Wisdom of the Elders, Inc
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc
A letter from the Executive Director – Teresa Montana
The 2024 Willamette Week's Give!Guide is Live!
We’re thrilled to announce that Willamette Week’s 2024 Give!Guide is officially in full swing, and we are beyond grateful to be a part of this fantastic community-driven initiative. The Give!Guide is an amazing opportunity to support our mission, and every donation counts—no matter the size.
The 2024 Willamette Week's Give!Guide is Live!
We’re thrilled to announce that Willamette Week’s 2024 Give!Guide is officially in full swing, and we are beyond grateful to be a part of this fantastic community-driven initiative. The Give!Guide is an amazing opportunity to support our mission, and every donation counts—no matter the size.
Indigenous Archive Initiative
Indigenous Archive Initiative
Our Mission
Wisdom records, preserves, and shares oral history, cultural arts, language concepts, and traditional ecological knowledge of exemplary Native American elders, storytellers, and scientists in collaboration with diverse institutions, agencies, and organizations. Our vision: Native American cultural sustainability, multimedia education, and cultural reconciliation.
Wisdom Newsletter
Embracing the Season’s Rebirth with Wisdom of the Elders
Hello, and a happy Spring to all of you. We hope this finds you all well, and thank you for checking in with Wisdom! We want to say thank you to our staff, who are all amazing. Wisdom appreciates your dedication and perseverance to our mission and projects as we...
Native Wisdom Documentary Film Update
Wisdom’s multimedia team is continuing its work on an educational film shared with the forestry service, and also filming a program that features a variety of Grandmothers stories.
Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge: An Internship program
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. is pleased to announce the (ITEK Program) Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This program is designed for interns and focuses on traditional ecological knowledge passed down from generations.
Wisdom Projects, Community Action, & Events
Read more about what Wisdom of the Elders is doing in the community.
Charting New Horizons: Wisdom of the Elders Multimedia Interns Illuminate Community
In late March, a fresh wave of interns swept into Open Signal, eager to dive into the world of multimedia production. With classes in Studio Production, Cinematography, and hands-on camera training, they eagerly got their hands on the equipment and started to produce...
Sharing Big News & Thank You: Highlights from the Indigenous Marketplace Newsletter
Posted on April 30, 2024 We are still buzzing with excitement from last Saturday's Indigenous gala—the FIRST-ever big fundraiser event for the Indigenous marketplace organization—and what a resounding success it was! A heartfelt THANK YOU to every one of you who...
Save the Redwoods League, the Yurok Tribe, and Park Partners Sign Historic Agreement to Return Tribal Land
Orick, CA (March 19, 2024) — Today the Yurok Tribe, Save the Redwoods League, National Park Service and California State Parks signed a landmark memorandum of understanding, a historic first step toward transferring ‘O Rew, a 125-acre ecologically and culturally...
December’s Symphony of Impactful Initiatives, Glowing Recognitions, and Thoughtful Gifts
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. Wins REI Cooperative Action Fund Award Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. is thrilled to announce that it has been honored with an award from the generous REI Cooperative Action Fund. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to preserving...
Harvesting Wisdom: Celebrating 2023 Indigenous Peoples’ Day and the Fall Season
Warm Greetings Friends of Wisdom, As we embrace the vibrant colors of autumn and the changing of seasons in our Fall 2023 newsletter, we also pause to reflect on the significance of Indigenous Peoples' Day. This day serves as a reminder of our commitment to honoring...
Celebrating Indigenous Excellence: The 2023 Ecotrust Indigenous Leadership Awards
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. is thrilled to celebrate the 2023 Indigenous Leadership Awards, a celebration of outstanding Indigenous leaders who have dedicated themselves to the empowerment of their communities and the preservation of their ancestral lands. This year,...
Made possible with support from these generous Partners, Funders, and sponsors
Made possible with support from these generous Partners, Funders, and sponsors
Notes from Wisdom’s Executive Director
Hello and Fall Greetings,
On behalf of our staff and Board, thank you for visiting our site and engaging with us here at Wisdom.
As you may know, Wisdom recently experienced a brief suspension of programs. We’re now excited to continue our important work with our communities and partners, supported by the wonderful encouragement and offers we’ve received to strengthen our programs and services. We’re truly grateful for the warm thoughts from so many of you!
At present, we’re focused on our Archives Project. Some of the archival footage has already been digitized, and we’re working toward digitizing it all. The recordings—captured on 8mm film, reel-to-reel, VHS, and cassettes—hold invaluable memories. Our primary goal is to return these recordings to the families and tribes from which they came, fulfilling a mission and promise.
To accomplish this, we’ll be reaching out to communities to help identify some of the elders and others featured in the recordings. With permission from the families and tribes, we hope to share some of these stories and histories more broadly. We welcome any of you who would like to assist in fulfilling this mission—please don’t hesitate to contact us.
We’re also working to expand our Archives, conduct more interviews, and reengage with our Storytelling Events.
Additionally, we’d like to thank you for supporting our Wisdom LLC Crew as we continue our essential work in Restoration and Conservation. There’s always more we can do to increase the livability and enjoyment of the beautiful lands we share. As we look to expand our teams and enhance our services, we invite you to consider joining our ITEK and Multimedia internship programs, held twice a year. If you or anyone you know might be interested, please reach out!
With gratitude,