If a language disappears, what is lost along with it? Once a language disappears — along with the knowledge of the elders who speak it — whole swaths of wisdom disappear, too. And that is precisely what is happening in the Amazon right now, as well as in many Indigenous communities around the world.

It is universally acknowledged that Indigenous people have a special relationship with the land, and that they are considered the finest stewards of the environment. So we must act to preserve this Indigenous knowledge, first morally and anthropologically — to honor the cultures and societies under threat of cultural extinction — and second because preserving that knowledge has potential benefits for the common good of us all.

Join us to hear panelists that include:

Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri, a filmmaker who has worked extensively with Beyonce, David Bowie, and Lady Gaga, and is now turning her attention to films about Indigenous communities.

Dr. Philbert Aaron, Dominica’s Ambassador to the UN, who survived the deadly Hurricane Maria with his wife and seven-week-old.

Joseph McNeil, Jr., who is a direct descendant of Sitting Bull and a Civil Rights hero from the 60s.

Atossa Soltani, the Founder and President of Amazon Watch, a nonprofit founded in 1996 to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples of the Amazon Basin.

Aired: November 1, 2024