HAMAATSA IS ROOTED in time, story and ancestry, bringing back the sacred through indigenous wisdom and regenerative living models. Over the past 30 years, our programs have been led by Native American elders who generously shared their quiet wisdom rooted in indigenous oral traditions and spiritual and cultural life-ways. This "Ancestor Voice" and its sustenance planted in good ground now provides a harvest feast for the next generation of story artists, story singers and tellers, healers and culture custodians to gather, create and thrive.
2024 PROGRAMS
Listening Circles with artists, activists, mystics and poets. Gathering around the fire in a sacred space we share holy words, old and new songs and good healing stories. Listening Ground continues our founder, Larry Littlebird’s life long work for perpetuating the orality of tribal American people.
Slow Story bridges the ancient technology of Native oral tradition cultures with today's digital technology for future generations. An eleven episode video series with Larry Littlebird, regenerates the ancient circle of the consecrated storyteller and the story listener. Join Pueblo Indian Elder/Master Storyteller, Larry Littlebird as he takes us on a story journey through time and place on his ancestral lands of New Mexico. This story series offers a rare opportunity to have access to a rich depository from Littlebird's tribal American oral tradition.
Cultivating the Sacred is a contemplative reverent action for living simply. At Hamaatsa, this spiritual action is informed by an indigenous ecology and modeled upon the successful hunter-gatherer and agricultural societies of tribal America. It is the discovery of an individual’s spiraling path in relationship to Creator, the earth’s journey, the elements and rhythms of the seasonal cycles. It is about showing up and becoming humble and teachable in order to receive your own experience integrating your whole being: Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Mental and Instinctual.
Plant walks and wildcrafting medicinal herbs with guest herbalists and indigenous Elders. Grow a relationship with the land where you live and get to know the land beneath your feet. Deborah Littlebird leads seasonal workshops for creating your own backyard medicinal food garden and kitchen cupboard apothecary.
A story-testimony publication and companion curriculum to the Walking Backward into the Future pilgrimages where we visit significant indigenous historical sites across America. A voice in the land bearing witness to the American Indian holocaust and the past and present injustices of First Nations peoples. Children born for peace. May we be a spark to kindle justice for healing the soul wounds of our nations. Shall the People continue and may the generations coming along behind realize peace, forgiveness and restoration.
LIFE SOUND
"The sound of the drum has ancient resonance and brings us back to that time when we were at one with the mother’s heartbeat".
Life Sound is an online music academy and collective for indigenous youth. Through an annual scholarship program, we mentor and empower emerging Native musicians to reach their full creative potential by giving then practical real-time tools to create music and strengthen their talents for becoming successful indie artists, songwriters/lyricists, sound engineers and producers.
Around our small lodge fires the great stories are still being told. Their good healing power moving across the land. As a small grassroots nonprofit it is through the generosity of our donors and sustainers that we are able to sustain and nurture our programs. Contributions of any size are much appreciated!