Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ Learning Center Preserves Traditional Ways and Supports Healthy Food Practices

Earth Rising is proud to provide support to the Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ Learning Center. The Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ Learning Project is a collaboration of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people working to promote awareness and practice of Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ (Cayuga) language and lifeways in their ancestral homelands and beyond. Their work carries forward the idea of sgę́:nǫˀ gó:wah, the Great Peace, cultivating peace and cooperation through education and community outreach. 

Their main objective is to provide healthy food to community members using both traditional and quality food methods. They work with community to change the way food is brought into their homes, cultivating a conscious and positive relationship with healthy eating habits. The Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ Learning Center plays a vital role in this work. The old barn has been restored and remodeled in order to use it as a classroom, seed storage, kitchen and bathroom. This space has allowed the community to come together around caring for land and cultivating healthy, nourishing food. 

With support from Earth Rising, the first phase of construction was completed. This included clearing and leveling the floor and installing panels for sheet rocking, as well as cutting openings for residential-grade windows and replacing large French doors to create a standard entryway. Funds also were used to start the first set of garden beds with ceremonial white corn and vegetables. The land was cultivated following traditional agricultural practices, including the seed songs sung by women as they planted and tended the fields. 

Despite difficult community losses and ongoing disputes, the community came together to take a big step towards the ultimate vision of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ Village. Supporting work so deeply rooted in community, tradition and resilience fills us with hope for a future aligned with the values of those who have stewarded this land for generations.