by Rosanda Suetopka Thayer
Navajo-Hopi Observer - nhonews.com
21 April 2009
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Bridging contemporary
western science and indigenous wisdom was the topic of a
conference that was sponsored by Black Mesa Trust, The Center for
Sustainable Environments at Northern Arizona University, Grand
Canyon Trust and the Museum of Northern Arizona this past week at
the Woodlands Radisson Hotel and Conference Center.
A number of internationally acclaimed
scientists, teachers and artists including water science pioneer
Dr. Masaru Emoto, painter/environmental space artist Lowry Burgess
of Carnegie Mellon University and artist Michael Kabotie of the
Hopi Tribe gathered with Black Mesa Trust Board members, over 200
adult participants and 20 young Hopi and Navajo student interns
during a four day conference that began at the Hopi Reservation
and ended at Lake Mary.
The focus of the conference was to deepen each
participant's appreciation of both traditional western science and
their own tribal cultural science knowledge and blend both of
these into a more purposeful learning and problem-solving
experience.
Looking to the future, Black Mesa Trust
intentionally included the 20 young students in this science
dialogue in the hopes that this conference could start them on a
more focused path of future leadership and water issue problem
resolve for generations to come.
The idea of "braiding" is to allow dialogue and
explorations on the two systems of knowing and their unique
approaches to nature, actions and teachings of water.
Like a black and white Hopi weaving, its own
character and endurance, the weaver braids two strands into one,
which yields a stronger, more beautiful and responsive solution to
today's challenges.
With Black Mesa Trust's mission of
safeguarding, preserving and honoring the land and waters of the
Black Mesa region, the "braiding" conference taught each of its
attendees a new way of seeing and doing, of describing,
understanding and most importantly of acting with global
responsibility to protect Mother Earth.
Some of the core group dialogue participants
included Shonto Begay, painter; Angelita Borbon, Indigena Sonoran
Desert Sacred Science consultant; Phillip Duran, physicist and
former Dean of Science and Mathematics at Northwest Indian
College; Jack Loeffler, environmental/Native American oral
historian; and Al Qoyawayma, Hopi engineer, artist and founder of
American Indian Science and Engineering Society.
Keynote speaker Jennifer Greene has lectured
all over the United States and around the world on water and her
studies in flow science, beginning with her early interest in the
work of Theodor Schwenk, author of "Sensitive Chaos" and founder
of the Institute for Flow Science in Herrischried, Germany.
Her work on constructed wetlands as context for
the rehabilitation of wastewater has resulted in the approval of
over 200 facilities in 23 states and Canada with over three
million square feet of constructed wetlands now in productive use.
Black Mesa Trust Executive Director Vernon
Masayesva stated, "We must consider the Hopi farming philosophy at
this conference, that the spiritual portion of science must be
blended with the western ideal to help us find creative solutions
to our world water issues. Like rain, our traditional memories
will pour into us and these lessons must go out into the world."
Masayesva and fellow board member Jerry Honawa
graced their conference guests by singing a Hopi traditional rain
song at a specially catered dinner held at the Hopi reservation at
the start of the conference weekend.
Discussions and facilitation for the conference
were provided by Leroy Little Bear, former Director of Native
Studies at Harvard University. Little Bear was also named recently
as 2003 Canadian Aboriginal Person of the Year.
Final conference summations offered that water,
much like Native prose and song, has a motion of repetition, and
repeating patterns are a "renewal process."
Conference panelist Lowry Burgess quoted Albert
Einstein to the attendees, saying that "science is really a search
for reality" and that "braiding" must occur for us to bring the
"rational" back to the "intuitive."
For more information on Black Mesa Trust or
upcoming "water braiding" conferences, contact Black Mesa Trust at
kuuyi@aol.com