Wayfinders Circle Film Series Spotlighting Vital Role of Indigenous Peoples in Safeguarding the Planet Premieres at American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History Climate Week NYC programming kicks off with launch of “The Wayfinders” Film Series, which centers global Indigenous Leaders.

The Wayfinders Circle held the world premiere of the new film series, “The Wayfinders”, on Monday at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The premiere was part of a special activation of the Margaret Mead Film Festival during NYC Climate Week and centers around the crucial role Indigenous Peoples play in protecting their territories and, in turn, safeguarding all life on Earth. 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 People’s deep spiritual connections to the environment, the legacy of their ancestors and the protection of their sacred land.  

The Wayfinders Circle is a first-of-its-kind global coalition of Indigenous Leaders who have successfully overcome centuries of conflict, repression and threats to their ways of life to maintain their land, language, traditions and culture. At present, the Wayfinders Circle is composed of 15 members from across the 7 sociocultural regions of the world, protecting 47 million hectares of land and 72 million hectares of oceans. 

“The Wayfinders”, co-produced with the Wayfinders Circle members, is a series of short documentary films that brings to life the stories of Indigenous Peoples, positioning them as the protagonists of their own narratives. While showcasing the invaluable richness of traditional knowledge, spirituality and wisdom in diverse Indigenous cultures, “The Wayfinders” film series emphasizes the vital role of Indigenous Peoples in contributing to the stewardship of the Earth in the face of the current climate crisis, spotlighting the Wayfinders’ resilience and adaptability at the forefront of conservation efforts.  

Indigenous Peoples uphold much of the planet's healthiest habitats, sustaining approximately 40% of Earth’s remaining intact ecosystems. Despite this, Indigenous communities are often left out of relevant decision making on climate change and receive less than 1% of climate and biodiversity funding. 

“For too long, Indigenous Peoples have not been given a seat at the table in the global fight to combat climate change. Indigenous Peoples, from our Blackfoot Confederacy in North America to the People of the Rock Country in Australia and everywhere in between, are critical to protecting our natural world and restoring the health of our planet,” said Tyson Running Wolf of the Blackfoot Confederacy and member of the Wayfinders Circle. Tyson is co-founder of Blackfeet Eco Knowledge, a non-profit with the mission of reconnecting Blackfoot people to the environment through the revitalization of Blackfoot traditional ecological knowledge, culture and language.  

The Wayfinders series premiere featured three of the seven films in its first season, including “Niitstitapi”, directed by Bryan Gunnar Cole, “Ngarrindurdeng Kured,” directed by Emma Masters and Dean Yibarbuk (Nawarddeken), and “Indai Apai Darah,” directed by Kynan Tegar (Dayak Iban). Monday’s event marked the world premiere for both Niitstitapi and Ngarrindurdeng Kured. Indai Apai Darah premiered earlier this year at the Mountain Film Festival and was a finalist for a Jackson Wild Media Award.  

“I wanted to make this film to get the truth out there, to show where the government has gone wrong. This work enables us to show people in our communities, in other places across Australia and the world that we’re moving away from government and where we’ve been, that we are doing things our way – land management, education, rock art – and we’re successful, and we’re doing it the right way for the future,” said Dean Yibarbuk, director of Ngarridurndeng Kured (We Going Home Now). Dean is currently chairperson of Warddeken, co-chair of the Karrkad-Kanjdji Trust and member of the Wayfinders Circle.  

The inception of the Wayfinders Circle traces back to 2019 discussions between the Pawanka Fund, Nia Tero and the Council of Elders of the World Union of Indigenous Spiritual Practitioners (WUISP). Wayfinders Circle is a global network of Indigenous Peoples from around the world who work to strengthen self-determination in managing their lands and territories and maintain cultural and spiritual continuity through intergenerational transmission of knowledge.

“‘Indai, Apai, Darah’ serves as my love letter to the village that raised not only me but also my father, his father, and countless generations before. This village is our home, but our way of life here has faced persistent threats for decades. Loggers have had their sights set on our forest since the 1970s. Mass deforestation persists despite all efforts, and the future of the Indigenous Peoples who call these places home remains uncertain,” said Kynan Tegar, 19-year-old photographer and filmmaker from the Dayak Iban tribe of the island of Borneo, Kalimantan, Indonesia and director of Indai Apai Darah. “With this film, I hope to not only shed light on the beauty of our resilience, but to emphasize the importance of protecting Indigenous communities, here in Borneo and around the world. Our Earth as we know it cannot and will not continue unless Indigenous People have a voice and are a part of this global fight.” 

The three films featured in “The Wayfinders” premiere spotlight Indigenous Peoples from the prairies of North America to the forests of Indonesia: 

• Niitstitapi, translated to “The Real People,” journeys across North America and the vast ancestral territory of The Blackfoot Confederacy, an ancient alliance of Indigenous Peoples across the Great Plains bound together by land, language, and culture.  
• Ngarrindurdeng Kured (“We Going Home Now”) tells the story of the return and restoration on Aboriginal land, as Dean Yibarbuk, his family, and community work to protect their territory of Rock County, Australia from devastating wildfire and other threats to their traditional way of life.  
• Indai Apai Darah (“Mother, Father, Blood”) features a young girl growing up in the Indigenous-held forests of central Borneo. The film explores ancient traditions and the story of her People's historic fight to protect their lands in the face of rampant deforestation. 

About Wayfinders Circle 

Wayfinders Circle is a global network of Indigenous Peoples from around the world who work to strengthen self-determination in managing their lands and territories and maintain cultural and spiritual continuity through intergenerational transmission of knowledge. The network was envisioned to address challenges, threats, and difficulties faced by Indigenous Peoples collectively, fostering unity, strength, mutual support, providing a space for Indigenous communities to come together and share in their learnings and experiences. 

About Nia Tero 

Nia Tero is a US-based non-profit working in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples who sustain thriving territories and cultures to strengthen guardianship of Earth and all beings. Nia Tero provides direct funding via grants and contracts to Indigenous Peoples' organizations, networks, and trusted allies worldwide while actively growing an emerging field of practice to expand recognition and support for Indigenous Peoples' guardianship. 

About Pawanka Fund 

Pawanka Fund is an Indigenous-led organization striving to support and empower Indigenous peoples around the globe. Pawanka responds to the needs of indigenous peoples building relationships of trust, networking and promoting articulation between local and global processes. Pawanka Fund  provides direct support to community-led organizations for the recovery and revitalization of indigenous knowledge and learning systems in seven socio-cultural regions of the world including North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Arctic, Pacific, and Russia. 

About World Union of Indigenous Spiritual Practitioners (WUISP) 

WUISP is an open voluntary alliance of Indigenous spiritual practitioners, shamans, healers, sacred sites guardians, cultural activists, holders of traditional Indigenous knowledge and values, Indigenous organizations and clans committed to working together with the common goal of achieving the mission and vision for protection of Mother Earth and strengthening of pristine ties between human, nature and culture for the survival and wellbeing of generations to come.