PLACE-Based LEARNING FOR OUR FUTURE ELDERS

the Pandion institute Envisions:

A vibrant network of partners—community, outfitter, and educator, Indigenous and non-Indigenous—across the West who convene and collaborate to co-create powerful outdoor experiences grounded in Indigenous ways of being and knowing.
Carefully developed best practices to foster transformative, immersive educational trips that lead to respectful, reciprocal place-based partnerships that care for each other and for lands, waters, and culture.
A robust training program that provides work, empowerment, and skills development to Indigenous young adults and positions them within our network of partners as the next generation of leaders.
A mission, community, and way of making change that is based in sensitive engagement with place.

Our Approach:

Indigenous values and worldviews can help us envision, articulate, and act towards a more stable, liveable future in a time of unprecedented anthropogenic climate change and social and environmental challenges. The most effective way to instill these values is through Indigenous-led, extended experience on and with Place.
Networks of relations are key: there are worthy organizations already doing components of this work—education, guiding, community building, etc. Pandion is valuable as a convener and a model for how these diverse partnerships best function.
Centering Indigenous people and prioritizing direct engagement with our lands and waters help us stay true to our values and community, and ensure this work is always generative, never extractive.

*Alan (11) paddling his own kayak during our 2021 Native Snake River School*

Outcomes:

Our Indigenous guides and educators **lead as expert knowledge-keepers** of a crucial system of values; participants are meaningfully exposed to Indigenous ways of being and doing, and are empowered to carry these perspectives into their broader lives.
Our values lead to **action** : Pandion helps participants build the motivation, skills, and support to take **restorative actions on/for our lands and waters.**
We **build bridges** between diverse groups of people and partnerships are strengthened—both place-specific and regional.
We help **develop an Indigenous workforce** : the next generation of outdoor guides and land managers is more diverse and representative. Indigenous folks (especially youth) are trained in guiding/outdoor skills and have a pathway into outdoor recreation and natural resources work.

Photo: Tiyana Blackeagle

Our PROGRAMS

Saqáanma School (SQS)

A 6 day program that includes time in Wallowa County and a 4 day rafting trip in saqáanpa (Hells Canyon). Open to Nez Perce Descendants from CTCR, NPT and CTUIR ages 11-14. 2025 Dates— July 24-29

APPLY HERE

NATIVE YOUTH GUIDE TRAINING

A six day program including a 5 day rafting trip on the Lower Salmon River. Students learn culture, history, river skills and explore what it’s like to be a professional river guide. Open to all Native youth ages 16-20. 2025 Dates- August 11-16

APPLY HERE

CTUIR HUNTER EDUCATION

A 7 day program that includes 4 days of hunter education, a range day, and weekend hunt camp in the Blue Mountains. Open to CTUIR Tribal members age 10 and up (20 can attend hunter education course) and 12 and up (10 can attend hunt camp). 2025 Dates— Hunters Education Aug 18-22, Hunt Camp Aug 22-24

APPLY HERE

ANCIENT TRAILS BACKPACKING

A five day program including a 4 day overnight backpacking trip in Wenatchi homelands in the WA Cascades. Students learn traditional ecological knowledge, local history and culture, and build overnight backpacking skills. Open to CTCR Tribal members and descendants with an emphasis on Wenatchi people. Ages 14-18. 2025 Dates- August 1-5

APPLY HERE

OUR PEOPLE