PROGRAMS

Sacred Ceremonies and Traditions

Descendants of the Earth maintains several facilities throughout southern California for the purpose of participating in Traditional Native American ceremonies on a weekly basis.

Cultural Sensitivity Training

Descendants of the Earth is in a partnership with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department to assist in the cultural sensitivity training of cadets once a month. The focus of the training is to challenge stereotypes, build cultural tolerance, as well as diversify approaches to interventions in serving a multicultural community.

Native American Workshops & Lectures

Descendants of the Earth has been asked to provide numerous presentations and workshops on Native American Culture and History to various age groups, schools, and organizations. These lectures offer those who attend a general understanding and perspective of Native American Traditions that involve exposure to Native practices, History, storytelling, songs, and arts and crafts.

CYA Support & Reintegration

Descendants of the Earth have maintained a relationship with the California Youth Authority in Camarillo by continuing to provide Traditional Native American Ceremonies and counseling for both male and female incarcerated wards since 1999. Spiritual guidance and counseling are offered to at-risk inner city youth both inside and outside the CYA facility who have suffered the effects of substance abuse and gang influences. Upon release, outreach and encouragement support is offered for their re-integration into society at large, as well as the DOE Community.

Conservation & Clean Up Programs

The Descendants of the Earth Community has, to date, cleared over 300 tons of illegal trash and waste from the Los Padres National Forest. There are ongoing cleaning projects throughout the year on both the non-profit property and surrounding wilderness which include weed abatement, land maintenance, and Fire clearance. We appreciate all our volunteers that have provided their labor and support to continue to protect our natural environment.

Calm Water Spirit Camp

Descendants of the Earth is dedicated to providing an open and accessible sanctuary in the Los Padres National Forest through the Calm Water Spirit Camp. Community members are welcome to camp on the property and utilize outdoor facilities, a communal kitchen, composting toilets, and gardens. By building the encampment into a self sustaining land base, Descendants of the Earth hopes to serve as a living model and teaching resource of the benefits of ecological awareness, perma-culture, and alternative energy practices to emphasize low impacts to our environment.

Weekend Wilderness Family Camps

Weekend Wilderness Family Camps offer adventure and discovery of the basic tenets of wilderness survival skills in the late spring and early Fall seasons. Children and adults explore in a playful environment various indigenous life skills as well as hiking, campfire circles, wilderness games, and storytelling to provide a fun filled weekend developing both skills and relationships

Wilderness Indigenous Weekend

These weekends are offered to adults seeking to learn or improve their wilderness survival skills. These 2 to 7 days events teach skills to those new to wilderness survival and also to hone the skills of those who are more advanced. These events cover the fundamental aspects of wilderness skills such as learning to build fires, construct natural shelters, find water, discern edible and medicinal plants, tracking, and finding your location when lost in the natural world.

Native American Crafts Workshops

These workshops and seminars focus on various Native American craft skills in addition to the teaching of the meaning and history behind creating Traditional Native crafts.

Plant and Identification Seminar Workshops

This is a compact weekend workshop of plant identification for those participants excited to learn about the practical and traditional medicinal uses of native plants.