Mother Earth Is Our Elder

De: Catherine (Katlia) Lafferty

Award-winning Dene activist and writer Katłı̨̀ą teaches us Indigenous ways to protect and learn from Mother Earth.

The Dene in Canada’s Northwest territories have lived alongside nature for many generations. From battling environmental racism on the front lines of historical environmental protests to living a balanced life through effective individual and collective governance, the Dene have long protected Mother Earth from destruction through their intricate knowledge systems, natural laws, and age-old principles.

Now more than ever, institutions and citizens alike are seeking out and relying on the resilience of Indigenous knowledge systems to help solve the climate crisis. This book brings together a diverse group of Dene Elders and knowledge carriers on the subject of climate change to answer the calls for help. Adhering proudly to these responsibilities and values, Katłı̨̀ą (pronounced cat-lee-ah) writes a Dene manifesto fit to address the state of emergency we’re in.

With evidence of how this all works for the Dene people, we see how it might work for us as well. This generous, pragmatic, and hopeful book shows us how to find coexistence with Mother Earth and embrace the wisdom of our local Indigenous communities.

©2026 Catherine (Katlia) Lafferty (P)2026 McClelland & Stewart