Heal the Earth: Teachings from Indigenous Women.

As the world faces a terrible pandemic and global economies are crumbling, it is ever more urgent to radically rethink the ideological and cultural tenets on which our societies and economies are based. The devastating consequences of dominator attitudes over Nature that ecofeminists have warned us against are now more tangible than ever and it has become obvious that greedy capitalist interests need to be replaced by a more eco-sustainable economy based on caring, solidarity, respect, altruism and partnership, if humanity wants to save the planet and itself. Precious in this crucial battle to heal the Earth are the teachings of those peoples who still preserve their ancestral ties with the land and value their earth-centered mythologies. This essay examines the narratives of Indigenous women of North America who teach us how to restore a renewed respect for Mother Earth and its creatures. In particular, attention will be focused on the interdependency between women and the Earth and on how the shift away from the dominator model hinges on a re-evaluation of feminine principles which entails a relinquishing of violent behaviours against women and the Earth.