The Cree proverb
Kîkinaw oci askiy wîci pimâcihowin kâ ohci ayamiwak.
(We all live from the Earth’s resources.)
is a simple sentence that carries a deep worldview. It reminds us that every person, community, animal, and living thing is dependent on the land. It is not just about survival. It is about humility, respect, and responsibility toward the Earth that sustains us.
I am not Cree, so this is a respectful, outside interpretation. The most authentic understanding will always come from Cree speakers, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers. Still, we can look at the proverb in a way that honors its spirit and apply its lessons to daily life.
Translation and Meaning
The English translation, “We all live from the Earth’s resources,” captures three important ideas:
- We all
The proverb is inclusive. It does not say “some of us,” or “people in nature,” but everyone. Humans in cities, animals in forests, fish in the water, birds in the sky. No one is separate from the Earth. - Live from
“Live from” is more than just “use.” It suggests dependence. Our food, water, air, shelter, and even our technology all trace back to the land in some form. Whether we recognize it or not, our lives are rooted in the Earth. - The Earth’s resources
Here, “resources” are not just commodities to buy and sell. In many Indigenous worldviews, what English calls “resources” are relatives and gifts. The land, waters, plants, and animals are treated with respect, not as objects to exhaust.
Put together, the proverb is saying:
All of us survive and continue because of what the Earth gives. Therefore, how we treat the Earth is how we treat our own life.
Cultural Context and Relationship with the Land
In many Cree teachings, the land is not a backdrop. It is teacher, provider, and relative. The proverb expresses a way of seeing that:
- The Earth is alive, not just a pile of materials.
- Humans are part of the natural world, not above it.
- Taking from the land must be balanced with gratitude, respect, and restraint.
This is very different from a mindset where nature is something to dominate. Instead, it reflects a relationship based on reciprocity. The Earth sustains us, so we are responsible for caring for it in return.
The proverb can also be heard as a quiet correction to forgetfulness. Modern life can make it easy to feel disconnected from the land. Shopping in a store hides the soil, rain, sunlight, and hands that made something possible. The proverb calls that hidden truth back into view.
Key Life Lessons in the Proverb
1. Humility: You are not self made
The proverb undercuts the idea of being entirely “self made.” No matter how hard you work or how successful you become, you still:
- Breathe air you did not create
- Drink water you did not invent
- Eat food grown from soil you did not design
This does not erase effort, but it puts your success in context. Humility becomes natural when you remember that your foundation is the Earth itself.
Practical takeaway:
When you feel proud of what you have built, pair that pride with gratitude for the land and all the unseen forces that make your life possible.
2. Gratitude: Nothing is truly ordinary
If everything you use comes from the Earth, then nothing is fully “ordinary.” A simple meal is the result of:
- Soil, water, and sunlight
- Farmers, pickers, drivers, and workers
- Seeds that were cared for and passed down
The proverb invites you to see each object as part of a longer story that leads back to the land.
Practical takeaway:
Pause before you eat, consume, or buy something and think, even briefly, about the land that made it possible. This small habit builds steady, quiet gratitude.
3. Responsibility: Living from the Earth means caring for it
If you “live from” the Earth, then abusing it is a form of self harm. Polluted water, exhausted soil, and disappearing species all eventually return as consequences in human life.
The proverb silently asks:
If you know your life depends on the Earth, how should you act?
This can guide choices like:
- How much you waste
- What you support with your money
- How you speak up about environmental decisions
- How you teach children to relate to nature
Practical takeaway:
Choose one area of your life where you draw heavily from the Earth, such as food, transportation, or clothing, and reduce the harm in that one area. The proverb supports change in concrete steps, not just in theory.
4. Interconnection: You are not alone in your dependence
“We all live from the Earth’s resources” means everyone is tied together by the land.
- A drought in one place can raise food prices somewhere else.
- Forest loss affects air quality far beyond the area cut.
- Pollution in one river can travel through entire ecosystems.
This interconnection can inspire both empathy and cooperation. If we all rely on the same Earth, then the suffering of one region is not fully separate from the others.
Practical takeaway:
When you hear about environmental problems in another part of the world, remember that the proverb says “we all.” Let that widen your sense of responsibility beyond your immediate surroundings.
5. Simplicity: Remember what is truly essential
The proverb cuts through the clutter of modern life and focuses on essentials:
- Food
- Water
- Air
- Shelter
- Energy
So many of our worries relate to status, appearance, or convenience. This Cree saying brings us back to the baseline: your life continues because the Earth keeps giving you what you truly need.
Practical takeaway:
When you feel overwhelmed by problems, ask yourself:
Are my most basic needs from the Earth being met right now?
If yes, let that reality be a grounding point, then move outward from there.
Applying the Proverb in Everyday Life
Here are a few concrete ways to live the message of
Kîkinaw oci askiy wîci pimâcihowin kâ ohci ayamiwak in daily life.
- Learn where your basics come from
- Find out where your drinking water originates.
- Learn which lands or farmers grow most of your common foods.
- Reduce waste as a form of respect
- Avoid throwing away usable food.
- Repair items when possible instead of instantly replacing them.
- Reuse and recycle with the mindset that you are easing the load on the Earth.
- Spend time on the land
- Walk, sit, or simply be outside with no task except noticing.
- Let yourself feel that the ground under your feet is your support, not just scenery.
- Teach children the connection
- Show them how plants grow, how water cycles, how animals depend on habitats.
- Use the proverb as a simple line they can remember and repeat.
- Support choices that honor the land
- When possible, support local or sustainable producers.
- Engage in community efforts that protect water, soil, and habitats.
Closing Reflection
The Cree proverb
“Kîkinaw oci askiy wîci pimâcihowin kâ ohci ayamiwak.”
“We all live from the Earth’s resources.”
is more than a reminder about nature. It is a compact teaching about identity, gratitude, and responsibility. It tells you who you are in relation to the world around you: not separate, not above, but dependent and connected.
To honor this teaching is to live with:
- Humility about your place in the world
- Gratitude for what the Earth gives
- Responsibility for how you take and how you give back
The proverb does not ask you to be perfect. It asks you to remember. Every time you eat, drink, breathe, or use anything made from the land, you are living out its truth.
