Photo courstesy of Bari Wesna As we close out 2025, I’m reaching out with gratitude — and a simple request. We asked for your support recently, to raise $110,000 and inspired donors have already given $95,000! Today, a $20,000 matching grant means that if you MAKE A DONATION TODAY, the value of your donation will be doubled! CONTINUING GLOBAL IMPACT … Read More
Gratitude for Nearly 30 Years of Work Together
On behalf of myself and the Tribal Trust Foundation Board of Directors, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation for you, our collaborators, donors, partners, and friends. Thank you for caring about Indigenous-led programming to preserve and uplift ancient wisdom ways to meet the challenges of our time. Thank you for believing in a worldview anchored in reciprocity, collaboration, and … Read More
Traveling to Bhutan for Documentary Film and Friendship
In 2006, the Tribal Trust Foundation answered a call from the Monpa people of Bhutan to document their ancient culture, one of the last Indigenous communities in the Himalayas still living in close harmony with the natural world. Upon their request, while the government had begun plans for a genocide of these peace-loving people, we began filming in order to … Read More
Monpa Elders Prioritizing Indigenous Language Preservation
UNESCO International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032 recognizes, “Languages are one of the most significant emblems of human diversity, revealing how we can perceive, relate to, and understand the world differently. Languages are vehicles of our cultures, collective memory, and values. They are an essential component of our identities.” The Monpas are translating their oral language into Dzongkha and English … Read More
Love Is a Verb 🌀
“Teach us love, compassion, and honor that we may heal the Earth and heal each other.” This quote is often attributed to the Native American Indigenous Ojibwa people and it feels fitting to share it in this month of February. It is also a time in history in which our one planet Earth, and all who live here, are hurting and … Read More
Adventure Philanthropy 💫
Do you ever experience wanderlust? Traveling with the Tribal Trust Foundation (TTF) offers a unique opportunity to expand one’s consciousness and consider another way of being in the world while helping an Indigenous culture. For over ten years, the TTF has invited adventurous donors to join us exploring bio-diverse landscapes while meeting the … Read More
Monpa healer seeks replacement
Monpa healer seeks replacement May 18th, 2024 Post Views: 478 Yangyel Lhaden When you enter Langthel Gewog in Trongsa, any random person you ask knows Ap Tawla. He is a big name in the gewog as a local healer but a fading one as the last indigenous healer from the Monpa community. The three villages of Langthel Gewog—Phumzur, Wangling, and Jangbi—are … Read More
Monpas grapple with modernisation while safeguarding cultural legacy
Monpas grapple with modernisation while safeguarding cultural legacy May 15th, 2024 Post Views: 554 Yangyel Lhaden The Monpa community in Trongsa, once stewards of age-old customs, finds itself at a pivotal juncture as they welcome modernisation. They are grappling with acknowledging the benefits of modern amenities while safeguarding their cultural legacy, striking a nuanced equilibrium between tradition and advancement. The three … Read More
Earth Honoring Tradition & Wisdom
Monpa Festival, Bhutan What Earth honoring tradition and wisdom, that has been passed on to you, will you share with future generations? Indigenous mothers and matriarchs have the most responsibility in carrying and passing on ancient traditional knowledge to their youth. This transfer of knowledge ensures future generations can live sustainably and … Read More
A Special Announcement From The Himalayas
Traditional Bhutanese Artwork 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. In 2014, the Monpa asked the Tribal Trust to help them preserve their culture. We responded by funding their grassroots cultural … Read More
Celebrating the Monpa People of Bhutan
Image: Pamos Nguntimo by Karma Jamtsho We’re happy to announce the Tribal Trust Foundation (TTF) has successfully funded a grassroots cultural revitalization and research initiative for the Monpa, a tribe of Indigenous hunter gatherers who live in the Black Forest, a remote area in Central Bhutan. The Monpa community is rich in culture and they recognize “it is on the verge of disappearing”. This funding will empower the … Read More
Giving Back To Mother Earth
The Tribal Trust Foundation (TTF) was founded in 1998. For twenty-five years we have been identifying sustainable grass roots cultural preservation projects to support Indigenous people around the world. The TTF partners with local organizations and businesses whose experience and existing relationships with specific tribes can sustain joint initiatives over the long-term … Read More
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