3 Lessons to Pair with Redbud’s Konkow Valley Short Films

The films, Steps to Land Back: Part 1 and Part 2 Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians, offer a powerful and insightful journey of the Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians as they reclaim their ancestral land. Through these films, we witness the cultural, environmental, and historical importance of land return for the Tribe, while exemplifying how land return and access brings healing to Native communities and to the land itself.

While the films are entertaining to watch on their own, they’re also great educational resources that can be used to prompt conversations with children and adults about California history, environmental health, and contemporary Native identity. 

Our newsest film "Steps To Land Back: Part 2. Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians". Filmed by Happy Valley Film co. , produced by Redbud Resource Group.

Steps to Land Back: Part 1. Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians In the first film, the Redbud crew follows members of the Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians as they reconnect with a recently returned portion of their ancestral homeland, highlighting the process of land reclamation.

Steps to Land Back: Part 2. Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians

In the second film, we return with members of the Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians as they engage in cultural revitalization and stewardship practices made possible by the return of access to their ancestral land. 

Land Stewards of the Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians taking a break from working on returned land. Photo taken by Redbud Resource Group.

Here are some ways to pair Redbud’s K-12 curricula with Steps to Land Back: Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians, Part 1 and 2

“Weaving the Future, Confronting the Past” is a three-part unit that introduces students to the history of the California Gold Rush from the Native perspective. Building off of Governor Newsom’s formal acknowledgement of the California Indian Genocide in 2019, the unit helps students understand how genocide occurs, how it can be prevented in the future, and how it continues to impact Native communities today. 

Pairing “Steps to Land Back: Konkow Valley” with this unit highlights the resilience of California Native Tribes by presenting their history through a lens of survival. This perspective shows us how land return can be a source of healing for both people and the planet. 

“Repairing Relationship to Place” has students consider the impacts of land seizure on Native people and landscapes, and how land return might benefit us all. After reading an article on the possibility of returning U.S. National Parks to Indigenous people, students answer the following questions:

1. How would returning land to Native communities support the health and visibility of the community?

2. What challenges do you think might come up during the process of returning land to Natives?

Presenting “Steps to Land Back: Konkow Valley” alongside this article can enrich the conversation about land return by focusing on a smaller, more localized case study.

The final project of Redbud’s Native Perspectives, Everyday Lessons unit asks students to build shoebox dioramas of their local Indigenous landscapes based on a foundational understanding of local Tribes and their ancestral homelands. Paired with this diorama, students then write a thoughtful land acknowledgement that builds on their growing understanding of the place they call home. 

Sharing Steps to Land Back: Part. 1 Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians with your students illuminates the deep relationship that California Native people have with their ancestral homelands. This helps students gain a deeper understanding of the Indigenous place they live, so that they can create a more thoughtful acknowledgement. For students who are not local to California, the film can invoke curiosity about the history of the place they live, so that they can go on to do their own localized research. 

Our older film, "Steps To Land Back: Part 1. Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians." Filmed by Happy Valley Film co. , produced by Redbud Resource Group.

Together, Steps to Land Back: Part 1 and Part 2 Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians are more than just films—they are pathways for creating greater understanding of Indigenous history and resilience, especially in educational settings. By pairing them with resources like Redbud’s curricula, educators can engage students in deeper conversations about the legacy of the California Indian Genocide, the importance of land stewardship, and the need for building meaningful relationships with place. These films invite us to consider not only the past but also the ongoing efforts toward justice and healing for Native communities, making them invaluable resources for learning and reflection.

If these films and lessons leave you wanting to learn more, then visit Redbud’s Steps to Land Back film series in our Going Beyond Land Acknowledgements Resource Library Database and on our YouTube channel. For additional curricula or lesson plan ideas, visit Redbud’s Education Resources.  These films and lessons provide valuable insights for building respectful and effective partnerships with Native American communities, offering guidance on actionable steps to support Tribal sovereignty and land reclamation, fostering a shared responsibility that honors Indigenous stewardship of the lands we all call home.