Madelene Big Bear addresses the Climate Action Assembly II at the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, USA.

Manawa Benjiak, good morning. Thank you for being here with us. I’m really excited to be able to do this morning’s modem and this morning’s prayer for the climate assembly. I was asked to come to do the opening invocation on Monday and at that time I had mentioned that my grandmother, one of my grandmother’s brothers, my grandfather in our way was Simon Polkagan, who was a great orator and delivered a speech at the same inception of the world parliament, the Parliament of the World’s Religions.

So again, it’s my pleasure to be here and I’m gonna bring some of those words forward this morning with you and share with you some insight that’s very, very old now, but it’s not just my words and it still rings true to the work that we’re doing here today. Just give me a moment to speak in my language real quick. 

Where these great Colombian show buildings stretch skyward and where stands this queen city of the west once stood red man’s wigwams. Here met our old men, young men and maidens, here blazed their council fires, but now the eagle’s eye can find no trace of them. We are still here, Grandfather Polkagan.

I see, we see Indian people here today. In those days that tried our father’s souls, an old man told his tribe, in those visions of the night he was lifted in great wonder high above the earth where he beheld a vast spider web spread out over the land. From the Atlantic Ocean towards the setting sun, sun, its network was made of rods of iron. Along its lines in all directions, rushed monstrous great spiders, greater in strength and larger than any beast of earth clad in brass and iron, dragging after them long rows of wigwams with families therein. Outstretching in their course the flight of birds that fled before them, hissing from their nostrils came forth fire striking terror to both fallen beasts. Centuries have passed. The storm unsatisfied on land swept our lakes, our streams while the fish vanished from our waters. Our inheritance was cut off. We were driven and scattered as sheep before the human wolves.

To be just, we must acknowledge there were good men within these strangers who gave their lives for us and in great kindness taught us the revealed will of the great spirit through his son Jesus, the mediator between God and man. Almighty spirit of humanity, let thy arms of compassion embrace and shield us from the charge of treachery, vindictiveness, and cruelty, and save us from further oppression.

And may these Western leaders no more broken down, appoint no more broken down or disappointed politicians as agents to Indigenous people. But may he set forth good men, tried and true, men who fear not to do right. This is our prayer. What would remain of our people without prayer? All else we leave in the hands of this Republic, of this great Republic. Those are the words of my grandfather Simon Pockegan. And in the people before him, in those nations that came before him, I want to acknowledge those spirits.

I want to acknowledge those spirits that came before him, in those nations that came before him, in those nations that came before him, in those nations that came before him, in those nations that came before him, in those nations that came before him, in those nations that came before him, in those nations that came before him, in those nations that came before him, in those nations that came before him.