Long before the arrival of Europeans and the beginning of the Western conservation movement, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem was stewarded by Indigenous People who viewed its lands, waters and wildlife as sacred. The Indigenous way of caring for the land acknowledged its life-giving energy, was centered on reciprocity, and used Traditional Ecological Knowledge to keep the ecosystem in balance. Today, at least 49 Tribes – including the Apsáalooke/Crow, Cheyenne, Blackfeet, Shoshone, Bannock, Arapaho, Kiowa, and other Indigenous Peoples – are keepers of this knowledge and retain deep connections to this remarkable place.
Join the Greater Yellowstone Coalition for “Wind River Stories” on Thursday, November 17th. The gallery show and film screening event will be held at the Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture from 5–8pm.
Dive into impactful stories showcasing the social, economic, and cultural injustices against Indigenous People, including the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho of the nearby Wind River Indian Reservation, a key landscape within Greater Yellowstone. As the event opens, you’ll enjoy food and drink while mingling among breathtaking fine arts portraits and accompanying stories created by artists Carlos Alejandro and Hannah Habermann during the recent Inter-Tribal Gathering on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Later, attendees will watch the powerful 50-minute film, Tribal Waters, created by Teton Gravity Research and funded by Patagonia. The film shines a light on the Shoshone people who have lived on the eastern slope of Wyoming’s Wind River Range for more than 10,000 years. The Wind River, which flows through their homeland, has deep meaning for them and the Northern Arapaho, the tribe they now share this land with. The water is crucial to their way of life, history, and customs. After hundreds of years of witnessing their waters, lands, and culture come under constant attack, there is hope that an outdoor-based, sustainable recreational economy could flourish here. After the film, hear from key staff and stakeholders about GYC’s work to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife on the Wind River Indian Reservation and help elevate Native voices into the Western conservation movement.
GYC knows we must acknowledge and confront the past in order to help build a brighter and more inclusive future for all people who call this region home. Recognizing and reinstituting Indigenous values, beliefs, and practices is a vital step in restoring the cultural and ecological integrity of the region now, and for future generations.
Please join to support this local nonprofit whose work and commitment is helping restore Indigenous conservation priorities that honor cultural landscapes, Tribal rights, and Tribal ways of life. Advance tickets are $15 and available for purchase at www.greateryellowstone.org. •
