Current Events

August 21, 2024.  L Designs was invited to speak about Go-jii-ya in the Dulce High School's culture and language class.  The presentation covered the origins and various locations of the foot race across New Mexico and Colorado.  Sand from the Great Sand Dunes National Park was provided to each student as they were taught how to harvest the black ore that the Jicarilla Apache use in certain ceremonies.  Overall, the students showed great interest in sifting and collected the black ore to take home to their families.

July 19 - 21, 2024.  Lorene and Linsay traveled to Nedrow, New York, to join the annual Women’s Wisdom Circle, hosted by the Onondaga people and sponsored by the Seventh Generation Fund, a non-profit dedicated to supporting indigenous gatherings and events. Over three days filled with prayers, songs, and sharing, they experienced a profound renewal of strength and a deepened sense of service toward their own tribal communities. 

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June 19, 2024.  Juneteenth, Bryan Vigil, Lorene Willis, and Tyler Fernandez traveled to the San Luis Valley with Kate Perdoni.  A great friend of Kate, Gene Martinez, hosted the small party at his residence near Chama, Colorado.  He shared many stories of his life and family who homesteaded the area, as well as, historical information about the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant.  He was aware of an Apache campsite nearby where his ancesterial family told stories of playing with the Apache children.  He graciously took the small group to the place nestled in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains.  At 81 years old, he surprised the rest of the group by effortless walking the near 4 miles to the location.  As the visiting group scoured the area, Bryan found a tomahawk and Gene found a handheld grinding stone and gifted it to Lorene Wilis.

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June 15, 2024. L Designs, Etc. received an invitation from the Mora Market on Mainstreet event to speak about the Jicarilla Apache to the community of Mora, NM. A modest audience gathered, expressing some interest in the ancestral ties shared by some Mora residents, tracing back to their Jicarilla grandparents. Bryan Vigil recounted a traditional practice of familial love that was the reason children were given away to spare them from the hardships imposed upon the people.  In addition, L Designs, Etc. offered products for sell at the Mora Market on Mainstreet event.

June 6, 2024.  Maureen Olson, Lorene Willis, and Bryan Vigil agreed to be filmed by Kate Perdoni, Engagement Journalisim Director of Rocky Mountain Public Broadcast System. Perdoni explained that PBS Rocky Mountain aims to raise awareness among Colorado citizens about the Jicarilla Apache presence in the state. The initiative stemmed from Perdoni documenting an excursion of Dulce Elementary School to the Great Sand Dunes National Park near Alamosa, Colorado. During the filming, Maureen, Lorene, and Bryan shared insights into Apache traditions regarding the natural world and discussed the impact of modern practices on the environment, including global warming and the depletion of Earth's resources.

May 13, 2024.  Bryan Vigil and Lorene Willis recently delivered an informative presentation to the students of Merl Elote's Language Course at Dulce High School. The presentation focused on the medicinal and edible plants of the Jicarilla Apache, and included two videos demonstrating the proper harvesting techniques for ha'ich'idee and jibaa. The presentation provided valuable insights into the Apache's great respect and connection to Mother Earth, and their responsibility to care for her in return.

Exciting news! L Designs, Etc has already begun the project to identify plants and their uses, with the help our partner, Apache Journeys, Inc. Apache Journeys has submitted a grant proposal utilizing the professional grant writing services of L Design for a two-year project worth $75,000 to the 2025 Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellowship. While funding is not yet guaranteed, L Designs is determined to move forward with this effort. You can support this cause by making a tax-exempt donation to Apache Journeys. Check out a sample of their project here.

L Designs, Etc. is seeking individuals who are passionate about preserving Jicarilla Apache language. The company has two proposed projects: mentorship for those who understand the language but have yet to master it, and learning through morphemes and explanations that connect to the natural world and cosmos. If you are a Jicarilla Apache and committed to language preservation, we encourage you to contact us and discuss how you can help.  Iheedn.

 ☜  IT IS SPRING!