Feature story
The gathering combined strategic planning with encounters in Indigenous communities, offering concrete insight into how Indigenous peoples integrate church life, political leadership, and cultural sovereignty.
For the WCC Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group, the meeting marked a significant moment of consolidation and forward planning. Following the reference group’s first in-person meeting in 2024, members used the gathering to map priorities for the coming years, situating Indigenous concerns within the wider programme life of the WCC. Presentations linked Indigenous perspectives to the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, the Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice, and preparations toward the 2028 World Mission Conference. These discussions were framed by frank acknowledgement of the current realities for global institutions and the need for focused, strategic Indigenous programming in a changing context.
Participants emphasized that Indigenous peoples must not be treated as a thematic concern at the margins of church life, but as partners shaping theology, mission, and public witness. The role of churches and national councils of churches was repeatedly named as essential, particularly in accompanying Indigenous leadership in contexts where political representation exists but structural inequality persists.
Deeply uniting spirits
Visits to Atayal Indigenous communities in the mountains of Hsinchu grounded these discussions in lived experience. Reflecting on the opening ritual, Hana Kirreh, a member of the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group, described it as “a moment where our spirit united deeply with Mother Earth and the Creator.”
She noted that the Atayal people’s struggle for recognition echoed global Indigenous realities. “No community can survive in isolation,” she underlined. “The human imperative is to build bridges and foster genuine dialogue to cultivate trust and lasting peace.”
In Smangus Village, participants encountered a striking example of Indigenous ecclesiology in practice. The Atayal community has sustained a communal social and economic system for more than two decades, ensuring equality in income, housing, education, healthcare, and leadership. Juan Chavez, a member of the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group, reflected that Smangus embodies the conviction that “church is tribe, tribe is church,” where Christian faith is inseparable from communal responsibility. “By embodying cooperation in every aspect of life,” he wrote, “the Smangus model reminds us that integration and mutual care are not ideals but lived realities.”
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Photo: WCC
Building on insights
The reference group meeting built on these insights. Working groups developed proposals for future Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group engagement, emphasizing Indigenous leadership, climate justice, theological formation, and political advocacy. Participants also honoured the life and witness of the Rev. Dr Peter Cruchley, sharing memories of his contributions to Indigenous struggles within the ecumenical movement.
The political dimension of Indigenous power came into sharp focus. A meeting with Indigenous legislator Saidai offered a grounded picture of Indigenous leadership. Reflecting on the encounter, Rev. Shane Goldie, a member of the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group, observed that Indigenous legislators are expected to legislate while simultaneously responding to urgent community needs. “Political leadership here is inseparable from community care,” he wrote. “Indigenous power is not measured only by seats held or laws passed. It is measured by trust, accountability, and the willingness to carry the weight of community hopes and struggles.”
This encounter challenged churches to reconsider how they understand political engagement. Rather than abstract advocacy, participants witnessed leadership rooted in relationship, presence, and service — a model that resonates strongly with Indigenous theology and offers important lessons for national councils of churches engaged in public policy.
A visit to the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation further illustrated Indigenous self-determination in action. The network functions not only as a broadcaster but as a guardian of language, culture, and historical memory. Goldie, a member of the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group, described the experience as “Indigenous sovereignty made visible,” noting that media, like politics, is a space where Indigenous peoples must speak for themselves rather than be spoken about.
Governing with tenderness
Jocabed Reina Solano Miselis, a member of the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group, framed these encounters through Indigenous theology, drawing parallels with the Guna concept of the Nega — the house as a political and spiritual space. “The house teaches us to govern with tenderness,” she reflected. “To govern is to care; the truest law is the one that protects life and honours memory.” Her reflection underscored that governance, spirituality, and daily life are inseparable in Indigenous worldviews.
Throughout the visit, the leadership and hospitality of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan were repeatedly acknowledged. Presbyterian Church in Taiwan ecumenical officer Chi-Kang Chiang (Ubak) and Vavauni Ljaljegean, a member of the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group, played central roles in hosting the group and facilitating dialogue with churches, communities, political leaders, and Indigenous media institutions. The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan’s Indigenous ministries offered a concrete example of how churches can accompany Indigenous struggles with humility, consistency, and courage.
Affirming commitment
As the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group concluded its meeting, members affirmed their commitment to continued collaboration. Participants reported that the meeting made clear that Indigenous power is already shaping churches, politics, and public life. For the WCC and its member churches, they affirmed that the task ahead is not to create space for Indigenous voices, but to recognize, support, and walk alongside the leadership already present.
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Jocabed Solano Miselis at Taiwan Indigenous Television Network’s news anchor desk, Photo credit: Rev.Vavauni Ljaljegean/WCC
