Native Americans have always been environmentalists whose model should be copied.

Sam Keahna, an Esquakee Indian and American Indian Center program director, said Wednesday that American Indians have always respected the earth.

“We have always taken care of mother earth and she in turn takes care of us,” Keahna said.

Keahna’s lecture was part of a Student Environmental Action Coalition presentation at the Holmes Student Center.

The lecture was also part of Earth Week. SEAC President Michael Baltasi said Keahna was invited to speak because “a different, non-traditionally western view of environmental problems is needed.”

Baltasi said westerners should listen and learn from the Indians to “learn how to live in harmony with our environment.”

Keahna said natural disasters such as the earthquake in San Francisco are “Mother Nature’s” way of expressing her dissatisfaction with people’s treatment of the environment.

“Mother Nature has her way of giving us warnings,” he said.

Keahna said he fears for the safety of future generations and he says regular prayers to the “spirits” for the welfare of his grandchildren.

SEAC member Dale Blazier said “we have an obligation to take the opinion of the Native Americans into consideration because their history is so firmly rooted in worship of the land.”

The United States government will go to any lengths to exploit Native Americans, Keahna said. He said the problems Native Americans face include the fishing and timber industries in Northern Wisconsin.

He said the major corporations have confused the issue of fishing and timber rights to pit Indians against one another.

“What they really want is to come in and remove the minerals from the earth,” Keahna said. He said that the corporations will force the government into breaking treaties with Native Americans so they (the corporations) can get the land.