Damon Gerard Corrie is a Lokono-Arawak faithkeeper of the Eagle Clan, carrying forward an unbroken lineage of responsibility, cultural stewardship, and advocacy rooted in ancestral law and inherited duty.

 

As a descendant of the last ruling Hereditary Chief of the Eagle Clan Lokono-Arawaks of Guyana, Damon holds a unique place within the living Diaspora. Among the descendants exiled across the Caribbean and beyond, he was the only heir to marry back into the tribe and have his children born once again on ancestral lands. In doing so, he fulfilled the final wish spoken by the old Chief to his only surviving child, Marian, before her exile to Barbados in 1925. This act marked not only a return, but a restoration of continuity, authority, and responsibility within the Clan.

 

For more than three decades, Damon has dedicated his life to the defense of Indigenous rights, often working in spaces where others could not safely speak. His advocacy has required personal sacrifice, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to justice, particularly for Indigenous peoples facing political suppression, displacement, and violence. His willingness to stand publicly has, at times, made his world smaller, bringing professional, political, and personal consequences, including attempts to discredit his work and silence his voice. Despite this, he has remained steadfast in his role as a spokesperson for those whose circumstances make visibility dangerous.

 

From 2000 to 2016, Damon served as one of three key members of the Caribbean Caucus within the Indigenous Working Group of the Organization of American States (OAS), alongside Taíno Chief Roberto Mukaro Borrero and the Kalinago Chief of Dominica Irvince Auguiste. This work culminated in the adoption of the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on June 15, 2016, after nearly thirty years of advocacy and negotiation. The Declaration affirms Indigenous peoples’ rights to self-determination, culture, education, health, land, and governance across the Americas, and remains one of the most significant regional human rights instruments for Indigenous communities.

 

In 2017, Damon was appointed Ambassador-at-Large for the Yazidi people of Northern Iraq, supporting a community recovering from genocide and ongoing persecution. Later that year, he was named Interim Commander of the Yazidi Army in a ceremonial capacity, allowing him to engage diplomatically with foreign governments on behalf of Yazidi self-defense efforts. These roles reflect a broader commitment to standing with marginalized and threatened peoples beyond his own community, guided by principles of solidarity, protection, and human dignity.

 

Throughout his life, Damon Gerard Corrie has embodied continuity rather than spectacle, responsibility rather than power. His work is rooted in lineage, faithkeeping, and the belief that Indigenous knowledge systems carry obligations not only to the past, but to future generations.

 

Further reflections, analysis, and personal writings by Damon can be found in our blog, where he shares insights drawn from lived experience, research, and decades of advocacy.