Global Indigenous Development TrustGlobal Indigenous Development TrustGlobal Indigenous Development TrustGlobal Indigenous Development Trust
  • Who We Are
    • Our Story
    • Our Team
  • What We Do
    • Our Projects
    • Our Impact
    • Our Partners
    • Building a Nation Case Study
    • Events
    • In the Media
  • Work with Us
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Donate

Life Economy

Uncategorized|24 September, 2021

By: Sonia Molodecky

A Life Economy, as many Elders have coined it, is one where we strive to maintain and enhance this natural balance of life systems throughout development. By working to enhance life, we operate from the heart-center, where natural law dictates abundance not scarcity, love not fear, unity not separation. We begin to see the oneness of all of creation and the sheer beauty and awe in that truth. We foster a Life Economy by working with the land, and through consideration and valuing of the whole. This can be contrasted with what John Perkins terms the “Death Economy”, where we exploit rather than enhance, destroy rather than support life-affirming ways. When we change our perception to begin to look at the value of life, we begin to create a reality that reflects that vision.

All life has value – from mineralized rocks to oceans to tiny microbes to the roots of trees. It is the circle of life that we are a part of. A moose may give its life to nourish us. When we die, our bodies go into the ground and a tree may grow to form part of another’s habitat. The movement to a Life Economy is a natural evolution born out of the knowledge that there is no separation between us and the natural world. All is life and we are all part of the natural order of things. For life to thrive, we must begin to value life. In this way, we begin to truly value ourselves.

What if we considered the forests and the rich soils as holding greater value intact – as life givers – of oxygen and nutritious food? What if we valued the moose calving and fish spawning areas as key components of a life system? What if we strove to work with our life system, adding to it and making it better, creating greater abundance for all, through the decisions that we make? When we begin to value aspects of a healthy ecosystem, we incentivize the creation of those aspects, for as a society we produce more of what we value.

In order to promote a true partnership with our nature world, we must start to see the value in the gifts that Mother Earth provides. Science has given us a deep understanding of the complex relationships that exist within life systems, something that Indigenous people have long understood. Using technologies like drones, satellites and IoT, we can measure and monitor our planet like never before and using modern methods of accounting and integrated statistics we can begin to account for the value that lies in thriving ecosystems. When we can truly value what the natural world provides, we will innovate ways to ally with it. Rather than clear-cutting a forest and replanting it with monocrop trees, we work with the land and implement forest management systems that are conducive to the enhancement of life. When life thrives, we thrive. When we align with natural law and natural rhythms, abundance is available to us all.

You can read more about John Perkins Life vs. Death Economy here: https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2020/09/16/pandemic-capitalism-life-economy

Explore

  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • Photos
Global Indigenous Trust

Our Vision

Our vision is a global network of healthy, vibrant, thriving communities and people, living their true potential.

info@globalIndigenoustrust.org
1400 – 18 King Street East, Toronto, ON M5C 1C4

Join GIDT for @LocalFoodFarmCoops Assembly 2022: P Join GIDT for @LocalFoodFarmCoops Assembly 2022: Pollinators of Change! This year's focus is to imagine how the world can work differently, regeneratively and cooperatively 🌿⁠
⁠
Sign up to participate with our Co-Founder @SoniaMolodecky, Becky Big Canoe, Mike DeGagne, and the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario! They will be discussing Land Trusts and Alternative Land Access on April 19th from 1 PM-2:30 PM EST. Let’s dig deep into solutions for the future together!⁠
⁠
Click the link in bio to register for this event, or to join one of the many interesting discussions on food sovereignty and cooperative organization structures for building community and local economies!⁠ The assembly runs up until April 29th.⁠
⁠
Swipe through for more information on the topic and speakers 👉
Please Join Us and our friends @bearstandingtal fo Please Join Us and our friends @bearstandingtal for a Virtual Tipi Commemoration event for the Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse. Register here for this Wednesday: 
https://hopin.com/events/s-first-event-f3ca31e8-a7d2-46b0-9561-38dab3143231 

We are pleased to invite you on March 30th for a day of healing and awareness with Bear Standing Tall and Associates. This is an online Virtual Tipi Commemoration event for the Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse. The day will be spent  honouring these Life Givers through Support and Action for Ontario First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Families Survivors as well as Ontario Indigenous front-line workers. 

