The Camping & Education Foundation’s programs use the homelands of the Ojibwe, Dakota, Shawnee, Miami and other Indigenous Peoples. We acknowledge the painful history of their oppression, removal and forced assimilation.  We honor their resilience and perseverance.  We seek their guidance and participation as we teach about their traditions, culture and relationship with the land.  The Foundation and its programs are committed to showing recognition and respect by being a faithful and intentional ally.

We have learned that some of our past programs, which drew inspiration from Native American ceremonies, dances, and crafts, have caused pain to members of our local Native communities. Our intention was always to honor and celebrate Native American culture, but we now understand that imitating cultural expressions outside their proper context can be viewed by some as disrespectful.

We regret that our actions have contributed to inaccurate portrayals of Native traditions and have been viewed as disrespectful by the very communities we hoped to celebrate. We are committed to listening to Native voices and learning how we can appropriately honor Native cultures through genuine collaboration and partnership.