Culture Strategy
Use Indian land to help Indian people rediscover and preserve their culture.

Rationale
Revitalizing cultural and historical values related to Indian land strengthens Indian individuals and tribes. Among many American Indian groups, land is the basis of spiritual practices, beliefs, or worship. The land can be a keeper of memories, a portal to the spirit world, or a place to go for guidance and strength. Furthermore, the land supports activities central to the culture of tribes such as hunting, fishing, gathering, and farming. The current system of inheritance of Indian land requires approval and support of cultural leaders and elders for widespread acceptance. The Indian land tenure community must initiate, develop, and implement a new tribalism to reverse the current course of fractionation, loss of trust status lands, and diminishment of the reservation land base.

Objectives

• Restore historical boundaries of Indian reservations and other Indian communities
• Discover cultural wealth found in Indian Country and among Indian communities
• Preserve status of off-reservation trust land for historical and cultural purposes

Possible future activities
Develop resource centers for tribal histories; aid in protecting land areas significant to tribes; protect native plants; present cultural land practices to youth, tribal leaders, and elders; and actively encourage and help tribes institute land and heritage preservation strategies.

Please note: This information is to inform the general public about the objectives and possible future activities of ILTF. ILTF will not automatically consider or fund unsolicited proposals expressing a desire and outlining a work plan to accomplish the activities above. Please see our Grants page for our current funding opportunities.