People of the Sacred Land (PSL) is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization comprised of Native leaders, elders, and concerned citizens who want to learn the truth about the dispossession of their land and why Native people in Colorado were forced from their homelands. How and why did the genocide happen? Who was responsible for the policies, treaties, and laws that harmed Indians? What can be done about the actions of the past, and what are the solutions to resolve the past? The People of the Sacred Land was formed when they began to learn about the lies and untold stories of the history of Colorado. They are seeking the truth, creating equity, education, restoration, and reconciliation for the past.
The Land
We acknowledge today that we are living on the land of our Native American ancestors. In recent times the United States government legally recognized the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations as the owners of the land through the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851. At least 48 other nations occupied this land in the last 500 years. We acknowledge that the Creator gave us this land along with the instructions that we are responsible for caring for the land, the water, the air, and all living beings. As we acknowledge the land, we must also refute the colonized notion of manifest destiny. We will seek ongoing opportunities to engage Native people in land stewardship and restore justice to Native People.
Uncovering the truth about the American Indian genocide in Colorado
Offering pathways for community connection and healing
Creating education opportunities for American Indians and Non-natives
The Truth, Restoration, and Education Commission (TREC) is working to examine the true history of Colorado and what lead to the genocide of Indigenous Peoples in Colorado. Currently, TREC is working on an Economic Loss Assessment and will use this report to develop restoration recommendations and educate the Colorado Community.
American Indians in Colorado experience economic and social inequalities at higher rates than other populations. People of the Sacred Land is working towards acknowledging historical truths that will inform recommendations for improved access to social mobility and quality of life for American Indians.
Colorado’s dirty secret: A $500 billion mining industry built on Indigenous land By Taylar Dawn Stanger, Indigenous Affairs Fellow • July 8, 2024 • Grist
A report released today aims to quantify the historic loss of life, land and precious resources for 10 Native nations historically in Colorado, and asks the state to help “mend all that has been broken between Colorado’s original inhabitants and the settler community.”
Native Youth Connect to the Land, Each Other and their histories at summer Camp Amanda Horvath, Julio Sandoval • July 2023 • Rocky Mountain PBS
People of the Sacred Land is a Colorado-based nonprofit working to uncover the truth about American Indian history in the state. The purpose of the People of Sacred Land is to support American Indian people who are citizens of the State of Colorado to preserve their culture, language, and ways of life that were intimately tied to the land.
© 2024 People of the Sacred Land