Oren Lyons Biography
Native-American Faithkeeper, Human Rights Advocate, Environmental Activist. b. 1930
"The law says if you poison the water, you’ll die. The law says that if you poison the air, you’ll suffer. The law says if you degrade where you live, you’ll suffer… If you don’t learn that, you can only suffer. There’s no discussion with this law."
Oren Lyons is a member of the Onondaga and Seneca nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. As an activist for indigenous and environmental justice, Oren works with communities across the globe. As a Faithkeeper, he upholds the history and traditions of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga and Seneca. Oren often addresses modern-day conflicts by sharing traditional views on the law of nature. When he says “You can’t negotiate with a beetle”*, he implies that nature will respond to climate change whether or not humans do.
Oren Lyons was born and raised on Onondaga and Seneca reservations in upstate New York. He later served in the US Army before receiving a scholarship to Syracuse University. At Syracuse, he was an All-American athlete in lacrosse, a sport he continued playing with clubs for many years after graduating. Oren’s athletic career had a jumpstart in his childhood games - lacrosse is a traditional sport played by generations of Iroquois
After graduating with a degree in fine arts, Oren moved to New York City to launch his career in commercial art.
In the 1960s, Oren joined what has been dubbed the “Red Power Movement” – a grouping of Native American activists who came together across tribal lines to draw attention to indigenous rights and struggles. Upon reaching his forties, he returned to the land of his birth in upstate New York, seeking to return to the cultural heritage of Onondaga. Moving home, however, did not deter him from his activism. Throughout the 1970s, Oren took a leadership role in Native American rights events, including the “Trail of Broken Treaties” – a caravan group that traveled to Washington, DC to confront the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Increasingly focused on traditional practices and native culture, Oren helped convene “The Traditional Circle of Indian Elders”, which still meets annually.
Over time, Oren’s activist work drew him to make connections with other indigenous groups, including the Maori in New Zealand. He also helped establish the United Nations working group on indigenous peoples in 1982. In remarks to the UN General Assembly in 1992, Oren highlighted the struggle of indigenous peoples in an era hallmarked by unrestrained growth. In the speech, he addressed key areas for improvement: the degradation of the environment, US and Canadian treaty violations, and the misuse of Native spiritual sites.
In addition to his international work, Oren served as Professor of American Studies and Director of the Native American Studies program at the State University of New York-Buffalo. As a scholar, he has also published many books and articles, including children’s books. He edited “Exiled in the Land of the Free”, a 1992 book which made the case for the influence of Iroquois Confederacy on American democracy and the Constitution.
Now retired as a professor, Oren continues to inspire generations through his leadership in the Traditional Circle of Indian Elders and his public speaking. Oren addressed the US Department of Energy Tribal Summit in 2001 with the following words:
We now observe that life upon this earth is experiencing a serious imbalance with systemic changes that imperil our lives, the lives of our children, and future generations. The issue of energy is a global problem, and therefore it requires global solutions. We must keep in mind that to meet these issues, we must think beyond our national borders and self interests. We must bear in mind that the United States is responsible for one quarter of the carbon output that impacts the world. We make a big footprint.
Oren’s dedication to the cause of Native and environmental rights has garnered him many accolades, including an honorary degree from his alma mater, Syracuse University. Institutions including the Rosa Parks Institute for Human Rights, the National Audubon Society, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor have also recognized Oren’s work.
*Bark Beetle, or Mountain Pine Beetle, infests lodgepole pine and other evergreens, eventually killing them. The beetles’ spread has been exacerbated by warmer temperatures that allow them to spread – research has suggested that global climate change could be the root cause.
