A message from the Executive Director
Yá’át’ééh,
I am filled with anticipation, ambition, and enthusiasm for serving as the new Executive Director of the Níhookaa Diyin Diné Protectors Organization. This exciting journey has brought many intelligent minds and resilient people together. The work and advocacy of the Níhookaa Diyin Diné Protectors Organization has never been more critical to humanity and LIFE on Náhasdzáán Shimá (Mother Earth). As a non-profit organization, we are aware of the issues regarding the Oljéé Shimásaní (Grandmother Moon), such as the following: (1) the moon memorial, (2) drilling on the moon for water, minerals, and resources, and (3) building a nuclear plant on the moon. Westernized society seeks this as an opportunity for money, power, and world domination. Indigenous knowledge and perspective view this as blasphemy, disrespect of the natural order and holistic balance, and having future catastrophic impacts on LIFE that humankind cannot reverse.
These worldviews clash because of the significant knowledge gap. The knowledge gap has existed since the European Invasion of Indian North America, 1492-1765. This became the never-ending war of colonialism and ethnic cleansing, and grievously, it became a time when traditional knowledge/wisdom was disrespected and ignored. Soon, due to Western influence, it began to diminish. Since 1492, Western science has been used as a tool to oppress Indigenous people and traditional knowledge.
Indigenous peoples' knowledge stems from holistic interactions and experiences intertwined or aligned within the comic universe. Around this time, LIFE was respected and appreciated because there was no need for money, power, or world domination. There was a sacred and holistic bond and relationship that only mattered between the Níhookaa Diyin Diné Bá’áłchíní (Holy Earth dweller children) and Náhasdzáán Shimá (Mother Earth). Níhookaa Diyin Diné Bá’áłchíní is the correct term, but over time, people started to say Níhookaa Diyin Diné.
My humble approach is not to persuade anyone to change their worldview, nor do I want to claim the moon. I hope to educate and fill the knowledge gap between Western Science and Indigenous knowledge. History has always taught us that war has never been the answer, and it never will be. However, historical challenges have taught us that working together at odds proves to be in our collective best interest.
As an Indigenous female in the Navajo Nation's younger generation, it is my right to voice and raise awareness of Indigenous knowledge to be applied in decision-making and contribute to scientific, technical, social, and economic advancements. The Office and Science Technology Policy (2022) from the President's Executive Office in Washington, D.C states, “Recent efforts have been taken at the HIGHEST levels of the federal decision making, improve outcomes foster collaboration with the tribal Nations. However, efforts to include Indigenous knowledge in federal work and to collaborate with tribal nations and Indigenous peoples in indigenous knowledge have been uneven. This important work is often too dependent on the individual federal employees' willingness, capacity, and agency support” (Science and Technology Policy, 2022).
Indigenous peoples were given the right to exercise traditional knowledge and expertise at the highest level. Yet, an iron curtain from the White House blocks their existence and voices. The Science and Technology policy contradicts what it stands for, and primarily, it serves no purpose other than another broken promise. Disregarding and ignoring the traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples has now brought Shimá Náhasdzáán (Mother Earth) to the brink of disaster.
The Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers who drive Níhookaa Diyin Diné Protectors Organization persevere and serve this non-profit organization as one. Despite color, religion, culture, etc, we are all children of Mother Earth. This organization is built on compassion, humility, humbleness, patience, love, and understanding, inspiring us to overcome challenges with resiliency. We condemn violence in all its forms, whochxojí (bad energy), intolerance, racism, and biasness.
Some people have asked us, “Why the moon?” or even said, “We are wasting our time.” Still, we continue to be strong and move forward with our efforts to protect Oljéé Shimásání (Grandmother moon) because, through cosmic connection and holistic understanding, it’s not just the moon to us; it is the balance within you; it is the air you breathe; it is the holistic cycles you do not recognize; it is the connection between the Diné universe that provides and sustain LIFE for you. Open your minds and feel through a holistic approach; you are the child of Mother Earth, and the moon is your grandmother, so why would you not want to help defend or help her?
Research studies have shown that the closest we have ever come to finding a habitable planet is Kepler—452b, also known as Earth 2.0; it is about 1,400 light-years away. One light-year is about 6 trillion miles, meaning that humans could never travel just one light-year based on physics and the limits of the natural world. Kepler-452b is about 8.4 quadrillion miles away. It would take approximately 30 million years to get there! (NASA, 2015).
It is not a waste of time to try to protect the Oljéé Shimásaní (Grandmother Moon), which sustains life on the ONLY precious planet we live on, Nahásdzáán Shimá (Mother Earth).
Áhé’héé (Thank you),
Janeen Phillips (Founder/Owner/Executive Director)