Indigenous Peoples are Living Treasures

Supporting indigenous people and sharing their wisdom and knowledge has been my passion since my first trip to Nepal. When I was at a crossroads in my life, I traveled to Nepal to source stones for a jewelry collection I was designing to honor indigenous peoples. While waiting for Tibetan nomads to arrive in Kathmandu from Tibet, I explored a national park. Upon arrival, I was encouraged to go on an elephant ride in the tropical jungle of Chitwan in Southern Nepal. The indigenous Tharu man, who led the elephant (by sitting on his neck and using his feet to direct the animal), enthusiastically shared his indigenous knowledge of the plants and animals with me while we chased rhinos in the bush and crossed a flowing river. He awakened me to the beauty of his culture, his ancestral land, and the suffering of his people. The Tharu stories opened my consciousness to realize that indigenous cultures are living treasures because they hold important knowledge for all of humanity about how to live in harmony with nature and each other.

As my heart opened, I was inspired to help his community preserve their threatened culture.  I founded the Tribal Trust Foundation as a way for me to give back to indigenous peoples in gratitude for opening my consciousness to a new awareness, appreciation, and healing.  Gradually, as I began to understand how I could make a difference in the world, I established the Tribal Trust Foundation as a non profit organization. Our mission is "Supporting the preservation of indigenous cultures and wisdom through philanthropy and education to promote living in harmony with nature and each other." Through generous support from our donors and private foundations, we provide selected grants to indigenous cultures worldwide and continue to make a significant impact.