Land Peace Foundation

THE LAND PEACE FOUNDATION (LPF) IS DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF THE INDIGENOUS WAY OF LIFE, WHICH INCLUDES: THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF INDIGENOUS LAND, WATER, RELIGIOUS AND/OR SPIRITUAL RIGHTS; PROLIFERATION OF CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL PRACTICES; STRENGTHENING OF KINSHIP ROLES AND THE PRESERVATION OF CEREMONIAL WAYS OF BEING. THE LPF PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL AND SPIRITUAL PROGRAMS AND IS COMMITTED TO BE AN OBJECTIVE RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES AND CONCERNS REGARDING INDIGENOUS WAYS OF KNOWING AND BEING. OUR PROGRAMS SERVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND THE GENERAL POPULATION,

IN 2020, THE LAND PEACE FOUNDATION (LPF) PURCHASED A 213 ACRE FARM IN MONROE, MAINE. WE ARE HOLDING LAND-BASED PROGRAMS AND CULTURAL EVENTS ON THE LAND, AS WELL AS HOUSING OUR OFFICES. WE ARE CURRENTLY ESTABLISHING A FARMING PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES VARIOUS FRUITS, BERRIES AND VEGETABLES ALONG WITH TRADITIONAL CEREMONIAL PLANTS, SUCH AS TOBACCO AN SAGE. A KEY COMPONENT OF OUR OVERALL WELLBEING AS WABANAKI PEOPLES IS ACCESS TO OUR CEREMONIAL WAYS OF KNOWING AND BEING. THEREFORE, CREATING SPACE FOR CEREMONIAL CONNECTION WAS A CRITICAL PART OF OUR PLANNING WHEN PURCHASING THE LAND. WE ARE HOSTING 4 TO 5 CEREMONIES PER YEAR ON THE LAND. WE ARE ALSO FACILITATING GATHERINGS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO FOSTER GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION BETWEEN OUR PEOPLES AND OUR NON-INDIGENOUS NEIGHBORS AND ALLIES.

THE WABANAKI LEASERSHIP INSTITUTE (WLI) IS A TWO-YEAR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES INTERGENERATIONAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR MEMBERS OF THE WABANAKI NATIONS. THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY GOALS OF THE PROGRAM. THE FIRST IS TO CREATE WELL-TRAINED, COMPETENT AND CULTURALLY GROUNDED LEADERHIP FOR THE WABANAKI NATIONS. THE SECOND IS TO ESTABLISH A NETWORK OF LEADERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCED AT WORKING COOPERATIVELY TO ADVANCE THE INTERESTS OF ALL WABANAKI PEOPLES. TO MEET THESE GOALS, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A TWO-PART PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES A YEAR OF INTENSIVE LEARNING, FOLLOWED BY A YEAR OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE. THE WLI PROVIDES EXISTING AND EMERGING WABANAKI LEADERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO PROVIDE COMPETENT SERVICE TO THEIR PEOPLES AND NATIONS. WHETHER THEY ARE SPIRITUAL LEADERS, GOVERNMENT LEADERS, POLICY MAKERS, ACADEMICS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, ARTISTS, OR PUBLIC MEDIA MAKERS, THE WLI PROVIDES LEADERS WITH VALUABLE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND POTENTIAL OF OUR FELLOWS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 9 FELLOWS ENROLLED IN THE WLI PROGRAM.

OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE CONDUCTED BOTH LIVE AND ONLINE. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A ROBUST ONLINE TRAINING PRESENCE OVER THE YEARS. OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS INCLUDE TOPICS SUCH AS DECOLONIZATION, ANTI-RACISM, ENVIRONMENTALISM AND TRAUMA-INFORMED ENGAGEMENT. WE CONDUCTED 4 PUBLIC TRAINING EVENTS ONLINE IN 2022 THAT REACHED THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS.