Guardian of the Environment - Indigenous Peoples

For several thousands of years you upheld the sacredness of Nature avoiding wanton destruction of plant and animal life taking only what you needed since their sacredness was just as important to you as the sacredness of humanity When harvesting wild rice for food you let some fall into the water to produce crops for the future Surrounding a pack of wild sheep while hunting in the mountains you let a male and female escape so by their reproductive process they would ensure the continuation of their species You saw yourself as part of Nature living in harmony with it and not plundering it with greed Your religion was to respect Nature viewing all plants and animals as parts of its magnificent fabric Abuse of a part of it was an abuse of the whole Your way of life provides valuable lessons that can teach mankind how to deal with today's ecological crisis that threatens the survival of all life on the planet You were the genuine Guardian of the Environment I have always admired the way of life of the Native American Indians living in harmony with Nature before the advent of the Europeans. By extension, this applies to all indigenous peoples including the Amerindians and Polynesians. This piece is dedicated to them.