Bearing Witness: Voices of Climate Change Part VII: Adapting Tribal Ceremonies to a Changing Climate

"This week, we're airing a series of interviews called Bearing Witness: Voices of Climate Change. They're stories told by longtime Arizonans about changes they've seen in the familiar landscapes of their lives. While personal experience, in and of itself, is not scientific conclusion, many researchers believe long-term observation is a critical component to understanding how climate change affects humanity and the planet. Those changes are altering the way Native American tribes conduct ceremonies. Some of the plants harvested for these rituals aren't growing at the same time of year as they have historically, and that's upending ceremonial calendars. Nikki Cooley is a member of the Navajo Nation and is co-manager of the Tribes and Climate Change Program at Northern Arizona University. She advises Indigenous communities across the country on how to adapt to a changing climate."