News

Launch of the spiritual, social and scientific celebrations of the new cycle of the Mayan Calendar in natural and constructed sacred sites.

OXLAJUJ AJPOP 5
With the permission of the grandmothers and grandfathers we carry this message to the national and international community...

Conservation Experience: Karakol Sacred Valley, Altai

Karakol3
Mount Uch Enmek is traditionally called the ‘navel’ of the Earth. The earth is believed to receive vital energy and knowledge through this navel in the same way as a foetus receives nourishment in the mother’s womb. The natural peculiarity of the Karakol valley surrounding Mount Uch Enmek, bordering the Golden Mountains of Altai, lies […]

Sign the petition in support of Winnemem Wintu Tribe’s right to hold ceremony.

River Closure
CHIEF SISK’S CITATIONS HAVE BEEN DISMISSED The Winnemem Wintu Tribe received confirmation that the U.S. Attorney has dismissed the citations Chief Caleen Sisk received for holding our Coming of Age ceremony. Hee chala baskin! Thank you for your support! In a bizarre situation the United States Forest Department (USFD) has issued charges against Chief Caleen Sisk […]

Sacred Natural Sites at the Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP11 in Hyderabad India.

Green Khumb Yatra
Sacred natural sites harbor significant amounts of biodiversity and play a key role in maintaining traditional knowledge related to culture and nature. The CBD has long recognised the importance of sacred natural sites and contributed to raising awareness and improving recognition of policy makers on this subject. See for example the Akwé Kon Guidelines outlining […]

Sacred Natural Sites Custodians at the IUCN World Conservation Congress

SNS WCC5
The Sacred Natural Site Initiative (as part of IUCN CSVPA), Gaia Foundation, Sacred Land Film Project & UNU-Traditional Knowledge Initiative are organizing several activities for a group of sacred natural sites custodians at the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC). The WCC in South Korea, Jeju Island in September 2012 presents an ideal opportunity to further […]

Conservation Experience: Khumbu Sherpa Place-based Spiritual values

Sagarmata
The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative regularly features “Conservation Experiences” of custodians, protected area managers, scientists and others. This article features the experiences of Mr. Jeremy Spoon who assessed the influence of political and economic forces on Sherpa place based spiritual knowledge in Sagaramatha (Mount Everest) National Park in the Nepalese Himalayas. Jeremy Spoon currently holds […]