Tiyospaye Winyan Maka
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Project Tiyospaye
Project 'Extended Family'
The Latest on the LANDBACK...
Our highest priority within 'TWM' since 2019 has been to create a dedicated spiritual space for our expansive Indigenous & mixed-Indigenous community. Tiyospaye Winyan Maka is providing an invaluable opportunity for the City of Fort Collins to take meaningful steps in reconciling countless historical injustices by advancing reparational justice for local and displaced Indigenous people by returning over 164 acres of land illegally ceded by Colorado State University in 1870.​
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In 2024, with renewed intentions and goals as the City began its official deliberation process, we moved to rename this initiative 'Project Tiyospaye', meaning 'Project Extended Family' in the Lakota language. This name reflects the commitment we hold to welcoming ALL of our relatives into this shared space for our collective health and wellbeing.
'Project Tiyospaye' Timeline
2019
Project Begins; LANDBACK
Following the demolition and prompt desertion of the property by Colorado State University in 2018, local Indigenous leaders begin discussing the possibilities of returning the land to its original stewards.
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​Indigenous community leaders including Christinia Eala, Kenny Frost, Robert Cross, and Renee Chacon begin sharing their message with leadership at both CSU and the City of Fort Collins.
2022
Re-Emergence: Indigenous Spiritual Encampment
As Fort Collins residents became more informed and aware regarding the future of this land, the citizens passed an initiative to rezone the property as 'public open space', successfully blocking CSU's plans to develop housing on the site, 'TWM' founder, Christinia Eala, organized our community to hold a spiritual encampment in June of 2022.
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This peaceful demonstration lasted 40 days & nights, during which conversations were held regarding how we can best seek a restoration with these lands. Lakota ceremonial lodges were erected at sacred sites we continue to care for today, reaffirming our ancestral connections to this space for generations to come.
2024
Indigenous Peoples Day 2024
With renewed hope and intentions to work with the City of Fort Collins on Indigenous-led solutions for the property, 'Tiyospaye Winyan Maka' expands its public support for leading an official effort to rematriate the 'Hughes' site to Indigenous ownership.
After a long and involved process of seeking recognition within the City's engagement processes, 'TWM' hosts our annual 'Winter Warmth' benefit concert at the former 'Hughes Stadium' site, bringing awareness to our efforts to see the site honorably rematriated.
Hughes Land Is It?
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Rematriation: "Restoring balance to the world by re-establishing SACRED relationships with ancestral lands"
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Our goal in this initiative is to heal the land and the people together, holding this space in pristine condition in perpetuity, through the continued practice of traditional management and cultural education. ‘Project Tiyospaye’ seeks to empower youth in our community to take leadership positions in guiding key aspects of the project.
This important feedback and participation from the community will enable a Council of Indigenous elders, conservations scientists, permaculture experts, engineers, Tribal historic preservation officers, and City officials to advise the progression of various aspects of development, rehabilitation, and management that may be required down the line. ​
Walking in Two Worlds...
When our ancestors first held council with the White settlers, the very concept of land ownership was completely foreign to them. Through many coercive agreements established with Tribal peoples under the superficial promise of peace, settler colonial institutions enabled excessive theft of our ancestral lands through predatory legislation as well as a lack of accountability and responsible management throughout the U.S. government.
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Today, Indigenous people are often forced walk in two worlds as our once bountiful lands are stripped of their 'natural resources', our access to sacred sites restricted, and our cultural teachings systemically erased entirely.
2019-2021
Grassroots Beginnings
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2021-2023
Land Action
Engaging CSU Board of Directors & the Fort Collins City Council
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Organizing a spiritual encampment at the former 'Hughes Stadium' property.
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Hundreds gathered in support of the land being rematriated
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Cultural teachings
The years spent organizing around this issue following CSU's demolition of the former stadium were key in laying the foundation for this effort to continue into the future.
2023-2025
Project Tiyospaye
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Project Tiyospaye - Supporting Media & Resources
~ Video Archive ~
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~ News Media ~​
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CSU’s Morrill Act Origin Is A Generational Wealth Built Off Of Indigenous Lands (Herrera, 2020)
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The land-grant universities still profiting off Indigenous homelands (Ahtone et al, 2020)​
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'Hughes Land Is It': Land Back movement knocks at CSU's door (RMPBS, 2021)​
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CSU, City reach agreement on former Hughes land (Dennings, 2021)​
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LTTE: It’s time to move from Land Acknowledgment to Land Action and Land Back (Collegian, 2021)​
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News on Hughes: An Interview with Benton Roesler (Pennington, 2021)​
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Why we should give indigenous land back (Neil-Barron et al, 2022)​
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Faces of Determination: The story of three community champions of Fort Collins (Cura, 2024)​
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~ Academic Research ~
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Misplaced Trust: Stolen Indigenous land is the foundation of the land-grant university system. Climate change is its legacy (Ahtone et al, 2024)​​​​​
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Colorado River Basin Ten Tribes Partnership Tribal Water Study (U.S.DOI et al, 2018)​
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The Legal and Political History of Colorado Tribes (TREC, 2024)​
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Historic Loss Assessment (TREC, 2024)​
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History of Indian Education in Colorado (TREC, 2024)
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~ Official Statements of Support ~
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​Hundreds of Fort Collins residents have come to the City Council directly to speak in support of the honorable rematriation of the former 'Hughes' site.
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Thousands of Indigenous & non-Indigenous individuals and organizations, nationwide and internationally, have supported our bid for land-back in a host of ways.
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Over $15,000 has been raised surrounding this effort to rematriate the land on a platform that has now gained visibility through all available forms of media.
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The Coloradoan, the Rocky Mountain Collegian, Denver7, Rocky Mountain PBS, the Longmont Reader and the Foothills UU have all publicized our initiative in support of LANDBACK.
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Hundreds of local residents signed a petition in 2021 to rematriate the site, as reflected by a change.org campaign run by the 'Intertribal Alliance for Hughes Land Back' , or previous moniker.
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The Fort Collins City Council voted unanimously to recognize 'Indigenous Peoples Day' in 2022, and put forth an official land acknowledgement in 2024 reaffirming their commitments to provide tangible measure of sovereignty to local and historically displaced indigenous/mixed-Indigenous communities.
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Nonprofit organizations including the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, the Bird Conservancy, the Northern Colorado Wildlife Center, ISAAC NoCo, Unified Workforce, Alianza NorCo, the United Way of Larimer County, the Buffalo Field Campaign and others have supported our bid for land back.
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Several faith-based organizations including the Foothills UU, the Namaqua UU, Unity of Fort Collins, Crossroads Church, the Fort Collins Baha'i Center, and the Nice World interfaith community have supported our organization in our initiative.
Get in Touch!
Let's work together! Please reach out with any inquiries or suggestions on how we might serve our communities more effectively!