Welcome to the Kihkǫspé:hla Living Lab, a visionary partnership between NDPonics, an Indigenous-owned non-profit organization and Washington & Lee University.
Our mission is to cultivate a transformative space where ecological history, cultural heritage, and contemporary identity converge. By fusing academic rigor with Indigenous knowledge, we aim to nurture understanding of Eastern Siouan (Yesáh) peoples in this landscape, foster cross-disciplinary exploration, and empower generations to come.
Kihkǫspé:hla (they remember it) is a 6-acre parcel owned and managed under conservation easement by NDPonics. The site, a roughly 25-minute drive from the W&L campus, offers a building with bathroom facilities and internet capacity and is an appropriate base for hands-on projects and research related to environmental science as well as topics from various disciplines that will be better informed through location-based learning.
Our Mission
Preserve the Natural Landscape: We honor the land as a living entity that possesses its own rights and endengers responsibility in each of us for its stewardship. By harmonizing traditional ecological knowledge with scientific insights, we promote responsible environmental stewardship.
Elevate & Center Eastern Siouan Presence: In the heart of our lab is a holding place for the narratives, rituals, and traditions that make up the rich tapestry of Eastern Siouan peoples. Through collaborative workshops, storytelling, mapmaking and artistry, we forge connections between past and present, ensuring that our Indigenous cultural identity remains a source of strength for our communities and our children.
Empower through Education: Education is at the core of transformation. We provide a space for academic exploration, interweaving Indigenous knowledge with contemporary scholarship. Through innovative courses, seminars, and community dialogues, we equip individuals with the tools to challenge assumptions, confront complexities, and contribute meaningfully to cultural preservation.
Enable Inclusive Research: Our library, mapping room, residential room and surrounding grounds serve as a haven for in-depth research for scholars interested in Eastern Siouan peoples and our homelands.
Foster Community & Collaboration: We recognize the strength found in unity. Kihkǫspé:hla is a space for cross-cultural dialogue, forging connections between Washington & Lee and the Eastern Siouan community. By co-creating initiatives, events, and collaborative projects, we enhance cultural exchange and promote mutual understanding.
Projects
Washington & Lee University Shared Courses & Rotational Visits
W&L Class Rotational Visits: Kihkǫspé:hla links academia to cultural immersion through a diverse array of W&L class rotational visits. These visits encompass multiple disciplines, fostering a holistic understanding of Southeastern Siouan peoples:
Ecology: Students delve into the intricate relationship between Indigenous communities and the environment. By participating in hands-on traditional cultivation practices, they learn to appreciate the ecological wisdom embedded in the landscape here.
Anthropology: Through interactions with local communities and discussions guided by Indigenous perspectives, anthropology students learn about the cultural nuances, complexities, and societal dynamics that have shaped the Eastern Siouan peoples' way of life.
History: In the footsteps of the past, history students embark on a journey to unearth the untold stories of Eastern Siouan peoples. Our living lab becomes a gateway to historical documents, oral traditions, and artifacts that illuminate the historical and contemporary challenges and opportunities facing our communities.
Interdisciplinary Dialogue: We encourage interdisciplinary conversations. By bringing together students from diverse fields, we create a space for cross-pollination of ideas, enriching the depth and breadth of our exploration.
Native Species Restoration & Creekside Buffer Repair
Restore, protect, and steward ancestral lands, water systems, and culturally significant species to strengthen community climate resilience and well-being through the integration of traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable land management practices.
We will conduct a comprehensive forest restoration (tree planting) and pollution reduction (riparian buffer replanting) program on our land. Utilizing indigenous agroforestry techniques, we will replant more than 1,000 trees while practicing permaculture and substory medicinal plant cultivation (American Ginseng, Panax quinquefolius; Black Cohosh, Actaea racemosa; Goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis, etc.). We will also restore the riparian buffer at Short Hills, which includes 2.5 miles of contiguous stream and 100 acres of wetland, and remove at least one barrier/dam to facilitate natural water flow and filtration and improve water quality.
Facilities
Our Physical Spaces
Classroom/Main Room: This central gathering space offers room for up to 30 students and instructors to gather.
Library & Map Room: The heart of knowledge beats within our library and map room. This resource-rich haven houses an extensive collection of literature, documents, and multimedia materials centered around Southeastern Siouan cultures. Our map room acts as a physical repository as well as a digital gateway, combining traditional cartography with modern mapping technologies to uncover layers of historical and geographical insights.
Scholars’ Lodging: We offer two bedrooms — one with an ensuite bathroom and one with a shared bathroom — for up to 3 month stays for visiting scholars and researchers.
Reach Out
The Kihkǫspé:hla Living Lab stands as a testament to the power of unity, knowledge, and respect. Together, we illuminate the intertwined threads of ecology, culture, and identity, nurturing a space where wisdom flows freely between generations and disciplines. As we honor the past, we co-create a future where the Eastern Siouan peoples' legacy thrives, enhancing the broader tapestry of human understanding.
If you are interested in opportunities to partner, please reach out.