“The world, even the smallest parts of it, is filled with things you don't know.”
– Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

As Indigenous Peoples Day on October 14 officially set aside time this week to honor the rich history, culture, and contributions of Native peoples in the US and beyond, we stopped to consider the vast wealth of knowledge that lies within Indigenous communities across the globe. This is passed down through generations, through crafts and cooking, through the land, and through traditions. 

There is so much to learn if are willing to open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to the stories and the dreams and the memories of Native communities.

Understanding Native American History, Lifestyle, and Challenges: A Custom Program Proposal

In the spirit of learning through authentic connections and hands-on experiences, we’ve been working on a custom program idea for groups of students interested in taking a deep dive into both the complex history and modern-day realities of Native American communities in the US. 

We imagine a route through the American Southwest, starting in Albuquerque, NM. Students would embark on an immersive 13-hour journey that would take them to some of the most historically significant Puebloan sites along the way. Learning on the go, they would experience firsthand the ancestral lands—where Native peoples shaped their lives around nature and traditions—while witnessing how modern Puebloan communities continue to preserve their cultural practices today. 

Students would explore the Acoma Pueblo and Cultural Center, the Petroglyph National Monument, The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, The Bandolier National Monument, Puebloan ruins, Chaco Canyon, and many other key sites. They would taste traditional Native American food, hike in areas of cultural and spiritual significance, and participate in interactive activities like dance performances in Zuni. Students would learn about the native economic and ceremonial uses of the landscape and natural resources, Native resilience and survival in the face of invasion, challenges and promises faced by modern Native Puebloans, the reservation system and its impact on Native peoples, and cross-cultural interactions in our modern world.

Our vision is to deepen students’ understanding of Native American communities as well as the relationship between Indigenous peoples and their land. We invite students to engage not just with history, but with the ongoing story of Native resilience and the mission—despite centuries of challenges that continue to unfold—to preserve these unique cultures.

Indigenous Communities Around the World: Connecting Students with the Amaru Community in Peru

Much like Native American communities, Indigenous peoples worldwide share both a profound connection to the land and to their deeply ingrained cultural practices, many of which have survived centuries of challenges and changes.

We look to Peru for an example of how our students already respectfully engage with and learn from Indigenous peoples. 

Here, they meet with the Amaru community, just outside of Cusco—a community that holds precious knowledge of ancestral histories, indigenous languages, and skills for living off of the land. The Amaru community is known for its intricate and vibrant weaving practices, its commitment to sustainable living, and its dedication to keeping its ancestral traditions going strong. Students who have the beautiful opportunity to interact with this community learn how they weave traditional clothing, cook foods native to the area—like huatia potatoes, and even a few steps from their cultural dances. They also love tasting natural teas, listening to the rhythm and words of the Quechua language, honing their bargaining skills in the local artisanal market, and feeding the friendly local alpacas.

Some students take classes with us at our partner university Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. One course option available to them is “Indigenous Studies” where they learn about how Indigenous peoples are protected and defined under the law and how their place in Peruvian society differs or relates to those who are not of Indigenous descent. Students may also take a Quechua language class. 

Sharing Knowledge Across Cultures

Indigenous Peoples—over 300 million strong—are, as the United Nations points out, "holders of unique languages, knowledge systems, and beliefs.” Whether in the US, Peru, or beyond, they continue to navigate the challenges of preserving their cultural identities while interacting with today’s society and its many complexities.

Indigenous Peoples Day invites us to reflect—on the resilience of these communities, on our collective role in helping to preserve these cultures, and on the wisdom they hold the key to when it comes to many aspects of life, but especially on the importance of our relationship with the natural world and our use of its natural resources. Through hands-on, experiential learning, students develop a more sophisticated understanding of the significance of these cultures and their histories and will be better able to contribute to dialogues about cultural preservation as well as the relationships between people and land. 

If this is a topic you’d like to explore with your own students, reach out. We can work together to help inspire a future generation to value cultural preservation and the immeasurable contributions of our Indigenous communities, as well as develop a deeper appreciation for our relationship with the natural world and the importance of living sustainably.