Gathering Bear Grass on Wailaki ancestral land in Six Rivers National Forest. Many important cultural plants like Bear Grass are thriving in the aftermath of the August complex fire.

Press release from Native Health in Native Hands:

When: Sunday, December 17 from 12pm-4pm

Where: Mateel Community Center in Redway, Southern Humboldt What: Speakers, Round Valley Feather Dancers, Dinner for All Cost: Free

The (na-nu-la) thank you celebration, is a recognition of achievement, a time to reflect on accomplishments, a time to come together at the end of the year and celebrate, a time to pat each other on the back and say thank you for doing what you do.

2023 has been a groundbreaking year for Native Health in Native Hands, thanks to the support of our whole community, Native and non-Native working together. Strong collaborations created opportunities to train and equip a Wailaki cultural fire crew, lead a community movement for cultural burning with the N-Shong Konk’ Good Fire event series, and bring the first Wailaki cultural fire in 150 years back to Southern Humboldt. In partnership with State Parks and tribes across the region, NHNH is reviving Kinest’e traditional redwood canoe carving (ku-nus), coordinating work this year on three dugout canoes. NHNH brought Native Musicians and Scholars Lyla June and Desiree Harp to speak about Food Sovereignty and Native land management, sponsored ancient skills workshops, and raised urgent concerns about Wailaki Sacred and Cultural site protection along the planned route of the Great Redwood Trail. We are grateful for the abundant support shown by the whole community, who have given endless time and resources every step of the way.

We invite you to come out on the 17th of December and join us for some amazing stories, dancing, food, and inspiration for the coming year.

www.nativehealthinnativehands.org

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Native Health in Native Hands (NHNH) is a native led, native run 501c3 non-profit organization, created by Kinest’e people. NHNH promotes culturally responsive pathways for intergenerational wellness – reconnecting our youth and community to our roles and responsibilities to Mother Earth, all our relations and one another. We emphasize traditional cultural values and practices of the Kinest’e people.

The Kinest’e, now called Wailaki, are a Tribe whose ancestral homelands are in Northern Mendocino, Southern Humboldt, and Southwestern Trinity counties. NHNH has been building collaborations with state and federal organizations along with local landowners to strengthen working relations and stewardship programs on Kinest’e ancestral homelands.