Climate Week NYC 2024: Wayfinders Circle to Debut Film Series and Join Inside Out Exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History

In keeping with its mission to inspire strong courage for transformative action, the events will showcase the power of the cultural and spiritual continuity of Indigenous communities through artwork.

The Wayfinders Circle will take part in New York City Climate Week, highlighting the crucial role Indigenous Peoples play in protecting their territories, and, in turn, safeguarding all life on Earth.

On September 23, the Wayfinders film series will premiere in New York as part of the American Museum of Natural History’s Climate Week public programming and an extension of the Margaret Mead Film Festival.

From the lush forests of Borneo, to the ancient territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy, to the biodiverse Northern Territory of Australia, the Wayfinders film series tells inspiring stories of Indigenous guardianship and self-governance.

“As a leading scientific and educational institution, our museum is dedicated to presenting programming that not only engages and informs the public about the climate crisis, but also inspires and energizes our global community to confront this existential threat together,” said the Museum President, Sean M. Decatur.

Three films from the series featuring members of the Wayfinders Circle will be screened: “Indai Apai Darah” (Mother, Father, Blood), featuring the Sungai Utik community from Indonesia; “Niitsitapi” (The Real People), featuring the Blackfoot Confederacy from the United States and Canada; and “Ngarridurndeng Kured” (We Going Home Now), featuring the Nawarddeken, from Australia.

After the screenings, filmmakers and participants will participate in a moderated talkback.

Wayfinders Circle members are also featured in the exhibition “Portraits on Climate and Health: Dreams We Carry” which is a special action produced by the Inside Out project, hosted by the American Museum of Natural History.

The project is a global art platform created by French artist JR, to share their dreams for a healthier future in a time of global climate change, culminating in two portrait installations. On September 9, the public was invited to participate in one of the portrait installations.

"I hope we will all start to take better care of our planet so our children can use the land and continue our traditional way of living", stated Ida Ahren (Sámi, from Sweden), a member of the Wayfinders Circle, referring to the Sámi people’s fight to govern their territories in northern Sweden: “I also hope the rights of the reindeer-herding communities will be better protected and respected.”

About The Wayfinders Film Series

In 2022 the Wayfinders Circle team started a collaboration with Nia Tero to produce a series of short documentary films about Indigenous Peoples who are leading the way in sustaining our planet.

Each film invites viewers to learn about a different community that works to preserve rich ecosystems, ensure food and water security, and protect cultural diversity for future generations through the preservation of language, sacred sites, spirituality and the passing of traditional knowledge.

The series aims to share with a wider audience the great resilience of Indigenous Peoples to adapt and maintain their cultural practices while continuing to defend their territories, through mutual support, reciprocity, solidarity and trust.

“We collaborated with knowledge keepers in the film to tell a simple story about the ancient alliance of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the devastating effects of colonialism, and the land, language, and culture that sustains the Blackfoot way of life now and into the future”, said Bryan Gunnar, the director of “Niitsitapi” (The Real People).

The first 7 films of the series were shot throughout 2022 and 2023 in close collaboration with each member of the Wayfinders Circle. The individual films are premiering in different festivals around the world, and the series will premiere in September 2024 during New York City Climate Week, in which three films for the series will be screened.

Visit the American Museum of Natural History’s website for more information on the The Wayfinders film series premiere. To learn more about the series, visit the Wayfinders Circle’s webpage.