“Our life, tradition and culture are very much dependent on
nature and its habitats, and we are determined to protect them. We don’t want
our folklore [with] names of so many wild species of birds, plants, animals,
and wild flowers to become meaningless to our future generations.”
Nagaland, a far north state of India, is home to the Angami
tribe. Although hunting was once their important source of livelihood, and had
been their practice for hundreds of years, some 20 years ago they gave up this
culturally-entrenched practice. Although their muzzle-loading guns and traps
were weapons requiring skill and courage, and were passed down through the
generations as a sacred practice, they understood that by giving them up they
could create a more stable ecosystem for future generations.
 |
| 76-year-old former hunter |
Not only was it their tradition; they killed animals for
their own sustenance. The tragopan, a grey pheasant, especially valued for its
meat, became endangered. In 1993, when they discovered its future was
threatened, some tribespeople started a campaign to stop hunting altogether. Yielding
to pressure, the village council decided to cordon off a 20-square-mile area
now closed to hunting, which became known as the Khonoma Nature Conservation
and Tragopan Sanctuary in 1998. Some tribal members, like Chaiyievi Zhiinyii,
(see above) a skilled hunter all his
life, was able to give it up when he was 59 years of age, with years of
successful hunting still left to him.
The depth of their tribe’s sacrifice might be akin to people
in the U.S. giving up their cars. In 2011 I did just that. Now I get around on
foot, by public transportation, and when the occasion requires it, either
because of time constraints or the remote location of my destination, I take a
cab. I admit to the sometime inconvenience of my choice (I am now 86) but I remind myself
that I made my decision because life on Mother Earth is endangered and it needs
all of our attention now. And I’ve reduced my transportation costs to 33% of what
they were when I maintained a car.
 |
| Khonoma Village |
The Angami tribe is also known for relinquishing logging,
jungle burning and the kinds of operations exploiting natural resources and the
surrounding forests. Their ecological awareness is reflected in their practice
of avoiding the use of pesticides and fertilizers on their exquisitely terraced
farm lands, bringing them higher yields.
 |
| Interior Decoration |
What is remarkable about the Angami, who still keep the heads
of hunted animals inside their homes, is that theirs is no simple sacrifice. It
contradicts everything they have known for centuries about living in their
world, a knowledge that has come down with them through many generations, whereas
for us, the car only became an addiction some time after 1906.
What fossil-fuel-powered, water-guzzling conveniences are we
prepared to sacrifice to prolong life on Mother Earth?
Read.
Immigration
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Responding to deportation policy, Californians open their homes to asylum
seekers.
Resistance
Kaepernick signed a multi-year deal
with Nike as a part of their 30th anniversary celebration of the “Just Do It”
campaign with the slogan: “Believe in something, even if it costs you
everything.”
Nike’s sale skyrockets 31%
San Francisco guerilla gardeners are
turning ornamental trees into free fruit producing surprises.
The Mexican town of Cheran, Michoacan, reverted to an
indigenous form of government and kicked out the cops and politicians. Seven
years later they experience the lowest crime rates in Mexico.
Pima, Arizona, the largest border county, cancels federal
grant requiring collaboration with border patrol.
Atlanta mayor signs order ending relationship with ICE
saying “We will no longer be complicit.”
Healthcare advocate block Chicago streets demanding care.
Supported by ILO Convention, 169 on Indigenous and Tribal
Peoples and the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, indigenous demonstrators gathered to
protest the San Francisco Global Climate Action Summit.
Prison Strike ends on the anniversary of Attica Prison
Massacre.
Protesters disrupt Gov. Jerry Brown’s San Francisco Summit
pointing up his hypocrisy supporting more drilling and fracking and corporate casrbon trading.
Unionized judges and public defenders demand due process for
immigrants.
Environment
Governor Brown of California signs bill mandating 100% renewables by 2045
into law.
China and California announce plan to
collaborate to combat climate change.
The new Spider Solar Project puts the
University of Richmond, VA., on a fast track for carbon neutrality.
San Francisco holds the largest climate
march in keeping with 748 other climate events around the globe.
In a stunning victory for First
Nations, Canada halts Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.
State and local officials announce a $119.5 million
settlement of Aliso Canyon in SoCal with SoCalGas, which bears responsibility
for a massive gas blowout that is still making people sick.
A legal challenge halts construction of Bayou Bridge
Pipeline.
New York divests its pension funds from fossil fuels. Mayor
de Blasio calls for unity at the S.F. Climate Summit.
Wood Mackensie Power & Renewables announces despite tariffs, solar
contracts exploded in 2018.
Oxnard, California’s existing gas-fired
plants have proposed to shut down decades before their expected retirement.
The California
Public Utilities Commission pressed Pacific Gas & Electric to replace
three gas-fired plants with energy storage, paving the way for the retirement
of the large Metcalf Energy Center in San Jose, and the Feather River Energy
and Yuba City Energy Centers in Yuba City.
Federal judge extends an injunction blocking a planned
grizzly bear hunt in and around Yellowstone.
Jadav Payeng nurtures 1,360 acres of forest in what was once barren
landscape, planting one tree per day
for forty years.
Domestic
Politics
Representative Pramila Japayal launches Medicare for All
PAC.
New NPR/Marist poll shows support for
Congressional Republicans collapsing in the Midwest.
Booker releases ‘committee confidential’ Kavanaugh e-mail,
risking suspension from the Senate.
Over two hundred national security veterans demand
investigation into release of CIA operative’s file.
Ayanna Pressley defeats Rep. Mike Capuano, positioning her
to become the first Massachusetts woman of color in Congress.
Following a huge Democratic turnout, Progressives John Liu, Jessica
Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, Robert Jackson, and Alessandra Biaggi lead in the New York
primaries.
Oakland Police
consider less intrusive policy in an effort to reduce warrantless searches.
A student loan lawsuit brought by 19 states defeats Betsy
DeVos.
Sanders calls for the establishment of a new international
Left.
L.A. is the first city in the nation to put establishing a
public bank on the ballot.
Oakland takes a step closer to establishing a public bank with unanimous committee vote.
Philanthropy
Research funders from 11 European
countries announce plan to make scientific work free to read by 2020.
San Diego school cafeteria worker feeds
homeless seven nights a week.
Bezos pledges $2 billion fund to
homeless and pre-schools.
Environmental group pledges $60 million
to green candidates.
A group of philanthropic organizations commits up to $459
million in support of land-based solutions to climate change in
forest restoration and in recognition of indigenous peoples’ and traditional
communities’ collective land rights and resource management through 2022.
Human Rights
Indian Supreme Court rules the criminalization of gay sex
unconstitutional.
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