Taylor Keen
Taylor Keen is a full-time instructor in the Heider College of Business Administration in Strategy and Entrepreneurship. Keen is also the Founder of Sacred Seed, a not-for-profit entity whose mission is to propagate tribal seed sovereignty, battle for tribal sacred geography, and seek cultural revitalization among tribal peoples. Currently, Keen is embarking on a journey with indigenous seeds of the upper Missouri River tribes to grow, harvest, and celebrate the cosmology of the 4 Sisters (corn, bean, squash, and sunflower). Additionally, from his book-in-progress, he incorporates teachings of the sacred masculine/feminine of tribal peoples including the cosmology of Mother Corn and the Earth Mother goddess. Keen holds a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College as well as a Master's of Business Administration and Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University, where he served as a Fellow in the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. Taylor is the author of the book-in-progress entitled "Rediscovering America: Sacred Geography, the Ancient Earthen Works and an Indigenous History of Turtle Island”. Keen is Trustee Emeritus of the Nebraska State Historical Society, Board member Emeritus of the Humanities Nebraska, and Chairman Emeritus of the Blackbird Bend Corporation (The Omaha Nation of Nebraska and Iowa’s Economic Development Corporation). Listen to Taylor’s interview on the Meateater podcast with Steven Rinella below.
3 words to describe Nature?
Love. Mother. Earth
3 things Nature taught you?
Plant Nation comes first in priority.
Animal Nation comes second, for they depend on the Plant Nation.
Third in priority are the Human Beings, for if we put ourselves above the other two Nations, we will but destroy ourselves.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
Flathead Lake
The foothills of the Ozark Mountains
Anywhere where granite meets the ocean
When you look at the OCEAN, it makes you feel...?
That our planet is a water planet. People forget that.
When you see a FOREST, it makes you feel...?
Loss, as there are not enough of them left.
When you see a VOLCANO, it makes you feel...?
That our planet is alive and that core is molten, and that there is an Underworld / Lowerworld.
When you see a SUNRISE or SUNSET, it makes you feel...?
Rebirth and Death.
When you hear THUNDER, it makes you feel...?
Those are the sounds of the Upper Realm Thunderers, and their messengers, the Thunderbirds.
When you hear the WIND HOWLING, it makes you feel...?
Spirits of those gone on are carried by the wind.
Are you an OCEAN, MOUNTAIN, FOREST, or DESERT person?
All of the above
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
Realizing that all of nature is alive and knowing everything grows and dies, and feeds more life.
Andrea Burgess
Andrea Akall'eq Burgess is Global Director of Conservation in Partnership with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities at The Nature Conservancy. She is also the founder and owner of With Real People LLC, an Indigenous consulting firm dedicated to advancing truth and excellence through creative and strategic advocacy, policy guidance, and facilitation. In addition, Andrea serves as co-founder and president of Native Peoples Action and as a board of trustees for the Institute of American Indian Art (IAIA).
Prior to coming to TNC, Andrea was Director of the Alaska Native Policy Center within First Alaskans Institute, a role which allowed her to develop and cultivate relations and community connections all across the state of Alaska, and with Indigenous communities nationally and internationally. She also previously worked for US Senator Mark Begich, supporting him on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and as the telecommunications lead for the Senate Commerce Committee.
Originally from Bethel Alaska, Andrea currently resides in Oahu Hawaii. Her cultural background is Yup’ik (Inuit) on her mother’s side and Belgian/Norwegian on her father’s side. Andrea is a Tribal Citizen of the Native Village of Kwinhagak.
3 words to describe Nature?
Pure
Rugged
Bliss
3 things Nature taught you?
You are never alone in Nature, our Ancestors are always with you there.
Nature has cycles, patterns, and rhythms that go beyond our human comprehension.
To come into balance, is to be on the land and water.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
The traditional homelands of the Yupik people along the Kuskokwim River in Southwest Alaska.
Imuruk Basin
Mākaha Valley and Coast
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Timeless
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Spiritually connected
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Bloodline
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Gratitude always
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Curious
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Like home
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Ocean
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
As a child, summertime in Alaska was filled with boat rides, camping trips, and fishing. I remember one summer my dad took me and two of my closest friends on a camping trip along the Kuskokwim River. We enjoyed our separate tents and resulting sleeping schedules, which for us girls meant midnight walks and adventures along the river sandbars as daylight never ceased. We saw porcupine, beavers and all kinds of birds. They were our company and entertainment and wonder.
