Native Culture

Capitol Christmas Tree, Choose Outdoors, Commentary, Essays, Joy To America, National Forests, Native Culture, Podcast, Public Land, U.S. Forest Service / 04.12.2023

Immediately following my return from Washington D.C. - I mean on the flight home – I was inundated with kind words of support and condolences for the demise of my Christmas Tree. Due to excessively high winds early in last week of November 2023, it is indeed true that the beautifully decorated holiday tree provided to the White House by the National Park Service sadly fell over. News reports in photographs showed the tree lying on its side. But as I graciously replied to each of these thoughtful...

Capitol Christmas Tree, Choose Outdoors, Environmental Protection, National Forests, Native Culture, Public Land, U.S. Forest Service / 14.11.2022

After eight years of following the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree I often forget that not everyone has heard about it. Though the People’s Tree is harvested from a different national forest every year, the primary tenants of the story remain the same. Our goal is to educate a broad general audience on the amazing work performed by the USDA Forest Service to protect and preserve the precious natural resources of tall trees across America. Organized by the nonprofit Choose Outdoors, we put together a coalition of support among...

Alaska, Diversity, Film Review, Native Culture, Natives Outdoors, The Arctic / 27.02.2019

In 2017 the Trump administration opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. The development of this fragile ecosystem for energy extraction puts at risk the culture and livelihood of a community that has called the Alaskan wilderness home for millennia. The Gwitch’in People, who rely upon the unimpeded migration of the porcupine caribou herd, will likely witness not only the destruction of the habitat from which they derive a critical source of food, but also the natural environment that defines their ancestral heritage. Much like efforts...

Adventure Media Review, Environmental Journalism, Native Culture / 11.09.2014

In this short film from the Wisconsin Media Lab we get a wonderful view into the ancient tradition of wild rice harvesting in the Sokaogon Chippewa Community of Mole Lake. As part of the Ways series on Great Lakes native culture and language producer Finn Ryan shares the story of Fred Ackley who at 64 carries on the practice of ricing to preserve his heritage along with a holistic relationship with the natural world. Manoomin: Food that grows on the water  is a poignant essay that illustrates the importance of honoring...