Activities

These gatherings are a place to return—to land, to Indigenous teachings, and to being in community with one another in ways that are rooted, relational, and real. They center Indigenous food sovereignty, cultural memory, and the ongoing practice of caring for land in the ways our ancestors always have.
Led by community members and organizers with United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, this work honors Indigenous knowledge systems and land relationships that have existed since time immemorial—and that continue, despite every attempt to erase them.
The Forest Garden is growing with care—planted with camas, salmonberry, huckleberry, wild strawberry, nettle, cedar, and other Native plants. These are more than food or medicine; they are relatives, teachers, and ancestors. They are tended not just for harvest, but to support Indigenous-centered programs at UIATF, including elder meals, youth programming, cultural wellness, and more. This is one way we practice sovereignty—by feeding ourselves, our people, and our spirits in alignment with our values.
In a time when many of us are searching for where we belong and how to show up, this is a space to meet one another, build real relationships, and remember the power we already hold together.
We gather not just to work the land—but to connect, share stories, and remember that we are each other’s safety, each other’s strength, and each other’s solution.
Optional Reading & Creative Practice Path
(Offered for those who want to engage on their own timeline or join later—no pressure, no prerequisites.)
Alongside ongoing land work, we’re offering an optional book and film series in partnership with The Seattle Public Library Foundation. From February–March, we’ll loosely engage with:
M-Archive by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Hospicing Modernity by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira
Both books are available on Libby and Audible. Hard copies are also available to borrow.
These texts are used as companions, not requirements. All practices and conversations are designed to be accessible whether or not you’ve read the material.
Weekly Touchstones (Optional & Self-Paced)
WEEK 1 — Entering the Record (Feb 5–6)
Readings (Optional)
M-Archive: Archive of Dirt — What We Did
Hospicing Modernity: A Single Story of “Forward”
Land Practice
Walk the site without touching
Notice soil, slope, water, plants
Identify ivy, blackberry, laurel
Questions to Live With
What stories are already written here?
What happened before we arrived?
Who decided what “progress” looked like?
Creative Invitations (Choose Any)
Touch-drawing with soil or charcoal
Mapping: What We Did / What Was Done Here
Writing fragments beginning with “Before us…”
WEEK 2 — Entanglement (Feb 12–13)
Readings (Optional)
M-Archive: Dirt → Fire
Hospicing Modernity: The House of Modernity
Land Practice
Ivy cut-and-roll
Stack ivy for compost—nothing disappears
Questions to Live With
What was built to help but now causes harm?
When does protection become suffocation?
What systems promised safety?
Creative Invitations
Rope or string mapping of entanglement
Writing or drawing from the forest floor’s view
Diagrams of “houses” we were taught to trust
Shared Leadership
Someone demonstrates ivy technique
Someone names when enough is enough
Someone shares why ivy isn’t “thrown away”
WEEK 3 — Defense & Urgency (Feb 19–20)
Readings (Optional)
M-Archive: Archive of Fire — Rate of Change
Hospicing Modernity: Faster Than Thought
Land Practice
Blackberry cutting and root crown removal
Work slower than instinct
Questions to Live With
Who taught us to hurry?
What does urgency cost bodies and land?
When is speed useful—and when is it violence?
Creative Invitations
Timed writing with intentional pauses
Gesture marks with charcoal or ink
Breath-tracking during labor
Shared Leadership
Participants set the pace
Someone calls a collective pause
Someone reflects on urgency aloud
WEEK 4 — Light, Shade & Power (Feb 26–27)
Readings (Optional)
M-Archive: Fire → Archive of Sky — What We Became
Hospicing Modernity: Surrendering Arrogance
Land Practice
Laurel identification and management
Observe changes in light and moisture
Questions to Live With
Who gets access to light?
What thrives when dominance loosens?
Where do our assumptions fail?
Creative Invitations
Light and shadow mapping
Writing from an understory plant’s voice
Sky-based metaphors for becoming
Leadership Openings
Someone interprets a light shift
Someone chooses where not to intervene
WEEK 5 — Decay as Care (Mar 5–6)
Readings (Optional)
M-Archive: Dirt (Revisited)
Hospicing Modernity: Living and Dying Well
Land Practice
Build or turn compost piles
Layer with intention
Questions to Live With
How do we care for what is ending?
What deserves gentleness even in removal?
What does dignity look like in decay?
Creative Invitations
Letters to what is being composted
One-sentence writing (only what is necessary)
Journaling with temperature, smell, and time.

All ages OK

0 out of 50 participants registered.

What to Bring

Come dressed for the weather (rain or shine) in clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes (rubber boots, hiking shoes or boots), long sleeves, long pants, warm layers and rain jacket. We'll have tools and gloves for you to use, as well as a mid-morning snack. Help reduce waste by bringing your own water bottle!

Please bring the following:
Water bottle
Gloves
A Waterproof Layer
A good heart and mind
Work Shoes

Where to Meet

Please meet near the overlook in front of Daybreak Star Cultural Center, near the parking lot.

Meeting Location Map

Where to Park

Please park along the access road. Please leave parking areas for visitors and school attendees.