Peugeot owner and VW call for faster switch to electric vehicles as reflected on by Elder Thomas Many Feathers

Relatives, I hear the news from faraway Paris, where car makers now speak of a faster EV switch. They warn of a “big trap” if the change to electric vehicles moves too slowly. This talk of speed and traps always makes me pause. Our ancestors taught us that true wisdom comes from observation, not just urgency. Therefore, we must ask ourselves: what truly drives this swiftness?

Honoring Unci Maka with True Reciprocity

These corporations, they speak of “green driving.” However, we must look deeper than the surface. Is this push a genuine commitment to Unci Maka, Grandmother Earth, or just another way to chase profit? Our Lakota ways teach ecological reciprocity. We give back as much as we take. Consequently, a real “green” future honors the land and its waters first, not just the bottom line of big companies. Furthermore, we remember that all life depends on clean water, which these new technologies also demand.

The spirit of the land cries out when we disturb it. We see this in the mining for rare earth minerals and the immense water needed for batteries. These materials come from somewhere, often from lands sacred to Indigenous peoples. Therefore, we must ensure the “faster EV switch” does not simply shift the burden of pollution and extraction to new places, harming other sacred sites and communities. True progress respects the balance of creation.

Sacred Waters and Sovereign Choices

Ultimately, decisions about new technologies must align with our deepest values. We protect our sacred waters; they are the lifeblood of Unci Maka. Any new industry, even one called “green,” must demonstrate respect for these vital resources and for tribal sovereignty. We, the people of the High Plains, understand the long-term impacts of resource extraction. Therefore, we advocate for solutions that truly heal the earth, not just create new problems. We pray for leaders to listen to the wisdom of the land and not just the voices in the boardrooms. Let us choose a path of genuine harmony, not just another race for speed.

Read the original news coverage on The Guardian (World).

By Elder Thomas Many Feathers

Lakota ceremonial elder and community counselor. Advocate for treaty rights, sacred waters, and the protection of Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth). Writes on ecological reciprocity, the sacredness of clean water, tribal sovereignty, and ancestral wisdom for modern crises.