Payahuunadu indigenous sovereignty program numuu sierra nevada where there be dragons
Photo by Lorin Anderberg, Administrator.

California: Indigenous Sovereignty in the Sacred Valley of Payahuunadü, Sample Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary. No two Dragons courses are the same. Every itinerary considers the unique strengths of the instructor team and interests of the student group.
July 29: Travel to Mammoth Lakes & Holiday Campground Arrive at Mammoth Lakes airport by 3 pm, drive to Holiday Campground. We spend our first night together settling in and beginning to build a group culture of humility, listening, inclusion, and support, orienting to important topics of health and safety.
July 30: Holiday Campground We introduce broad themes related to Indigenous sovereignty and social justice on this continent and learn about ongoing community initiatives in the Bishop Paiute/Nuumu Nation. In the afternoon, we break into teams to coordinate plans for serving food to Nüümü, Newe, Mono, Miwok and other Indigenous community members as they complete their annual ceremonial walk of Ahwahnee (Yosemite Valley) on August 1.
July 31: Holiday Campground - Yosemite Valley Travel to Yosemite; set up camp at site of walkers’ arrival. Engage with Ahwahnee as place; learn history of the landscape; prepare for walkers’ arrival
August 1: Yosemite Valley We greet walkers on their arrival, offering food and honoring their ceremony. We return late evening to Holiday
August 2-5: Holiday Campground Gathering after breakfast, these days include listening to elders, educators, youth, and other leaders to learn about the Nüümü Nation’s particular experience of colonization and challenges to sovereignty, as well as current community-based initiatives. We learn from and work with the Bishop Paiute Food Sovereignty Program, the Owens Valley Water Commission, Youth Council and Elders from the community. We engage in activities and discussions on a variety of topics related to colonization, nationhood, and creativity, get to know the community, and assist with community projects. We collaborate with the Youth Council on a community arts project.
August 6: Holiday Campground We complete our work on our community arts project, and circle reflectively with community members and tribal workers to consider how to hold our experience in our lives after this program ends.
August 7-8: Holiday Campground - Inyo National Forest We join the Youth Council to travel to the mountainous backcountry for a reflective deepening of our engagement with land, place, and relationship. Our backcountry time includes an extended solo reflection period for each participant on the land, in addition to listening circles with the group.
August 9: Inyo National Forest - Holiday Campground We carry with us the connections with land and silence, as well as a deeper understanding of the possibilities of relationship. We reflect on our transitions home.
August 10: Holiday Campground - Airport Early morning parting ways; departure for Mammoth Lakes airport and onward travel.