Rebecca Adamson of First Peoples Worldwide spoke about the matrilineal culture of her Cherokee heritage. Ruled by the white council, the council of women, in times of peace. The red council ruled in times of war. But the members of the red council get hand-picked by the white council. Because who knows better the leadership qualities of those men than the ones who raised them?
She showed maps of where indigenous peoples are gaining recognition, where their lands are. Indigenous lands comprise 24% of the Earth and they are where the biodiviersity is at its greatest. They are where the big phamaceutical companies are searching for the next wonder drug to come from plants. First Peoples Worldwide is helping peoples take charge of those native plants as their intellectual property, and resisting the drug companies' attempts to come in and steal what's theirs. But there are many indigenous peoples at risk of extinction. Extinction! Why isn't THIS on the nightly news??
Dr. Rebecca Parker spoke on the research she did on what we're used to as a "traditional" Christian depicton of Jesus dying on the cross. She says it is such a violent image. Early Christianity, the first thousand years, was focused on the paradise that is our Earth and that is our life on Earth. She described this reverence for life as juicy, erotic, and joyful!
There is a peace flag project called The Ribbon International...
Judy, Helen, And Rev. Addae... from UUWR and International Association of Liberal Religious Women (IALRW)...
A quilted tribute to Laurel Burch and Carolyn McDade...
Carolyn McDade led us all in a singing concert of her compositions, along with the Convo Choir conducted by Sarah Dan Jones. We sang one song in Swahili. Carolyn related the story of writing "Spirit of Life"...
And Hungarian singers led us in singing the words in their language.
