Nathan Beacom
Mitákuye Oyásiŋ is the Lakota way of saying “we are all related.” It is a phrase that points to the interdependence of all things. The Covid-19 pandemic and the ecological threats of our time, are excellent examples of this truth. It is an idea that is both practical and philosophical. On the practical level, it applies to that sense of communal care that defines the relationship between neighbors. On a philosophical level, it means that the world and all that is in it comes from the same divine source, that each piece of creation affects, depends upon, and participates in the life of the others.
