Dynamic indigenous eco-cultural revitalization movements provide compelling leadership models by Native peoples working to maintain and restore their Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). TEK, the art and science of resilience for the sustainability of future generations, is critically needed as a partner to Western science to restore the world’s ecosystems and biological and cultural diversity, including native foods and languages. Professor of American Indian Studies at San Francisco State, Melissa Nelson is President of the Cultural Conservancy, a Native American nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of indigenous cultures and their ancestral lands. She illuminates how the “re-indigenization” movement is inspiring a commitment to reciprocal relationships with place as well as collaborative partnerships among peoples and landscapes.

This speech was given at the 2011 Bioneers National Conference.