2018 Tradition Bearers for Bio Cultural Diversity
The Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples is thrilled to announce the 2018 Tradition Bearers for Biocultural Diversity Fellows!
This Fellowship advances the opportunity for Indigenous leaders to focus on, reflect, and contemplate the trajectory of their work. Special thanks to the Christensen Fund for their outstanding partnership in providing this opportunity.
L.Frank Manriquez
Tongva/Ajachmem/Rarámuri
L.Frank Manriquez is a Tongva culture bearer. Her passion for the last 40 years have been to reclaim and revitalize traditional knowledge for not only her people, but for the vast network of California tribal peoples. Her work serves the large Native community by helping to empower its leaders, dreaming up creative ways to engage youth, fostering collaborations, and above all—finding innovative ways to bring culture back to life. L.Frank has also been the MC of the Baits Area American Indian Two-Spirit Pow Wow for the last 7 years.
L.Frank plans to use the fellowship to visit language programs of the Sami territories such as Norway, the Welsh, Isle of Manhat, and regional French language schools.
Duane “Chili” Yazzie
SW Diné (Navajo)
Duane Chili Yazzie recognizes that Indigenous Peoples are in a dire state of existence in this modern day with myriad needs mostly resultant from the deliberate colonialist attempt to change us into a people that we are not; this is exacerbated by living as a microcosm in a dominating society that has values which remain foreign to us. By engaging in a new strategy, an alternative process to address our state of need based on our lndigenous values as articulated in the Original Instructions. It is clear that Western methods and processes utilized in addressing our Indigenous concerns d problems are not complete, we have no option but to find our way back to our true life path.
Duane Chili Yazzie will use the Fellowship as an opportunity to work towards his mission to be a catalyst in the effort to define, develop and help implement the new strategy to rescue our people in need and put in place a plan that may assure our survival.
Debra Harry, Ph.D
Numu-Kooyooe Dukaddo
Debra will use her fellowship as an opportunity to reflect on the work accomplished to date, and strategize for the future.
She plans to gain inspiration, guidance, and direction to think about what is next for her, and to develop tangible contributions toward transformational changes in our world. She wants to publish her dissertation as a book, write other thought pieces on issues that matter to Indigenous Peoples. She wants to further her own knowledge in the Numu language. She wants to create new opportunities to mentor our next generation of leaders.
Michael Martin
Beaver Clan, Onondaga of the Six Nations
Michael is a new Faithkeeper of the Beaver Clan of the Onondaga from the Six Nations of the Grand River territory in Southern Ontario, but was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. He is the Executive Director of Native American Community Services, based in Buffalo, with additional offices in Niagara Falls and Lockport, NY.
“I feel my life work is now helping our people to better understand and live with what we call Good Minds. I intend to use this fellowship to further develop a model to meet our people where they are at on their own paths and assist them to be empowered by the Good Mind so to live in peace and create positive, sustainable solutions for all.”
