![]() ![]() One of the saddest things to hear is, “No, we don't do that hunting is not for us, hunting is not for me.” That's sad because it's clearly a myth. Ninety-eight percent of all privately owned land in the United States is owned by white Americans, according to the USDA. Lydia: One of the biggest barriers-and there’s a whole list of them on our website, at -is land access. Paul: Can you talk about some of the barriers people of color face in hunting? We’re lacking in diversity of thought and problem-solving skills. As long as there is anything that’s monochrome, monoracial, or lacking in diversity, we’re lacking in that flavor and in that culture. Lydia: I think that being able to be in community with such diverse people, being able to share traditions from all of our backgrounds-that’s part of why it’s so important for Hunters of Color to exist. I know you don't know how, but like, here we go.” All the conversations and smiles that came out of sharing in that food and culture together-that was such a takeaway for me of the importance of the work and of sharing these experiences. ![]() You mentioned the making of dinners, and I also have this memory of Jimmy handing me a bag of corn flour and saying, “Okay, you’re going to make arepas. Paul: The address for me, too, was tone setting for the entire weekend I was humbled that you would share that with us. It showed a reverence for the land and for what our goals were: to connect to the land and be connected to nature, and also to each other. ![]() And a lot of that is what we’re trying to break down-those narratives.īeing able to share that around the fire the first night, with you and your partner Libby making pizza-it was just such a beautiful entry into the weekend. We’re not here to dominate or just to kill things. Being able to do that the same way that my ancestors have done for thousands of years in that same part of the world-I think really does set the tone and shows that we’re here as part of nature. It felt very appropriate to come together and give these greetings, the “words that come before all else,” to the natural world. Lydia: One highlight was being able to share the Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen, which is the traditional Haudenosaunee opening address of gratitude. What moments stood out to you from that experience? Paul: The event at Hannacroix was really something special. And as you know in New York with all the deer you have out there, to be able to play a role in that ecology is important, too. If you choose to eat meat, it is the most sustainable way to do so. So, to me, hunting is vital and important to culture and to sustainability. We actually take part in nature and play a role in the ecology. Hunters appreciate so much more than just seeing things in nature. ![]()
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