Uploaded March 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
David Radcliff, Director of the New Community Project, since 2002, has been taking learning tours to Arctic Village, Alaska, a very small community of about 150 people. The village borders on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The only way to reach this small community is by small plane, so, it's an experience to learn about the Native Gwich’in people who have lived off the land for thousands of years. -- The Porcupine Caribou Herd is the central feature in the Gwich’in way of life. They believe that they are "spiritually connected" with the caribou and that they were placed on Earth at about the same time. The Porcupine Caribou migrate, annually, on a journey of 1700 miles to the birthing grounds on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Many other animals and birds also call this home for birthing, including polar bears, wolverine, black bears, moose, lynx, eagles, wolves, beavers and many migratory birds.
This area is also where the oil interests of the U.S. government are wanting to drill for oil. Prior to leaving the office of the presidency, Donald Trump permitted some leasing of these lands. For the Gwich’in, this area is the “Sacred Place Where All Life Begins;” it’s considered to be a sacred site and a place that Gwich'in would not trespass.
This edition of "Brethren Voices" features interviews with Charlie Swaney, Gwich'in leader from Arctic Village, Alaska. He feels that oil drilling would damage both the plain and the herd, violating the fundamental human rights of the Gwich’in culture and their existence.
"God has given us all of this land and if they drill up there and the caribou are gone, what are we to do . . . it's a risk that we can't take." – Charlie Swaney, Arctic Village, Alaska
“According to the authorities, the refuge may hold 2-4 billion barrels of oil (several months' supply of petroleum for the U.S.)
At what devastation and cost to the ecosystem and the Native Gwich’in? Is it worth spoiling that wonderful place for several months' supply of oil, when there is so much to do to improve transportation efficiency, mass transit and other ways of living, less on petroleum and being more in tune with the planet?“ – David Radcliff, New Community Project
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TAGS: Native Gwich'in of Alaska; Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; Porcupine Caribou Herd; Oil Drilling; Subsistence Living; New Community Project; Sacred Place Where All Life Begins; Human Rights; Education; Migratory Animals; Learning Tours; Arctic Village, Alaska, Brethren, Brethren Voices
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YouTube
youtu.be/JBrwpSLIeZM
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Also, this show is available for local public TV stations to broadcast.
Phone your local public TV station (LPTV) to request they broadcast this film to your local community. Your station can download the film in TV broadcast format, HD or SD, from PEGMedia.org . This film is available for broadcast from any LPTV station in the country - and world. Stations that use Telvue, DVDs or other media can contact us for instructions.
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Links
Shawn Kirchner - Music - "Augury of Innocence"
ShawnKirchner.com
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Website - About
brethren.org/news/2012/brethren-voices-now-broadcast-across-country
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David Radcliff, Director of the New Community Project, since 2002, has been taking learning tours to Arctic Village, Alaska, a very small community of about 150 people. The village borders on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The only way to reach this small community is by small plane, so, it's an experience to learn about the Native Gwich’in people who have lived off the land for thousands of years. -- The Porcupine Caribou Herd is the central feature in the Gwich’in way of life. They believe that they are "spiritually connected" with the caribou and that they were placed on Earth at about the same time. The Porcupine Caribou migrate, annually, on a journey of 1700 miles to the birthing grounds on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Many other animals and birds also call this home for birthing, including polar bears, wolverine, black bears, moose, lynx, eagles, wolves, beavers and many migratory birds.
This area is also where the oil interests of the U.S. government are wanting to drill for oil. Prior to leaving the office of the presidency, Donald Trump permitted some leasing of these lands. For the Gwich’in, this area is the “Sacred Place Where All Life Begins;” it’s considered to be a sacred site and a place that Gwich'in would not trespass.
This edition of "Brethren Voices" features interviews with Charlie Swaney, Gwich'in leader from Arctic Village, Alaska. He feels that oil drilling would damage both the plain and the herd, violating the fundamental human rights of the Gwich’in culture and their existence.
"God has given us all of this land and if they drill up there and the caribou are gone, what are we to do . . . it's a risk that we can't take." – Charlie Swaney, Arctic Village, Alaska
“According to the authorities, the refuge may hold 2-4 billion barrels of oil (several months' supply of petroleum for the U.S.)
At what devastation and cost to the ecosystem and the Native Gwich’in? Is it worth spoiling that wonderful place for several months' supply of oil, when there is so much to do to improve transportation efficiency, mass transit and other ways of living, less on petroleum and being more in tune with the planet?“ – David Radcliff, New Community Project
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TAGS: Native Gwich'in of Alaska; Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; Porcupine Caribou Herd; Oil Drilling; Subsistence Living; New Community Project; Sacred Place Where All Life Begins; Human Rights; Education; Migratory Animals; Learning Tours; Arctic Village, Alaska, Brethren, Brethren Voices
--
YouTube
youtu.be/JBrwpSLIeZM
--
Also, this show is available for local public TV stations to broadcast.
Phone your local public TV station (LPTV) to request they broadcast this film to your local community. Your station can download the film in TV broadcast format, HD or SD, from PEGMedia.org . This film is available for broadcast from any LPTV station in the country - and world. Stations that use Telvue, DVDs or other media can contact us for instructions.
--
Links
Shawn Kirchner - Music - "Augury of Innocence"
ShawnKirchner.com
--
Website - About
brethren.org/news/2012/brethren-voices-now-broadcast-across-country
--
