We are so grateful to everyone who supported our recent TTF fundraising event at Spirit Pine Sanctuary in the stunning Santa Ynez Valley–a group which included philanthropists, environmental activists, and ceremonial leaders. Spirit Pine Sanctuary is a working model of sustainable off-the-grid living, located on a 160-acre agricultural preserve adjacent to the Los Padres National Forest. It was the perfect place to gather on a sunny day for a delicious organic meal and meaningful conversation!
TTF Retreat, by Wyatt Turna
TTF Retreat, by Wyatt Turna
On our pre-luncheon morning hike to see the “super bloom” of wildflowers blanketing Grass Mountain, we visited a large serpentine boulder that had been carved by the local Chumash hundreds of years ago. Here, we honored the presence of Chumash ancestor spirits who originally stewarded this land. A Chumash elder named Tetoucho discussed reasons why the boulder had been carved with many small round indentations and explained that the holes were carved to hold acorns, as an offering to woodpeckers. He emphasized ceremonies can be simple, and this simple offering is an act of generosity, respect, and way to honor our relationship with the natural world.
Chumash serpentine boulder
Our group enjoying a hike
Wildflowers at Spirit Pine Sanctuary
Next month the Tribal Trust will return to the Peruvian Amazon to observe and evaluate the cultural preservation projects we have been supporting with our Shipibo-Konibo community partner Bari Wesna–an internationally recognized organization representing the worldview of Amazonian Indigenous people, while strengthening local development processes based on the empowerment of Indigenous women and communities, as well as forest conservation. Because of our intimate and trusted relationships with our Indigenous partners around the world, we are able to see through their eyes a world of symbiotic coexistence–understanding more deeply how we are all connected. With the help of the extraordinary photographers Roberta Marroquín and David Díaz Gonzales, we look forward to capturing images that communicate another way of being and seeing in the world.
Shipibo fisherman by Roberta Marroquín
Shipibo men by David Díaz Gonzales
PLEASE SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE
TRIBAL TRUST FOUNDATION
Every donation of any amount makes a difference to the Indigenous peoples we serve. For those of you who have a donor-advised fund (DAF), please consider following the example of our donors. They joined the #HalfMyDAF movement which makes their donation to TTF eligible for a matching grant of up to $50,000! Learn more by clicking here.
With gratitude for your continued support,
Barbara
Barbara Savage
Founder & Executive Director
Tribal Trust Foundation
The Tribal Trust Foundation is located in the unceded homelands of the Chumash People and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. By recognizing these communities, we attempt to honor their legacies, their lives, and descendants. To learn more about the Indigenous People’s land on which your home or work sits, visit: native-land.ca