Guest Speakers include Monica Rutledge Indigenous Constable for Toronto Police Department, guests from BC MMIW Team: Alexandra O'daunaghey, Gladys Radek; Highway of Tears Commemoration project, Becky Big Canoe; followup on inquiry and actions across Canada and more!

The goal of this event is to present Indigenous Voices in a way that will educate and engage our audience of 100 guests from Industry, government and community leaders so we can walk away with concrete ideas on how to move forward with reconciliation surrounding the final report of the MMIWG2S, as well as have a better understanding of the deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses in violence against Indigenous women in Canada.This conference aims to foster understanding, and allyship of non-indgenous peoples by creating a safe space for these important issues to be understood. 

This event is free to attend, but spots are limited so please register today! 

Tipi Commemoration to be unveiled May 5, 2022 in Honour of our Life Givers: Prayers for their return home @evergreen_brick_works
Check out our Program + Speaker List for our Inter Check out our Program + Speaker List for our Inter-Continental Gathering this Friday! 🌍⁠
⁠
We have an amazing selection of inspiring leaders speaking throughout the day. The event runs from 8AM-3PM and we encourage everyone to join and participate in any part of the day’s events.⁠
⁠
Click the link in bio to register! 👆⁠
⁠
#InterContinentalGathering #IndigenousWisdom #DogonMali #Spirituality #IndigenousSpirituality #CanadianIndigenous #AfricanIndigenous
Swipe through to read the bios of our First Nation Swipe through to read the bios of our First Nations Speakers 👉 ⁠
⁠
It's not too late to sign up for our Inter-Continental Gathering, click the link in bio to register for this free virtual event! 🌎⁠
⁠
Join in and participate in any part of the day’s events 💻⁠
⁠
#InterContinentalGathering #IndigenousWisdom #DogonMali #Spirituality #IndigenousSpirituality #CanadianIndigenous #AfricanIndigenous
Join us for an Inter-Continental Gathering of Indi Join us for an Inter-Continental Gathering of Indigenous Nations virtually on February 25th from 8AM-3PM EST!⁠
⁠
This event will be held between the Dogon People of Mali and various Indigenous Nations of Canada. These Indigenous leaders and knowledge-holders will meet in friendship and conversation focusing on:⁠
⁠
👉 The ways they interact with the land⁠
👉 Their respective forms of spirituality, tradition, and the strategies they have developed to address natural resource extraction and climate issues and realities⁠
⁠
The goal⁠:⁠
🙌 To establish an intercultural dialogue between the Indigenous nations of Mali and Canada⁠
🙌  To build bridges of knowledge and experience between one another⁠
🙌  To strengthen each one's respective leadership and advocacy on natural resource governance, development and trade by creating a harmonized framework of actions⁠
⁠
We welcome you to join us for this event to celebrate this year's African Heritage Month. Click the link in bio to register for this free virtual event!⁠
⁠
#AfricanHeritageMonth #Education #BlackHistoryMonth #Indigenous
GIDT Co-Founders Jerry & @soniamolodecky spoke at GIDT Co-Founders Jerry & @soniamolodecky spoke at an Indigenous Knowledge Collaboration today and if you'd like to watch, a recording will available through the link in bio!

Indigenous knowledge is vital to effective Canada-Africa trade and investment. Successful communities have enabled local businesses and community well-being - grounded in institutions informed by longstanding tradition, knowledge and insights. ⁠ ⁠ 

There will be top private sector and civil society insights, followed by post-panel insights from the Government of Canada - who will outline their support for natural resource development in Africa, and the Canadian business innovators ready to partner.
Follow on Instagram
  • Who We Are
  • What We Do
  • Work with Us
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story

© 2022 Global Indigenous Development Trust

  • Who We Are
    • Our Story
    • Our Team
  • What We Do
    • Our Projects
    • Our Impact
    • Our Partners
    • Building a Nation Case Study
    • Events
    • In the Media
  • Work with Us
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
Global Indigenous Development Trust