Montana Conversations: Connecting to Land Through an Indigenous Lens with Lailani Upham

Name: Montana Conversations: Connecting to Land Through an Indigenous Lens with Lailani Upham
Start: 2025-04-07T17:45:00-06:00
End: 2025-04-07T20:00:00-06:00
Location: Missoula Public Library

Schedule

Mon Apr 07 2025 at 05:45 pm to 08:00 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

Missoula Public Library | Missoula, MT

Date: Monday, April 7th
Time: 5:45 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Missoula Public Library, Cooper Room B on the 4th floor
Cost: FREE and open to the public, but please register!
In participation with Humanities Montana, the Montana Natural History Center is excited to host the Montana Conversations program “Connecting to Land Through an Indigenous Lens” with Lailani Upham.
Indigenous stories offer a unique way to understand the power of the natural world and our human connections to it. Through discussion about indigenous peoples’ ways of life, value systems, tribal languages, and stories created long before Montana was established in 1889, participants learn about a personal, soulful relationship to our natural world. Participants also better understand how these elements sustain our identity through history and in modern times. How can our tribal stories and ways of knowing elevate others in their understanding of identity? Participants walk away with a fresh look at who they are and appreciation for the landscape from time immemorial. Audience members ponder responsibility and stewardship to the earth through a tribal lens and discuss ways to act for future generations and our natural world relations.
Event includes a screening of the film "Amskapi Piikani — Blackfeet Nation", part of the "Life in the Land series". This film was Produced by Lara Tomov with Stories For Action and Co-Produced by Lailani Upham of Iron Shield Creative.
About Lailani Upham: Lailani Upham is an Amskapi Pikuni (Blackfeet Nation) tribal member, and a descendent from the Aaniiih, Nakoda, and Dakota tribes. She is journalist, educator and business developer in indigenous stories and culture.
Please note that this program is NOT at MNHC. We'll be gathering at the Missoula Public Library, in Cooper Room B on the 4th floor.