Once we lose the tides, the ebb and flow of life’s sustenance is diminished.
Today is the 30-year anniversary of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous people are communities who have existed on land long before the industrial revolutions of the world displaced them or marginalized them. These communities are deeply intertwined with their surrounding ecosystems, relying heavily on the stability and health of their environmental habitats.
In the Pacific Northwest, indigenous communities say, “When the tide is out, the table is set” to acknowledge “first foods” such as salmon, crab, and clams from nearshore lands. These foods give life to ceremonies, gatherings, education, and traditional networks of selflessness: sharing, reciprocity. Global warming threatens these tides, tables, and foods. Because they are under threat, ceremonies, gatherings, education, and the spirit of selflessness is at risk of loss.
In an era where the health of our planet and the rights of Indigenous populations are increasingly under threat, law firms must stand out as a beacon of hope and action. The path to protecting the environment and upholding Indigenous rights for law firms is clear: initiate legal challenges against environmental challenge; do their level best to protect indigenous rights; offer pro bono services; and advocate for stronger laws and regulations.
Recognition and acknowledgment serve an important function. But the labor of action requires something else. By leveraging our collective expertise and resources, law firms in the Pacific Northwest can make a substantial difference in the fight against environmental destruction and the protection of Indigenous rights. The minor effort we, as lawyers, contribute pales in comparison to the extensive contributions of indigenous peoples over centuries.
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