Redbud Retreats to the East Coast: Reflections on a Land Return Gathering at Knoll Farm
- Redbud Resource Group
- Sep 17
- 5 min read
By Sheridan Enomoto and Trelasa Baratta
Last month, we had the privilege of participating in a Land Back retreat held at the stunning Knoll Farm in Vermont, an intentional gathering space nestled in the Green Mountains, dedicated to relationship-building and transformative action. While the landscape was unfamiliar to many of us, the land itself felt familiar, resonating with memory, story, and a quiet ache for the return of its original stewards, the Abenaki. While many of us were far from our home territories, the land held us with a quiet familiarity, as if the land itself had been waiting for this gathering. The purpose of our time together was clear: to come into a right relationship with land, each other, and the generations before and after us.
The retreat was part of a broader movement stewarded by First Light and the Wabanaki Commission on Land and Stewardship, whose work is grounded in the return of land to Tribal Nations through partnerships with private landholders and philanthropy. This particular gathering brought together Native and non-Native land stewards from across the continent - some deeply embedded in the work of Land Back, others just beginning their journey.
From the very beginning, the land reminded us why we were there.
As we opened our first Talking Circle, led by elder and new friend Darrell Newell of the Passamaquoddy at Motahkomikuk Indian Township, a Bald Eagle soared overhead, an unmistakable affirmation that our presence and purpose on the land were seen. For us, this moment marked the significance, and sacredness, of the work ahead.
Redbud Resource Group was honored to contribute to the retreat by sharing one of our core tools: The Land Back Spider Graph. This resource helps communities and their partners assess their engagement with Indigenous peoples and land return initiatives through a values-based framework grounded in five key areas: Ownership, Leadership, Stewardship, Access, and Consultation. At Knoll Farm, we shared how this tool has supported conversations across California, where the legacy of land dispossession continues to shape relationships with place, policy, and power. The Spider Graph not only facilitates reflection, but also supports planning, accountability, and shared visioning across diverse Land Back efforts. We encouraged participants to use this tool in tandem with Redbud’s Allyship and Sovereignty Spectrums to deepen self-awareness and build stronger, more reciprocal relationships with Native communities.
Throughout the week, we listened deeply, learned humbly, shared meals together, and reflected on the responsibilities we carry. There was laughter. There were tears. There was space for both celebration and accountability. Guided by the wisdom of Wabanaki Commission members and the First Light collective, we held courageous conversations about land return, allyship, and the healing needed in both Native and non-Native communities.
Caucusing for Clarity: Native & Non-Native Reflections
One of the most powerful activities we engaged in was a caucus, where Native participants formed one group and non-Native allies gathered in another. Each group was asked to reflect on a set of challenging questions. Despite coming from diverse places across the U.S. and Canada, our responses were strikingly aligned. The separation allowed for honest, grounded conversation and collective visioning, free from the pressures often present in cross-group dynamics.
The Native community voiced the need for:
Unrestricted, stable funding to sustain land stewardship and community wellness;
Recognition and respect for Indigenous knowledge in mainstream environmental and education spaces;
Youth programs rooted in land, food, and healing;
Cross-border collaboration for Nations like the Abenaki whose territories span national lines;
A refusal to accept colonial limits on what we can expect or ask for.
They also offered powerful contributions: knowledge, time, education, research, and examples of successful projects—and reminded everyone of the importance of culture as healing and the need to trust the wisdom of our elders and the energy of our youth.
The non-Native group, in turn, reflected on their roles as gatekeepers, bridge-builders, and power-holders, emphasizing the importance of:
Decentering themselves in Land Back work;
Supporting Indigenous-led efforts without co-opting;
Moving at the speed of trust;
Bringing these conversations into their organizations and communities;
Making land and resources accessible, visible, and open to new, decolonized futures.
Together, these conversations reminded us that Land Back is not a moment, it is a movement, grounded in relationships, reciprocity, respect and the long arc of healing.
Carrying the Fire Forward
Throughout the retreat, a fire kept burning. Day and night, we took turns tending to it, quiet footsteps across dew-covered grass, sparks rising into the night sky. This fire grounded us. It reminded us that keeping movements alive requires not just vision, but presence, patience, and responsibility.
As we leaned into that rhythm, adding logs to the flame, we reflected on what it means to carry fire forward:
How do we keep the heat without burning out? How do we share light without taking up too much space?
This retreat wasn’t just a pause from our everyday. It was a call to return… to ways of being that prioritize connection over control, stewardship over ownership, and balance over extraction.
We left Knoll Farm with new relationships, deepened strategies, and a renewed sense of responsibility to one another and the land. As one participant shared,
“We can’t solve all the issues from colonialism, but we can build models for being good ancestors.”
Resources Shared at the Retreat
These offerings reflect the spirit of what we cultivated together. We encourage you to explore, share, and build upon them:
Sunlight Media Collective – Kihtahkomikumon: Our Land - Watch on Vimeo
A powerful film by Wabanaki storytellers about land, resistance, and return.
Indigenous Resilience Circles - JumpScale - Learn More
A project supporting Indigenous-led mental health and land-based healing.
Full Moon Rising by Peter Forbes - Access Book
A call to land justice for the conservation movement in North America. Why centering Indigenous voice and sharing and returning land are essential to repairing the earth and creating a stronger movement.
Redbud’s Land Back Spider Graph - Learn More
A values-based tool to support self-reflection and strategy development around land return.
Wabanaki Commission - Visit Site
Dedicated to increasing land sovereignty and enabling Wabanaki Nations to steward their territories in Maine. Their work includes land acquisition, co-management, and cultural access.
First Light - Visit Site
A collaboration between Maine Tribes and land trusts returning land and decision-making power to Wabanaki people.
Essential Lessons - Access Book
This collection of reflections centers 21 lessons emerging from deep, relational work with First Light
Other organizations, land trusts, and communities that were represented in this work:
To learn more about Redbud’s Land Back tools or invite us to support your community in these efforts, reach out to our Resource Specialist and Program Manager, Sheridan Enomoto at senomoto@redbudresourcegroup.org
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