Life in the Land: Blackfeet Nation, Joe and Kathy Kipp, Stewardship as a rancher and community advocacy

Joe and Kathy Kipp, of The Blackfeet Nation, Amskapi Piikani, are always on the move; always busy with a variety of things, as cattle ranchers, advocates, parents, grandparents, and so much more. They live outside of Browning, Montana in the heart of Blackfeet Country, on the Blackfeet Reservation in Northwest Montana. As they are involved in so much, you will hear about a variety of topics in this episode.

Joe will speak with us about the importance of stewarding native grasslands, as a rancher and as Amskapi Piikani, his people’s connection to this land, and his experience working in predator/livestock conflict. Kathy will share with us about connecting to traditional foods and her berry orchard, and the value in having community representation. They will both speak to the realities of trauma endured, and the continued strength of their people, and their own messages they have for those within and outside of the Blackfeet community in how to communicate and move forward in a good way.   

LINK:

Blackfeet Nation Stockgrowers Association

Piikani Lodge Health Institute (includes outreach for producers)

Farm Service Agency, Montana Directory

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services

Food Access & Sustainability Team FAST Blackfeet

This episode is part of the Life in the Land project, which is a series of films and podcasts produced by Stories for Action, which hears from folks that interact with the complexities of Montana's landscapes, speaking to the value of locally-led work and the holistic approaches needed for the health of communities and the ecosystems they're a part of. Find out more about the project and watch the films at LifeintheLand.org

Stories for Action holds a mission to use the power of storytelling to create human connection and advance a thriving planet for all. StoriesforAction.org  Follow along on our Instagram and Facebook: @StoriesforAction

#Blackfeet #Indigenousleadership #blackfeetnation #amskapipiikani #browning #ranching #regenerativeranching #stewardship #resiliency #NativeLeadership #NativeVoices