December 12, 2023
Online at 1 pm EST
Beneath the contemporary shape of democracy is an outline of an earth-centered, indigenous tradition. Most people are utterly unaware of these histories, much less the critical indigenous cosmovision that out when the American Founding Fathers borrowed key elements from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy's longstanding traditions of governance to form American democracy.
What might it mean for democracy to arise not just from Western European traditions but also from indigenous traditions in North America? What becomes possible if we now return to what was left out of what we now call democracy? How might engaging with what was then disregarded as irrelevant change our sense of what is possible in governance today?
What Lies Beneath is a cross-cultural, cross-spiritual conversation that introduces some of the essential stories/myths of seeking the peace that lives within the Haudenosaunee cosmovision and the Kayanerenko:wa, the Great Law of Peace. This Cosmovision shaped structures that enabled peace. We go deeper into this cosmovision through sacred story, conversation, unlearning/relearning, and creative engagement.