Ecofeminism, Indigenous Worldviews, and the Future of Environmental Justice Movements

By: Catherine Fink

How are we to survive the palimpsestic crises of the Anthropocene? By applying the Indigenous traditions of gift economies and reciprocity and the ethic of care tenet of ecofeminism to environmental justice movements, we can find hope for survival. The #NoDAPL protests at Standing Rock demonstrated a living vision of this approach.

Transformative change is imperative for the planet and for women, who are 80 percent of those forced to move during climate catastrophes and 14x more likely than men to die during climate change-related disasters. Women work nearly two-thirds of the world’s working hours and produce half the world’s food but earn only 10% percent of the world’s income; naturally, women and girls make up 70% of the world’s one billion poorest people. In addition, occurrences of domestic violence and sexual assault increase in times of environmental stress, including after a major pollution event. 

Ecofeminism recognizes the interconnectedness of the oppression of women and the exploitation of nature. It posits that the same hierarchical structures that justify the domination of women also underpin the degradation of the environment. In response, it advocates for non-hierarchical, relational ways of organizing society, where individuals are seen as interdependent and embedded within their communities and the environment. This ethic prioritizes nurturing, cooperation, and the well-being of all living things, challenging the competitive and exploitative norms and inequalities of our capitalist society. Ecofeminism also emphasizes the importance of recognizing diverse perspectives and knowledge systems.

Ecofeminism elevates women-specific concerns in the decision-making process regarding: environmental policy options and it forces an intersectional approach to problem-solving. More specifically, its focus on an ethic of care emphasizes relationality and mutual responsibility over the protection of individual rights and offers an alternative worldview that is more conducive to collaborative problem-solving and mutual empowerment. 

Similarly, Indigenous worldviews, in their vast diversity, share a common thread: a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all life. The concept of "kincentricity" suggests that humans have a moral responsibility to care for the environment, offering a powerful counterpoint to the capitalist,  anthropocentric Western worldview, which prioritizes individual profit and often leads to the exploitation of both people and the environment.

The Indigenous paradigms of the gift-economy and the principle of reciprocity grow out of this perspective and offer alternatives to the sexist, racist status quo. In contrast to capitalism's focus on competition and accumulation, a gift economy prioritizes meeting the needs of others, fostering creativity, and building community. In a gift economy, resources are shared freely, and social status is often determined by one's generosity and ability to contribute to the common good. The act of giving creates a bond between the giver and the receiver, fostering a sense of mutual obligation and interdependence. This fundamental difference highlights why the term "Indian giver" is so offensive: in many Indigenous cultures, goods were circulated throughout the community rather than hoarded, reflecting a value system that Western capitalism struggles to understand. Reciprocity, in this context, implies a continuous cycle, a balanced and harmonious relationship between humans and the natural world.

The clash between these two worldviews has a long and painful history–Indigenous populations were so dramatically decimated–dropping by over 90% in 200 years--that it led to the cooling of the Earth’s climate. Settler colonialism in North America suppressed of Indigenous traditions, and the imposition of patriarchal systems through Christian religious mandates disrupted the egalitarian balance typical of many Indigenous societies. The US government remains complicit in this history as, “The economic infrastructure…depends on extractive industries [and] settler colonial laws, policies and programs are ‘both’ a significant factor in opening up Indigenous territories for carbon-intensive economic activities and, at the same time, a significant factor in why Indigenous peoples face heightened climate risks” and are disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation. 

Despite this history of oppression, women have been at the forefront of many EJ environmental justice movements. Ecofeminism recognizes that "the personal is political," and many women activists use their lived experiences to articulate the connections between social injustice and environmental destruction. Indigenous women often draw on their cultural traditions and a profound sense of responsibility to protect the Earth for future generations. 

This mindset motivated the Standing Rock Water Protectors in April 2016. A small group of protesters on the edge of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota grew into the largest gathering of Native people in U.S. history. They were protesting the construction of a natural gas pipeline, the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), an 1,172-mile oil pipeline under the Missouri River, the primary water source for the reservation. In addition to protecting sites and water, the #NoDAPL activists wanted to protect the women and girls living in the area from the increased sexual exploitation and violence known to accompany extractive industries. 

Indigenous women played key roles as spiritual leaders, ceremony organizers, and camp organizers, including Ladonna Brave Bull Allard, founder of the Sacred Stone camp. The #NoDAPL protests embodied ecofeminism’s ethic of care and the Indigenous gift economy and reciprocity principle. The ethic of care was deeply evident in the communal encampments that existed for over six months, as well as in the participation and support provided from over 280 tribes worldwide where “everybody came with all of their skills, and they brought [their] economies—and they were medicating people, they were healing people, they were feeding people, cooking for people, training people, making people laugh—they were doing everything.”

A gift economy based on reciprocity and a culture of abundance also took root, as no money was exchanged and needs were met through gifting. The camp also promoted Indigenous sovereignty through its very existence outside the capitalist, patriarchal economic system. LaDonna Brave Allard named this larger goal: “We’ve given our power over to an entity that doesn’t deserve our power...We must take back that empowerment of self. We must take back our own health care. We must take back our own food. We must take back our families. We must take back our environment. In rejecting nonrenewable energy and living by more sustainable practices, the Standing Rock protestors both promoted and embodied Indigenous and ecofeminist tenets.

The fossil fuel industry reacted strongly, and protestors were removed and arrested by the militarized state police force that brutalized the Water Keepers with physical abuse, tear gas, pepper spray, water-cannons, holding pens, and aerial surveillance. The pipeline now pumps 570,000 barrels of crude oil per day along a 1,172-mile route, accounting for 5% of crude oil in the US despite significant, ongoing concerns about the safety record of the company operating DAPL and multiple oil spills. Nevertheless, many see the Standing Rock protests as a win overall in the fight against sexism, capitalism, and the destruction of our environment. The challenges are immense, but the wisdom of Indigenous traditions and the insights of ecofeminism offer a path towards transformative change.