Islands of Sanctuary
standing on sacred ground

Native Hawaiians and Aboriginal Australians resist threats to their sacred places in a growing international movement to defend human rights and protect the environment. In Australia's Northern Territory, Aboriginal clans maintain Indigenous Protected Areas and resist the destructive effects of a mining boom. In Hawai'i, indigenous ecological and spiritual practices are used to restore the sacred island of Kaho'olawe after 50 years of military use as a bombing range.

Episode Duration: 56 minutes and 40 seconds

Episode Number: 104

About Standing On Sacred Ground:

Indigenous communities around the world and in the U.S.

resist threats to their sacred places-the original protected lands-in a growing movement to defend human rights and restore the environment.

In this four-part documentary series, native people share ecological wisdom and spiritual reverence while battling a utilitarian view of land in the form of government megaprojects, consumer culture, and resource extraction as well as competing religions and climate change.

Narrated by Graham Greene, with the voices of Tantoo Cardinal and Q'orianka Kilcher, the series exposes threats to native peoples' health, livelihood, and cultural survival in eight communities around the world.

Rare verite scenes of tribal life allow indigenous people to tell their own stories-and confront us with the ethical consequences of our culture of consumption.




NHPBS Over-the-Air Broadcast

WENH-TV Ch. 11 Durham

WLED-TV Ch. 48 Littleton

WEKW-TV Ch. 18 Keene

W50DP-D Ch. 50 Hanover

W34DQ-D Ch. 34 Pittsburg

Cable and Satellite Channels


NHPBS Five Channels

NHPBS - 11.1

NH Explore - 11.2

NH World - 11.3

NH Create - 11.4

NH Kids - 11.5

Learn More


NHPBS NHPBS Passport Passport

Now and Then – The Last Beatles Song (Short Film) | Now and Then – The Last Beatles Song (Short Film)
Ask This Old House | E7 | Rain Garden, Wrought Iron Railing | Ask This Old House
This Old House | E7 | Lexington Modern | Ramping Up
Austin City Limits | Margo Price / Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Little Bird | I Want My Mom
Secrets of the Dead | Eiffel's Race to the Top
Great Performances | New York City Ballet in Madrid
Antiques Roadshow | Thrills & Chills
Nature | Deep Thinkers | Spy in the Ocean
The Caverns Sessions | CEDRIC BURNSIDE
Native America | New Worlds
Next at the Kennedy Center | Embracing Duality: Modern Indigenous Culture
Hotel Portofino | Comings Together
Annika | Episode 4
World on Fire | Episode 2
America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston | Maine: Embrace the Cold
Taco Mafia | Inspiracion
Power Trip: The Story of Energy | Globalization
American Masters | Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes
Evolution Earth | Grasslands
Becoming Frida Kahlo | A Star Is Born
Hispanic Heritage Awards | 36th Hispanic Heritage Awards
Independent Lens | Sansón and Me
Cook's Country | Fish Tacos and Fried Shrimp
Unforgotten | Episode 4
Van der Valk | Episode 1: Freedom in Amsterdam (Part One)
Out of Exile: The Photography of Fred Stein | Out of Exile: The Photography of Fred Stein
Professor T | Ring of Fire