UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Indigenous scholar Tiokasin Ghosthorse of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation, South Dakota, will explore Indigenous cosmology, intuitive ways of knowing, cultural etymologies, and the influence of language in relationships.
Campus and community members are invited to join the conversation at 7 p.m. March 13 in the HUB Flex Theatre or online via Zoom. Guests attending the in-person discussion will be invited to join a reception with refreshments and ongoing discussion.
Tiokasin contrasts indigenous ways of relational and egalitarian understanding with the rational and hierarchal thinking processes of Western society with the resulting effects on cultural views toward Earth that ultimately determine the sustainability of lifestyles.
“I come from outside the anthropocentric view,” said Tiokasin. “We see an egalitarianism in nature. Everything in nature has consciousness, everything is in balance. The Western view ignores this. The concept of “domination” isn’t even in the original Lakota language.”
Tiokasin has been honored as New York City’s Peacemaker of the Year and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize from the International Institute of Peace Students and Global Philosophy. He hosts and produces a radio channel, First Voices Radio, and has spoken at the United Nations and a wide variety of educational institutions across the country.
The event is co-sponsored by the department of Plant Science, the Sustainable Food Systems Network, and the Indigenous Peoples Student Association.
“I think any student interested in sustainability can find meaning in the work of Tiokasin,” said Martina Kernosh, Student Farm Club event planner. “He’s a world renown advocate of indigenous rights and knowledge, presenting a perspective on living with respect for the land and people who surround us.”
About the Sustainable Food Systems Program
The Sustainable Food Systems Network at Penn State is a collaboration between the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Far, the Student Farm Club, the inter-college Food Systems minor, and course-client collaborations. The goal of the program is to develop students’ knowledge about sustainable agriculture practices while providing hands-on learning opportunities while positively contributing to the community.