The Third Paradigm

The Third Paradigm proposes a way to a comfortable survival.

Indigenous peoples are a 'lost people' in this modern fantastic and fanatical world. We are a good people who for the most part remain rooted to our traditional Indigenous values and principles or at least remain connected to them. We are at a point in our life that we cannot rely on any entity external to our communities, including government, tribal or non, to rescue us. We must rescue ourselves.

The Third Paradigm is a concept that considers the state of our collective condition as Indigenous peoples. The incompatibilities of the “new way” and our Indigenous world has caused great conflict relegating many of our people to a state of poverty, it has created chaos in our families and communities with all manner of addictions and social ills. This condition is complicated further with the memories and the indelible damage of historic trauma that we silently or outwardly suffer in blatant, violent and drunkenly ways. There must be a way out for our people and one way is to merge the beneficial technological modern ways with our traditional Indigenous practices of respecting and living with what our Earth Mother continues to offer. We must return to the land for refuge and sustenance. Along the river in my homelands, we have hundreds of traditional native farms with thousands of acres that must be revitalized. Modern agricultural methods need to be merged with our traditional farming practices to make farming more attractive and profitable. In contemplating the merger of traditional and modern ways of farming we have ideas for innovation and inventions that need to be made to improve our farming capabilities and capacities.

Our Indigenous communities suffer with depression, hopelessness and we struggle to make a meaningful healthy life. A return to the land will motivate the participation of many community members, this will lead to a rebuilding of our Warrior spirit with new opportunity for a meaningful life, a way to economic security, a regeneration of self-esteem; these are the greatest weapons we have to combat our world of chaos. With development of a large capacity food production, we will feed ourselves. This will lend to self-reliant, self-sustaining families and communities as we realize the true essence of a people Sovereignty; there is no true Sovereignty unless you can feed yourselves.

The biggest barrier to bring The Third Paradigm to reality is a budget to sustain a 'Think Tank' who will determine the approaches and processes of the project. We have a Think Tank in the form of an Elder Council that meet periodically to ponder and recommend ways we, as a community can find our way to a better survival. We need startup funding for an academically trained and experienced coordination group to evolve the project. Once the project is established, it will become self-sustaining in all respects, including the generation of operating capital.  

I have a complete 12-page writing of The Third Paradigm that I am prepared to share with the MIT evaluation team and all concerned.

This will be a merging of old and new technologies. Indigenous peoples have been faithful stewards of the land, perfecting farming techniques through the centuries, including protecting the vitality and productivity of soils, food preservation and preserving heirloom seeds. Modern agriculture has ‘friendly’ methods that can be engaged, including equipment, computers/software, farming practices, harvesting and storage. These modern systems can provide processes for soil health, help regulate the farming process through soil preparation, planting, irrigation, weeding, harvesting and storage. Use of drones and artificial intelligence can be incorporated to make farming more inviting, productive and profitable.

Traditional Indigenous farming and modern agriculture have been happening sometimes side by side with limited infusion of farming practices. There is a wealth of expertise from the two experiences and there needs to be a deliberate merging of them to evolve the best opportunity for Indigenous agriculture. As farming is labor intensive and arduous work, the infusion of friendly modern agricultural methods will make farming more inviting. A critical intent is to have eco-friendly, organic produce production. There needs to be a reinvention of animal manure spreaders and other ‘old’ technology and invention of new methods of planting machinery.

We are traditionally a farming people, our farming extends back for centuries, so farming is second nature to many of us. Much of our farms are fallow due to the need to have a regular paycheck, the work is arduous and profit margins have been low. These factors have taken many family members away from farming, however in these times of high unemployment and the rising need for increased food production, this is a ‘ready’ condition to return to the farm. Many families only need an opportunity to farm; their participation will be a natural for the people.

As our project is only at the idea stage, it is not serving people yet. The projected benefits and range of impact on the lives of people are articulated in my writing The Third Paradigm, which will be shared upon request by the MIT Review Team.

The project will revitalize our farming which will lead to food production, preservation and marketing that will feed the people on a regional basis. The participants of the project will realize economic stability for their families, it will rebuild their self-esteem enabling them to address their debilitating issues to having a healthy life. Further the project is intended to be a pilot project that will define, develop and refine a strategy and model that can be replicated in any community in need, this can be done by employing the people’s traditional means of livelihood as the central theme.

As the project is at the idea stage, it has yet to develop a history of experience.

I believe in the mantra that Indigenous problems require Indigenous solutions and I see that the mission of MIT Solve is consistent with my belief. There are aspects of The Third Paradigm concept that could most aptly be addressed by the MIT team, that I envision will be made available to assist in the full conceptualization phase and bringing the project to fruition. Finally, as MIT Solve is availing itself to serve as a catalyst in helping Native led projects develop and succeed, it is a grand opportunity that we take advantage of. 

We are not working with any organizations at this time.

The Navajo Nation government - our parent government would be essential to manage its pertinent divisions and personnel to support the project.

The San Juan River Farm Board - this entity will be necessary to work with to coordinate the local resources to assure the viability of the project.

US Department of Agriculture - USDA has a wealth of resources that will be tremendously helpful to make our project a success.

Indian Country Grassroots Support, Inc. -  ICGS, Inc. is a 503 (c) 3 entity that will serve well in being a fiscal agent, as well as lending legal advisement.