The recent removal of 4 of the 6 dams on the Klamath River is a victory, but the fight is just starting. Our sacred fish, the c’waam and koptu, are on the brink of extinction and have been endangered since the 1980s. These fish live nowhere else in the world and are the center of our culture and part of our creation story. We are spiritually tied to them, and when they suffer, we suffer.  Meanwhile, our sacred relatives, the ci’yaals (salmon) have returned to the headwaters of the Klamath. They have been gone for over 100 years, but now return to toxic waters. 

This project lays the foundation for implementing an innovative rights of nature legal tool to protect our sacred waters. We have inherent rights to establish a strong legal argument for protecting our watershed, but we need documentation. This includes documentation of our traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), oral histories of our creation stories and sacred & spiritual places.

This community project promotes the transmission of knowledge between elders (knowledge keepers) of the Klamath Tribes to tribal youth (our future). Our project promotes preserving knowledge, community mapping, and creation of digital content for social media to raise awareness. This vital, foundational, and evidentiary work is essential to build a repository of evidence needed to launch legal advocacy actions for our sacred waters, plants and animals, all essential protections for our non-human relatives. Healing our relatives will heal our people.

Maqlaqs Gaa’tkni brings community members together to apply traditional ecological knowledge that has been honed over thousands of years, focusing on sustainable practices and the preservation of biodiversity, to the practice of forest restoration

Effective forest restoration in fire-symbiotic ecosystems focuses on enhancing the resilience of these ecosystems, ensuring their long-term health and sustainability.

Indigenous food production encompasses a rich diversity of practices cultivated by Native communities that are deeply connected to our land, culture, and history. This sustainable approach often involves farming, hunting, and foraging that prioritize local biodiversity and seasonal cycles. By valuing traditional knowledge and methods passed down through generations, Indigenous food production not only sustains communities but also fosters resilience against climate change, ensuring food security in a rapidly changing world.

Maqlaqs Gaa’tkni is deeply committed to building the opportunities and communities that allow Native youth to thrive in a world that overlooks their potential, their culture, and their talents. By embracing our cultural heritage and celebrating their authentic selves, we are working with our youth to cultivate leaders who will shape their communities and represent their voices.

Programs that focus on education, mentorship, and skill development harness the unique strengths of Indigenous youth, fostering a sense of pride and responsibility. Together, we can uplift native youth to not only navigate challenges but also to rise as guardians of their traditions while confidently stepping into the future.