How do you define land defense?

Land defense refers to the approaches, techniques and strategies used to protect land. An  important part of land defence involves us learning more about our own relationship and connection to the land. Metaphorically, the land is often referred to as our mother; meaning it is our home, our place that provides sustenance. It is from which all things come. 

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I define the land in a very sacred way. It’s a place where we live, a place where we can learn so much by observing how the land functions in relationship to the cosmos. An important part of our work is helping people recognize how the land shapes our lives, thoughts, and values. How we treat the land may reflect how we care for ourselves and others.

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At a deeper level land defense requires that people change and change can be daunting. To address this problem means overcoming economic pressure. For example, when someone is trying to pay off debt, long term ecological benefits can feel like a luxury. Also, there are historical systems that reward extraction. A loss of cultural memory and land relationship are important factors to overcome. Addressing land defense requires education, training, and cooperation.

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What are your thoughts around land ownership?

I think that ownership is a concept that is not our own as Black Indigenous people of the earth. We know that our ancient ancestors did not think of it that way. The concept of land ownership was absent from the worldview of indigenous peoples. The land, vegetation, hills, mountains, and waterways are all sacred and valuable natural resources. None of these things should be owned. In many Indigenous cultures the land, the wind, the rain, etc. were all part and parcel to the human condition and the relationship was inextricably connected.

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In the 21st century, and for the past four to five hundred years, the idea of owning land has become a dominant, though still foreign, concept and practice to the more “enlightened ones”. Strangely enough most people unknowingly participate in the destruction of our metaphorical mother, the land. Unfortunately, we participate in a lot of things that we don’t necessarily agree with. Within the context of the culture in which we live, it means a lot to steward a piece of land. With that comes responsibility, and personal and collective transformation. 

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Land stewardship highlights the idea that the land is sacred and must be valued and sustained.  Using regenerative methods in farming we nourish the land as it nourishes us. 

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What is the history of the land you’re on?

I was told that there was an African American man and woman with three children who lived on this property before we acquired it, the Williams family. Both parents had served in the military; he was an engineer who developed this land and built the home that my family currently occupies. It’s a sturdy concrete house. It was built in the early 1960s, so it needed a lot of repairs. The wife was a registered nurse, and she was also in the military. A lot of local people have told me quite a bit about them. 

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Over four hundred years ago, before European invasion, the region was the Muscogee (Creek) confederacy. It was a network of interconnected tribal towns and communities that dominated much of what is now central and east-central Alabama, including Tuskegee and the surrounding Black Belt Region. Tuskegee itself takes its name from a Muskogean word (“Taskeke” or related forms). The Creek nations had sophisticated societies with agriculture, trade, and governance structures long before European contact.

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How do you use the land?

As land stewards we use the land in a holistic and sustainable manner which means treating land as a living system (ecological, cultural, economic, and spiritual),  rather than as a single-use asset. It’s about meeting today’s needs without degrading the land’s ability to support future generations, while also strengthening community well-being. We’ve been blessed with 57 acres, and we’ve divided it into three parcels: 32 acres are committed to a community land trust, 15 acres in a family trust, and another 10 acres across the street. 

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We use the land primarily toward our long-term sustainable development goals. Over the past nine years we’ve spent time getting in touch with what kind of community we want, i.e., values, expectations, guiding principles that promote unity, collective work and responsibility, creativity, and character that include trustworthiness, and willingness to work through differences with others. We have undertaken essential renovations on the main house. We intend to create a holistic intentional community development model that is replicable. We imagine building approximately 28 houses. Each house will sit on a half an acre. We plan to preserve at least 30 percent of the green space. Real estate development is currently a priority.  

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Over the past nine years, we’ve hosted an annual festival called the Healing Arts and Nature Festival. We’ve also designated areas for growing organic food and herbs, like leafy greens, okra, tomatoes, peppers, and a host of peppers and herbs. 

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Five out of the 32 acres are reserved for a retreat facility. This year, we’re operationalizing the Center for Transformative Learning and Change; there we will host deliberative dialogue, a speaker’s series and it will also be used for wellness practices. Its usage is multipurpose, but it will be a sacred space.

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How does it feel to own and steward land in one word?

Purposeful.