Within Bhutan, a small Kingdom in the Himalayas, hidden away in the deep forest and high mountains, live the Monpa, the indigenous people considered the country’s first inhabitants. The Monpa asked the Tribal Trust Foundation (TTF) to help them preserve their ancient culture, which is based on living in harmony with nature and each other. In 2014, we were the … Read More
Partnering with Chief Ju/’hoansi San of the Kalahari Desert
Upon the request of the San people and several NGO, and on behalf of the Tribal Trust Foundation, Barbara Savage traveled to Botswana and Namibia. She interviewed game wardens, lawyers and activists to understand the immediate crisis. Through the power of traditional trance dancing, chief G/a’qo Kaeqce, understood the President of Namibia was intent on genocide of his people. A … Read More
Indigenous Peoples Day
After years of work, we are honored to share that TTF collaborated with local allies in proposing that the City Council of Santa Barbara and the Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara County adopt a resolution acknowledging the first Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, replacing Columbus Day. Today, a Declaration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day by the Mayor of … Read More
Awake: A Dream from Standing Rock
WATCH the film: https://awakeadreamfromstandingrock1.vhx.tv/ Awake tells the story of of how, in 2016, tens of thousands of activists travelled from all over to stand in solidarity with the water protectors (activists) protesting the construction of the 3.7 billion dollar Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), which is purposed to transport fracked oil from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields through sovereign land, under … Read More
Supporting and Documenting the Mbuti of Epulu, Congo
For thousands of years, the Mbuti Pygmies lived sustainably as hunter-gatherers in the world’s second largest rainforest, in what is presently the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Through their ability to change and adapt within their forest habitat, they survived the Congo’s devasting history of war, disease and resource exploitation. But now, as globalization and the demands of contemporary economics, … Read More