Life Sustaining Systems of Exchange and Reciprocity
An Evaluation Matrix for the Global Economy and Millennium Development Goals
The Breath of Life
The Water of Life
The Givers of Life
The Sustainers of Life
The Foundation of Life
The Sharers of Life
The Seed of Life
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The Breath of Life: The Air, Winds and Atmosphere
The Water of Life: The Waters, the Clouds, Waterways, Rivers and Streams, and Oceans
The Givers of Life: The Sacred Species: Buffalo, Deer, Salmon, and Eagle
The Sustainers of Life: Corn, Beans. Squash (agriculture)
The Foundation of Life: The Land and Territory, Mother Earth
The Sharers of Life: Community and Nations
The Seed of Life: Spirit –Light
The Tides of Time
Everyday in the news we hear of the global economy, of events that
take place around the world that affect our economic reality as nations,
communities and families. It is a great challenge to educate and
prepare our youth to encounter success in the future of an increasingly
global economic society. To participate in the construction of the
future, and not just be dragged along by the effects is one of the
principal and practical goals of education. In reality, it has always
been a global economy. Traditional indigenous cultures from around the
world have always maintained that it is only one earth, one water, one
air, and one sun that nourishes us all, and all economic systems reflect
this reality as the bottom line – which is not a really a line but a
formula, an equation.
What are the factors of this equation? Technology is one, but should not be the prime determinant. Neither should the monetary policies of the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund or the government states be given the exclusive power of determining the value systems by which we identify and implement the economic currencies of humanity.
Seas of Emergence
The term economy gives us a clue by the root “ECO” which also serves in defining the term ECOLOGY. (From the Greek “oikos” which means house.) Traditional cultures from around the world maintain that the entirety of the ecosystem of the planet is our “house” which we strive to make a “home”- a chante – with our cultures for the future generations of humanity. From this perspective, the Sun and Earth maintain a primary role in tandem as authors of the equation of life. From this perspective, the tides of time, which we observe and measure with our calendars, serve to remind us of how far we have come on the journey to success, the journey to achieve our global humanity, and how far we have yet to go.
