Sunday Thoughts on Tuesday

Seat at the Table

As a Native American man, I often speak of the need to have a “seat at the table,” but let me be clear about something: this is not merely a request for inclusion, or is it a plea for recognition from a colonial system that has long denied our rightful place. It is not us who need a seat at the table — it is everyone else who desperately needs us to be there.

We must understand that the wisdom we carry — wisdom that has been passed down through generations — is not an optional voice in the conversation. It is not a peripheral perspective to be added if there is room. It is, instead, one of the few remaining pathways that can help us rebuild a world that puts life, in all its forms, at the center. We, the Indigenous peoples of this land, have always known the importance of restraint, respect, reciprocity, and reverence. These are not just values; they are the very principles that allow life to thrive in harmony with the natural world. They are the antidote to the extractive and growth-obsessed mindset that is leading us today.

This wisdom, rooted in the deep relationships with the earth and all its inhabitants, is more than just a remedy for the issues we face today; it is the foundation for rebuilding something that holds life in its proper place. Indigenous wisdom offers us a way forward; a way to step away from the belief that more, always more, is the answer to our problems.

Society, in its rush to “progress,” has lost sight of this essential truth. We have seen the destruction that comes from ignoring the wisdom of balance and the need for respect between all beings. Our elders have known for millennia that life is a web of interconnectedness, and the well-being of one part of that web affects the whole. It is this wisdom, this way of thinking that puts life at the center; that is tragically missing from our systems of education, government, and economy.

In the spirit of humility, we must acknowledge that the arrival of Indigenous wisdom in these spaces is not an act of submission, or is it something that can be granted by a colonial power. It is an immeasurable gift, one that must be received with respect and gratitude. For too long, the voices of our people have been silenced or ignored.

So, when I say that Native Americans need a seat at the table, what I mean is that we have the knowledge, the teachings, and the wisdom that are essential for the survival of the world. We must no longer ask for permission to share what we know. We must be at the table, because our presence there is necessary, and it is a gift we offer all of humanity. It is not a request for inclusion, it is a recognition of what is required to ensure that life continues this earth. The wisdom of Indigenous peoples is not just a voice to be heard, but a solution to the crisis that threatens to consume us all.