BLACKFEET ECO KNOWLEDGE
Oki, Nikso'kowaiks
At Blackfeet Eco Knowledge (BEK), our mission is to honor and uphold the teachings of the Niitsitapi Elders by protecting and restoring the sacred relationships between land, water, and all forms of life—both seen and unseen. Guided by the Creator’s love, Kittsakokomiim, we recognize that every element of the natural world carries the essence of life and renewal.
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We are committed to revitalizing Nitsitapii (the Real People) ways of knowing and being, which are increasingly recognized as vital to climate resilience. Through ceremony, song, stewardship, and cultural practices, we work to restore balance to the land and its inhabitants.
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BEK leads efforts to heal from historical trauma by reconnecting our people with traditional knowledge, language, and culture. We create pathways for community access to land-based practices that safeguard the future for the Blackfoot Confederacy and the world.
Mission Statement
Blackfeet ECO Knowledge's mission is to revive, preserve, and promote Indigenous traditional knowledge systems. We focus on the reciprocal relationships between bio-cultural diversity, where people and the environment work together for environmental sustainability for future generations. The goals are to ensure cultural perpetuity, pass on knowledge to future generations, and protect the environment in ways aligned with our cultural principles. We seek to share this knowledge with the world to develop a better understanding of the importance of balanced and respectful human-environment interactions.
Vision Statement
The goal of all projects undertaken by the organization is to reverse the effects of historical trauma that have impacted not just the people, but also our culture, language, and environment. The four identified pathways include reconnecting people to their way of life, revitalizing the language, promoting culture, and re-establishing bio-cultural diversity to preserve the impact on land, animals, and ecosystems. The projects aim to end generational cycles and restore the Nitsitapii people's sense of identity and pride in their language, culture, and place.
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Our Team
The team at Blackfeet ECO Knowledge is comprised of elders, cultural practitioners, and local community members with diverse positions within the Blackfeet Tribe, including business owners, foresters, educators, and environmentalists. The team also includes experts in architecture, history, preservation, and justice. All projects are developed by the team, and they monitor short and long-term goals to ensure successful completion. The team is united in their commitment to reconnect Blackfeet traditional knowledge systems to the people, culture, language, and environment of the Nitsitapii people.
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