Sacred Water & Land Program | Society of Native Nations

Sacred Water and Land: Youth Education and Empowerment

Native educators and youth organizers guide the design and implementation of experiential learning programs that strengthen cultural identity and intergenerational knowledge. Elders and youth work together in council to preserve culture, protect sacred sites, and revitalize Indigenous languages through stories and songs, laying the foundation for long-term intergenerational programming.

Through this program, youth connect with sacred sites in the ways our ancestors taught—by offering ourselves in respect, acknowledging the spirits of the land, and receiving teachings from elders and knowledge keepers. Youth learn original instructions for caring for all creation, document their family histories, and cultivate critical consciousness to deconstruct problems and offer culturally rooted solutions. These experiences inspire family tree conversations at home while reinforcing our responsibilities to all life.

The program also includes our annual youth summer camp, where young people explore cultural diversity, traditional teachings, and the deep truth that we are not separate from our environment but part of the same circle of life. Immersive activities, storytelling, and guided practices help youth build meaningful connections to land and water, foster resilience, and nurture intergenerational relationships rooted in respect, reciprocity, and responsibility.

The youth will learn original instructions on how we are to care for all creation and document their family histories. They will be mentored in a space where they can cultivate critical consciousness that enables them to deconstruct problems and offer culturally-rooted solutions. This will stimulate family tree conversations at home and also remind them of our responsibility to all life in their own terms. We aim to build long-lasting intergenerational relationships of mutual benefit for the youth and adults.

Short term Goals:
Create safe, supportive spaces where youth can learn from elders, knowledge keepers, and educators.

Facilitate hands-on experiences at sacred sites that strengthen cultural identity and connection to land and water.

Launch the annual youth summer camp, integrating cultural teachings, environmental education, and intergenerational storytelling.

Support youth in documenting family histories and oral traditions to strengthen intergenerational ties.

Develop peer-led evaluations to measure impact and guide program growth.
Long term Goals:
Establish ongoing intergenerational programming that preserves Indigenous languages, songs, and cultural practices.

Cultivate a generation of youth leaders with strong cultural grounding and critical consciousness to address community challenges.

Strengthen community-wide awareness that caring for land, water, and all creation is central to cultural survival and environmental justice.

Build a sustainable model that expands the program to more Indigenous youth and communities.

Create a lasting archive of oral histories, teachings, and youth reflections to serve future generations.