Nature is at the core of our cultures, we do not believe we can dominate it nor be detached from it, we are nature and are transformed by it.
Colonial societies have long considered our lands as empty spaces to be conquered, demarcated, exploited and destroyed. But they are whole and complete lands, filled with stories, teachings, experiences, deep traces, burial grounds. Since the beginning of time, they have allowed us to nourish, heal and cure ourselves. The names we give to places, in our languages, are the expression of the presence of our ancestors, of our relationships to wildlife, to lakes, to rivers and mountains. It is not to glorify a discoverer of the place, but rather to communicate a characteristic, a relationship, a spirit of these places.
Our territories are linked to our way of relating to the universe and the different spiritual entities that inhabit it, a dynamic of constant interdependence that must be maintained with the earth and with the spirit world, elements of nature and wildlife. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for us to make people understand that this relationship is a heritage in itself, the heart of our cultural specificity. By protecting our sacred lands, an entire way of life can also endure for the greater good of humanity. This is why organizations issuing protection statuses must henceforth recognize this notion of Sacred Places. We hope that this site will contribute to reviewing the conditions for obtaining such protection statuses.
