![[Image Description: Two MCC members are walking away on a rocky trail, carrying their packs, surrounded by burnt orange bushes. Through the haze in the background, there are a multitude of mountains, overlapping one another.]](https://cdn.firespring.com/images/7ba12407-5e3a-41c1-b4b4-f00aac9d37a1.jpg)
As the sun rises over the majestic peaks of Yellowstone National Park, casting a golden glow on the towering trees and vibrant meadows, a sense of awe and wonder fills the air. It’s here, amidst this breathtaking scenery, that our crew embarks on a journey like no other.
For the Piikuni Lands Crew (PLC), which is formed in partnership with the Montana Conservation Corps and the Blackfeet Tribal Manpower program, this trip to Yellowstone has been a year in the making. After having to cancel in 2022 due to scheduling issues, this summer the PLC made their debut on their ancestral lands within Yellowstone National Park.
It was the first time most of the crew members had been in the park, and it sparked so much curiosity and awe. The warm welcome and sharing of knowledge from the park rangers made it feel like a homecoming. “The conservation work we’ve done [here] has given us all a sense of belonging and responsibility to take care of our homelands. The long nights of camping and the long hot days of working together have paid off,” said Olivia Hall, a PLC crew leader.
The land on which the National Park resides is the ancestral homelands of the Blackfeet, Shoshone, Lakota, Crow, Flathead, Bannock, and Nez Perce peoples. The Piikuni Lands Crew is made up of entirely Blackfeet Tribal members, so this trip was significant in learning and reconnecting with our ancestral lands. A big part of connecting to the land was knowing that our ancestors were also stewards of this land since time immemorial.
The conservation work we’ve done [here] has given us all a sense of belonging and responsibility to take care of our homelands. The long nights of camping and the long hot days of working together have paid off.
Not only did our crew connect to the land, but we were also able to more deeply connect to ourselves and our future aspirations. “It opened my eyes as to what a leader is and how to handle numerous situations. I’m leaving the season more prepared and it helped me figure out what I wanted to pursue in school,” said PLC crew leader Sadee Little Plume.
Overall, the Yellowstone trip was not just beneficial in deepening our sense of connection to ourselves and our ancestral lands, but it also served as a catharsis for our crew members as they were able to experience the park and it’s history while knowing their indigenous predecessors had cared for the land. Crew members shared that it felt good and eye-opening to be working and interacting with the National Park in such an intimate way.
The Piikani Lands Crew looks forward to future endeavors in Yellowstone National Park. “There was so many laughs this season. We really had a charismatic crew and I’m definitely coming back next year,” said Jalynn Farmer, PLC crew member.
