Published October 14, 2024
Today and every day we recognize and celebrate indigenous people as the first, best stewards of the land, here and across the nation. Lomakatsi is committed to supporting the many sovereign Tribal Nations, tribal organizations, and tribal communities we partner with, as we continue to work together to restore the land, water, wildlife habitat, and ecocultural systems.
This year we’re excited to offer new opportunities for tribal young adults through our Indian Youth Service Corps (IYSC) agreement with U.S. Forest Service Regions 5 & 6 to serve Oregon, California, and Washington, a national IYSC agreement with the National Park Service, and a national agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. These frameworks are allowing us to expand our Tribal Ecological Forestry Training Program model, serve at least eight tribal communities, support more jobs and natural resource career paths, and bolster ecosystem and community resilience across tribal ancestral lands, including public, private, and tribal trust lands.
“The Circle has healing power. In the Circle, we are all equal. When in the Circle, no one is in front of you. No one is behind you. No one is above you. No one is below you. The Sacred Circle is designed to create unity. The Hoop of Life is also a circle. On this hoop, there is a place for every species, every race, every tree, and every plant. It is this completeness of Life that must be respected in order to bring about health on this planet. To understand each other, as the ripples when a stone is tossed into the waters, the Circle starts small and grows…until it fills the whole lake.” – Dave Yakima Chief, Oglala Lakota
