Program Goal

The Center for Indigenous Culture’s objective is to provide indigenous cultures with means to preserve their heritage of the arts, architecture, songs, dances, ceremonies, mathematics, astronomy, medicine practices and languages. 

Projects of Understanding-Mediation and Understanding

The Memnosyne Foundation negotiated the first alliance between the traditional leadership of the Hopi and Navajo tribes and serves as a third party caretaker for the resulting Hopi and Navajo Alliance (HANA). Memnosyne sponsored a broadcast of a joint tribal forum dealing with their current issues.

Cultural Center

The purpose of Cultural Centers is to empower the indigenous peoples to preserve their cultures and provide opportunities for them to share their knowledge and contributions with people around the world. Current cultural centers under development:

• Toltec Community – Teotihuacán, Mexico
• Mayan Community – Carillo Puerto, Mexico

Wisdom Keepers Speaker Series

The Wisdom Keepers Speaker Series is a collaborative effort with the Indigenous Institute of the Americas. It provides presentations and discussions to the public by tribal elders spanning history, culture, spirituality, philosophy, tribal needs and thoughts on the environment.

Chronicling Indigenous Contributions

Chronicling Indigenous Contribution Program archives the oral history, medicine, art, literature, storytelling, and language of indigenous people. The project will be coordinated with The Indigenous Institute of the Americas.

Encountering Globalization Resources

There is an increasing threat to the welfare of indigenous people who have no negotiation experience with corporations, governments, lobbyists, and others in the globalized world. Encountering Globalization Resources. Plans for that project include the production and distribution of a video with John Perkins, author of the New York Times best-seller Confessions of an Economic Hit-Man. The video will serve as a teaching tool to prevent exploitation.

Memnosyne Foundation is collaborating with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, the Aspen Historical Society, the City of Aspen, and the Aspen Ute Foundation to reintegrate the Ute and Ute culture back into their ancestral lands of Colorado.

Memnosyne Foundation is sponsoring educational material for The Spirit Talk Learning Center of the Blackfoot Nation.

Memnosyne sponsored the International Summit on Indigenous Environmental Philosophy working in collaboration with the University of North Texas Department of Philosophy and Religions, Anadarko Schools Indian Education Program, Kiowas Nation, Kiowa Tribe Environmental Program, United National Indian Tribal Youth, Redstone Arrowhead Retreat Center and others. The event brought together indigenous philosophers from around the world to Anadarko, Oklahoma and Dallas, Texas to discuss how Indigenous environmental philosophy differed from Western philosophy. They also discussed mutual environmental concerns resulting in a signed consensus statement titled, Leave Us a Future. The delegates agreed to present the document to their respected policy makers. (indigenousenvirosummit10.unt.edu)

In collaboration with Hope Contained, Memnosyne is funding the conversion of international shipping containers into economical and deployable traditional medicine clinics. The clinics will serve Maya communities. They will serve those needing medical attention in the lower Yucatan. They will help preserve traditional medicine knowledge and practices while teaching traditional healing practices to the youth.