1. Mainstream circular economy models often exclude Indigenous participation, leading to a disconnect. These solutions risk failure and the continuous amorphous of neo-colonialism without honoring Indigenous intellectual property and crediting Indigenous frameworks to economic theories.
2. Circularity is about regeneration and reciprocity—an interdependence between humans and nature that prioritizes balance and care over accumulation. Indigenous economy theories already embody these principles through systems of subsistence livelihoods, nature kapital (capital), crop sharing, biodata (seed banks and biodiversity), inquiry protocols, subverting conventions, and collective governance.
Note: Indigenous Kriolized Orthomosaic Linguistics is applied throughout the article.
Nkwi Flores, an Andean/Runa cultural lawyer, researcher, and biokulture tech designer, carries a name that reflects both his Indigenous heritage and the legacy of colonialism in the Americas. Colonial systems replaced ancestral names with Christian ones, which erased Indigenous identities. Yet, Flores views his name as a symbol of resistance and resilience. This bridges past injustices with ongoing efforts to reclaim the culture and identity. He identifies himself as a citizen of the interconnected lands of Apya Yala and Turtle Island, which sheds light on their shared histories and ecological ties. Flore’s family was displaced by colonial hacienda systems which forced them into cycles of poverty as sharecroppers. This loss disrupted traditional ways of life and degraded ecosystems and knowledge systems. For Flores, the fight for Indigenous sovereignty is global. It requires restoring nationhood and addressing colonial systems that fractured communities and imposed false boundaries.
Nkwi Flores stresses that circularity is far from a new concept. It is deeply embedded in indigenous worldviews which include epistemology, axiology, ontology and agnotology. Axiology involves the rights to soil and water which emphasizes collective ecological responsibility. Agnotology refers to the loss of Indigenous knowledge due to ecosystem degradation. This causes Indigenous People to unknowingly contribute intellectual property to contemporary circular economies.