“The real healing comes when we listen to the land, to each other, and honor our deep connection to the water, trees, and all life.” – Eva Petoskey

In this episode, we’re honored to sit down with Eva Petoskey, a Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians citizen and elder, to discuss the work she’s done in helping the Leelanau Conservancy develop a guidance document for working with tribal communities. Eva shares her deep connection to the land, water, and stones of the region, as well as her thoughts on the importance of elevating Indigenous voices in conservation. Through a rich conversation about intergenerational trauma, resilience, and co-creation, Eva offers insight into what it truly means to build meaningful, respectful relationships between tribal communities and non-Indigenous organizations.

We also hear from Conservancy Staff Sara Michael, Senior Charitable Giving Manager, Claire Wood, Communications Director, and Jenee Rowe, Land Protection Specialist, as they reflect on their own journey of learning and listening. This episode explores how the Conservancy is shifting its approach to engage authentically with the Anishinaabe people and work toward a more sustainable and respectful future for all.

“It takes time. It takes trust. Relationships come first before any real action can be taken… To co-create something authentically, it’s about deeply listening to each other and allowing something unique to emerge.” –Eva Petoskey

This is part of the Indigenous Knowledges Series, a project of the Leelanau Conservancy. The goal is to elevate Aanishinaabeg voices in conservation through conversation.

Learn More: https://leelanauconservancy.org/indigenousknowledges.org. Our producer and liaison is Mark Wilson of New Leonard Media https://newleonard.com/.