| The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) places high value on protecting the integrity of indigenous cultural rights; thus, we bring concerns to the UN regarding the biological health and status of the sacred herb Peyote in the United States in the context of its value as the religious sacrament of the Native American Church.
~ Earl Arkinson, Former NACNA President, 2011
Indigenous Right at the United Nations.
By Joy Avila | June 5, 2026
Next Gen Contributing Writer
Shiprock, New Mexico – The Native American Church of North America – State of New Mexico, Inc. (NAC-SNM) has a well-documented history of participating in the United Nations efforts on Indigenous human rights, primarily through the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and related expert bodies.
NAC-SNM’s involvement has centered on religious freedom, the protection of medicinal plants, and the recognition of traditional knowledge as a human rights issue. In 2026, the NAC-SNM continued that work by joining the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the Cherokee Nation, and other U.S. tribal representatives in New York City for UNPFII 2026. This year’s theme was Ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ health, including in the context of conflict.
NAC-SNM saw important progress in May 2025 when the 24th Session of the Forum Report expressly stated:
Member States should acknowledge the critical role of Indigenous Peoples as guardians of their lands and territories; their traditional knowledge must be fully respected in environmental governance, including the protection and use of medicinal plants, such as peyote, that hold profound religious, cultural and spiritual significance to Indigenous Peoples, and their ecosystems.
Particularly significant to NAC-SNM was the Report’s language addressing the protection of traditional medicinal plants in relation to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Building on that progress NAC-SNM President Leo Dayish joined Indigenous Peoples from around the world on April 23, 2026, in delivering an intervention on The Mandate of the UNPFII. “Indigenous Peoples’ ceremonies, including the Native American Church, and medicinal plants such as the Peyote are not commodities,” President Dayish said. “They are living systems of knowledge and responsibility tied to our lands and our Peoples. Their protection is a matter of health, culture, and self-determination.”
In another intervention, NAC-SNM called on member states, UN agencies, and industry to fulfill their obligations under the UNDRIP by supporting Indigenous-led stewardship of medicinal plant habitats and biodiversity, along with the related cultural expressions and heritage. SNM emphasized that Indigenous Peoples must be involved in the protection, use and development of these plant habitats and associated traditional knowledge systems.
Leading up to the UNPFII, NAC-SNM representatives served on a panel at the Raising Awareness and Advancing Implementation: The WIPO GRATK Workshop on February 27, 2026. We joined legal scholars, Permanent Forum members, NCAI leadership, Tulalip Tribe, and Indigenous Determinants of Health Alliance representatives who all contributed to the workshop. “Our goal for this workshop is to understand and advance the GRATK Treaty as drafted and as it might inspire more extensive norm building and instruments in the future,” said Kristen Carpenter and Sue Noe.
NAC-SNM appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with NARF and NCAI and values its new partnership with the Indigenous Determinants of Health Alliance.
|
