Wisdom of the Elders, Inc
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc
A letter from the Executive Director – Teresa Montana
Support Wisdom of the Elders with Native Plants!
Order from over 115 species of habitat-friendly native plants and support Wisdom of the Elders’ mission! Preorders open March 2, with a pick-up in SE Portland on May 2-3.
Support Wisdom of the Elders with Native Plants!
Order from over 115 species of habitat-friendly native plants and support Wisdom of the Elders’ mission! Preorders open March 2, with a pick-up in SE Portland on May 2-3.
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
Rooted in Wisdom: A Season of Connection & Renewal
Greetings friends and supporters of Wisdom of the Elders! As Winter has come to an end we are ready to Spring into action. We are so happy to announce a few exciting updates and opportunities to connect. Wisdom Workforce Development First of all, we are excited to...
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.
Missing and murdered Indigenous Relatives Event
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) crisis has deeply affected Native communities across the United States, with a particularly profound impact on tribes in the Pacific Northwest. Tribes such as the Lummi, Yakama, Tulalip, and Warm Springs have...
Rooted in Wisdom: A Season of Connection & Renewal
Greetings friends and supporters of Wisdom of the Elders! As Winter has come to an end we are ready to Spring into action. We are so happy to announce a few exciting updates and opportunities to connect. Wisdom Workforce Development First of all, we are excited to...
Celebrating Karrie Young: A Journey of Music, Community, and Healing
At Wisdom of the Elders, we are honored to highlight the incredible work of our staff, and today, we celebrate the artistry and dedication of Karrie Young. A recent video production showcases Karrie’s remarkable talent as a Native Flute Player, offering a glimpse into...
Now Accepting Applications: Spring 2025 ITEK Internship
Are you passionate about environmental restoration and Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK)? Do you want to gain hands-on experience while making a meaningful impact in your community? Wisdom of the Elders is excited to announce that we are now accepting...
Spring Native Plant Sale with Wisdom of the Elders & Sparrowhawk Native Plants!
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. is partnering with Sparrowhawk Native Plants to bring a special spring native plant sale to our community! With over 115 species of habitat-friendly native plants available, this is your chance to enhance your garden while supporting our...
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...
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:
April updates coming soon… In the mean time please read the March Newsletter
Hello to our supporters, community, and partners,
We hope you had a wonderful holiday season with your loved ones!
First and foremost, we would like to express our heartfelt Thanks to all who generously contributed to our Year-End Fund Raiser via GiveGuide!
Thank you to our first-time donors and longstanding partners for supporting our impactful work for our communities and the land we share. Your support is always significant in helping us pursue our mission. We could not do as much as we do without you!
As we prepare for a new season and the year ahead, we know our work is for all of us, not only for today but also for our children and future generations. Though this past year was challenging, we are stronger, more determined, and prepared to continue our mission.
We are building our programs to be even more impactful and are committed to helping create healthy land and natural spaces for our community.
We endeavor to instill this commitment and knowledge in our internship participants by offering classroom and hands-on field training.
As for our Multimedia program, we continue working on the Indigenous Archive Initiative. Which involves the digitization of 100K plus hours of analog recordings. We have partnered with BAVC (Bay Area Video Coalition) for our archival digitization. We will continue to work with Open Signal Community Media Center to facilitate our Multimedia Internship program.
We are also working towards implementing our new Indigenous Storytellers Apprenticeship and Culture Keepers Program events.
The primary mission of our Media Program is to continue recording and documenting the voices of our Indigenous elders, community educators, and tribes, helping them preserve their treasured knowledge. Please contact us if you know anyone in your family who may have contributed to the archives thus far. We are working to build and renew relationships with those who have already contributed to the archives that we are preserving for future generations.
Currently, Wisdom is partnering with OMSI to create the new Center for Tribal Nations on the Water Front. Part of the plan is to have an auditorium, classrooms, and, tentatively, a Multimedia Studio for production and presentation purposes, where Indigenous people can also utilize Wisdoms Professional Media services.
Thank you for staying in touch. Please get in touch with us if you or anyone you know would like to join our ITEK or MultiMedia Internships, which are offered in the Spring and Fall.
Wishing you all a joy-filled and prosperous year ahead,
With gratitude,