As with many trips and other walks in the woods, we know it’s not where we
end up, it’s about the journey. We’re grateful for the voices that contributed to
the ongoing conversation about our camp name, Indian Brook and to the staff
who brought forth the topic.
Based on discussions over the course of 18 months with Management Team,
the Indian Brook camp director, campers, staff, alumni and community
members, the F&W Board of Directors accepted Management Team’s
recommendation to keep the camp name, Indian Brook. This will transpire
with the expectation that ongoing education, conversations and a raised
awareness of the origin, the history and modern-day impact of the use of the
word “Indian” becomes an integral part of the camp experience and staff
training. We are beginning to form an advisory council including a panel
for the board in May on cultural appropriation, with Tsiorasa Barreiro, the
grandson of Flying Cloud and current Executive Director of the St. Regis
Akwesasne Mohawk Tribe participating.
We will provide knowledge that allows the community to think critically
about who we were 79 years ago and who we are today. We will work towards
a deeper awareness of the camps’ histories. These may include the history
written by our founders, the history that we hold as current community
members, and the history of this land. We may shift our perceptions by
bringing more voices into the space that are not represented and seek to
continually reach for questions rather than answers.
If you would like to contribute to the education of our community, please
email ibnamediscussion@farmandwilderness.org