American Indian Cultural Garden
A Partnership between the American Indian Center and North Carolina Botanical Garden
The American Indian Cultural Garden (AICG) will create a gathering place to celebrate American Indian cultures and Indigenous ecological knowledge, support American Indian students in adjusting to life on campus, and serve as a teaching tool for the greater community. This garden space affirms American Indian identity, culture, and Indigenous ecological knowledge for American Indian students, UNC campus community and local Triangle community, honoring Tribal Nations state- and nation-wide. To learn more about the design, visit the American Indian Cultural Garden Overview.
This garden is a community-driven effort that comes from numerous conversations and input of which can be found in the final report. To view more please visit our final project report which includes personal stories, details on how decisions were made, and a closer look at elements of the Garden.
amą:i (earth) Steward Awards
Through the American Indian Cultural Garden and with the generous support of the Mellon Foundation, the American Indian Center (AIC) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is excited to offer amą:i (“earth” in Saponi) Steward Awards to support projects that elevate Indigenous culture and heritage within public places.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis for projects that address place-making and humanities activities (cultural preservation, oral stories, arts, music, and much more) among North Carolina tribal communities and urban organizations. The award ceiling for this opportunity is $14,000.
Projects funded by amą:i Steward Awards will be supported by culturally relevant technical assistance, capacity building workshops, and gatherings that promote intertribal sharing of traditional knowledge systems and culturally designed spaces on tribal lands. Awardees will have opportunities to share progress and successes with other awardees and gather resources from campus and local partners such as the North Carolina Botanical Garden.
● Tribal infrastructure improvements (indoor or outdoor)
● Cultural revitalization and preservation activities
● Activities and educational programming that promote Indigenous ecological knowledge
● Equipment, supplies, and strategies to sustain cultural heritage
● Human resource development (i.e., staff, internships, conferences, other educational opportunities)
Notification of amą:i (earth) Stewards Awards: Within two months of application receipt
To learn more, please reach out to one of the amą:i (earth) Steward Award program contacts!
- Catawba Indian Nation to support the completion of the mánuu kúrii (Good Earth) living museum and staff professional development
- Coharie Intra-Tribal Council to support river restoration, the collection of oral histories, and outreach and education
- Lumbee Tribe, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to support the construction of dwellings for a living history village and open-air market event
- Waccamaw Siouan Tribe to support intern recruitment and training in the Healing Green Space and community engagement
Applications for the Amą:i Stewardship Awards are accepted on a rolling basis. Click here to apply today!
These awards are available through the American Indian Cultural Garden and are made possible through the generous support of the Mellon Foundation.
Associate Director
919.843.4189
Kalila Arreola
Undergraduate Intern
Ellie Prosser
Undergraduate Intern
Cayley Robinson
Undergraduate Intern
American Indian Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
205 Wilson Street
Campus Box 3457
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Current AICG Sponsors
