Wisdom of the Elders, Inc
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc
A letter from the Executive Director – Teresa Montana
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
Notes from Wisdom’s Executive Director:
More updates coming soon… In the meantime, please read more of our Newsletters
Hello, to our Friends of Wisdom,
We hope you all have had a wonderful summer thus far, a few road trips, family gatherings, (or additions!), a dip in a wonderful lake, or trips to the beaches and forests.
First and foremost, we would like to express our immense gratitude for all of our partnerships within our broader community. Our teams always have so many experiences to share about the relationships we build together. We are all looking forward to continuing to grow these partnerships and creating more, as this is how we all can support the same visions and missions for a stronger community for the future.
Our team has been busy with ongoing and new projects. We are excited to share with you news about the creation of our new Apothecary for our ITEK (Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge) Program, designed to enhance the experience and initiate our Indigenous Seed Collection, which aims to propagate and renew plants and foods.
We are continuing conversations with a few places to help us create our own Wisdom Gardens for growing and teaching opportunities.
Seed Bank: Set up a smaller secondary off-site from the central location to establish and maintain a plant & seed bank that centers on climate resilience and Indigenous plants and trees in conjunction with an outreach program that allows the Indigenous community access to free seeds, plants, and other resources to grow their food and medicine
Plant Bank: To be set up at various locations to offer seeds, plants, and growing instructions at no charge to local communities that are easily accessible, including onsite or at community events
We are indeed grateful for our excellent ongoing partnerships, through which we are currently building new opportunities for our teams.