Certain life forms, often a keystone species, are sacred to indigenous peoples because they present a body of knowledge and ways leading to balanced relationship with life. Conventional Conservation regards these apex beings and the cascade of relationships that flow from their existence as essential to healthy ecosystems, but fail to acknowledge the simple fact that without these beings, we humans will suffer at best, and perish at worst. WISN gives sacred species a clear voice to guide us back into right relationship with our own bodies and all of life.
Snow Leopards
2010 –2011, Snow Leopard Project, Altai Republic, Siberia
Most Central Asian people have all but forgotten that the snow leopard and the rituals, knowledge and Sacred Sites that held the teachings about the snow leopard, comprise a way of unity. Before the cultural suppression of the Czars, Soviet Union and religious orthodoxy, only Chiefs or leaders had the right to have a snow leopard pelt. This promoted strong, positive engagement with the high mountain ecology. When the snow leopard was recognized as a central sacred icon, the People simultaneously recognized the cascade of environmental relationships and consequences generated by a top predator.
Central Asian Elders invited WISN’s involvement in creating a program that originates in the long-repressed culture and leads to contemporary actions to revive the central cultural role of the snow leopard while conserving these cats in the wild.
In this project, WISN has partnered with the Snow Leopard Conservancy of Sonoma, CA. The Snow Leopard Conservancy is the world’s leading authority on the study and protection of the endangered snow leopard. Serves twelve Central Asian nations.
White Lions
WISN partners with the Global White Lion Trust, Hoedspruit, South Africa. Integrates science, culture, education and enterprise development for program fund development and to network the Trust worldwide with indigenous Elders who are guardians of the sacred species.