Indigenous Wisdom for Our Time: A Conversation with our Founder, Mindahi Bastida

Mindahi Bastida, Founder and Convenor of The Earth Elders, is an Otomi-Toltec guardian, ritual ceremony officer, scholar of Rural Development, and a global advocate for Indigenous peoples and the rights of nature.

In 2013, following a historic gathering of more than one hundred Elders who received the Five Mandates during ceremony, Mindahi was appointed to steward this work and help guide humanity back into right-relationship with the Earth.

He has carried these teachings onto the world stage—from the Earth Summit and World Summit on Sustainable Development to the World Economic Forum, COP gatherings, and recent dialogues with King Charles, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis—ensuring that ancestral wisdom remains central to the global response to climate, culture, and ecological renewal. He is also the author of Ancestors and continues to protect sacred sites and biocultural territories across the world.

In this Q and A, Mindahi shares teachings from his tradition, reflections on this moment in human history, and insights on what it will take to restore balance on our planet.

---

Perspectives on Earth, Time, and Sacred Balance

Q: You come from the Otomi Tolteck tradition. What are the unique characteristics and values of your culture?

A: Love is not just a value, it’s a universal law, and reciprocity is central to our way of life. When you give, you also receive—from the universe, in material ways, in spirit, in energy.

Q: You’ve dedicated your life to activism. What motivates you?

A: The beauty of life itself. Seeing forests, skies, rivers, and the landscapes reminds me how precious life is and gives me the energy to keep going.

Q: What teachings from your elders guide you?

A: Everything is in motion—time, space, life itself. We are here only for a while, and understanding that helps us honor the present and the mystery of life.

Q: How do you view this moment in human history?

A: We are in a big transition, approaching a new era of understanding time and space. Human agency must restore sacred balance with other species and remember that we are one in diversity.

Q: What are the most urgent actions for our planet?

A: We must restore climate, soils, forests, and ecosystems. Shift from extraction to regeneration. Conscious action is needed to return to balance.

Q: What ceremonies are meaningful in your community?

A: We honor the cycle of the day—sunrise, noon, sunset—just as animals do. We have hundreds of ceremonies to celebrate and protect life.

Q: How do you see the role of indigenous leadership now?

A: It’s growing but needs more visibility and power. Indigenous peoples must sit with decision-makers and also be on the front lines.

Q: What role does ancestral wisdom play in healing the world?

A: Ancestral knowledge guides us to restore ecosystems, bring back endangered species, and honor responsibilities wherever we live.

Q: How do you see the relationship between people and nature?

A: It’s broken. We must be humble, care for the Earth, and take responsibility for our actions. Misbehavior has caused floods and fires; respecting the sacred balance is the only way forward.

Q: What changes have you witnessed in your community?

A: Our community was nearly destroyed, but through ceremony we’ve restored wetlands and continue working yearly to live in sacred balance with Earth and sky.

---

Ancestral knowledge is alive and meant to guide how we meet this moment. Mindahi’s reflections echo the wisdom that has sustained communities for generations and continue to shape the work of The Earth Elders today.

We invite you to meet more of the Elders who hold and carry this work. Their teachings offer guidance and a way forward for all who seek a deeper relationship with all living beings on this Earth.