back
cancer. Environmental health is for everybody, it is not initiatives, and I invite your readers to join us. Go on our
only a Native issue. We are often the ones protesting. We website americanindiancommunityhouse and find us.
drummed in front of Wells Fargo bank asking the City
of New York to divest from the Dakota Access Pipeline, My big life dream is in 2024, I will try to organize a big
something they did do because the City had a very large gathering of the Great Sioux Nations which is my nation
pension that City workers were invested in. There is a lot of South and North Dakota. We used to come together
of concern in the Indigenous communities about trees, every fourth year, but we haven’t done so for some time.
about the water, about the air, about the soil, and about I will try to talk to our tribal chairman to see if he will
wild animals. The Westerners does it through non-profit support us to do it on our reservation in South Dakota.
organizations, but we do it through the community. The So, leaving Ben Geboe rushing off to his next appointment,
United Nations Earth Day was the 21 of April, and we we wish him and the Indigenous tribes all the best of
st
were invited to five different events to protest, and to success in all their endeavors.

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