Getting Involved

Pray For

The Return to the Earth project, its leaders and workers, and the many steps that need to be taken to make this project a reality.

And with the Native American communities in your area and in the United States.

The healing of our nation, the United States, for restoration of justice and peace between Native and non-Native peoples.

Yourself and your faith community, for the search for justice and restoration in your community.

Become Aware

Find out about Native communities and tribes in your area. Visit www.ncai.org.

Research place names that might have come from Native languages. Where are the groups that might have named these rivers/towns?

Work to education yourself, your family, and your faith community.

Challenge the stereotypes you hear.

Read a book or examine a video about Native peoples.

Use the RTE Study Guide
Individuals and groups withing religious communities are encouraged to use the RTE study guide to better understand this key North American tribes and nations restorative justice issue. The writers of this guide aim to educate, challenge, and enliven creative action in their readers, especially regarding repatriation--- the return of human remains and other cultural objects to Native Americans. Go to the Resource page on this website for more information on the RTE study guide.


Research Your Own Connections

Investigate how your ancestors interacted with Native Americans.

Examine family histories, historical society records, or stories passed down orally.

Here is one person's story as she researched her geneology.

Examine how your government, your community, and even you personally relate to Native people.

Make Personal Contacts
Invite a member of the Return to the Earth project to address your local group. After using the study guide and with the advice of Return to the Earth administrative staff, non-Natives might consider inviting a representative from an Indian tribe to visit and address our organization or faith community. You can find a tribe by contacting the National Council of American Indians online (www.ncai.org), or your local human rights group, state Indian affairs commission, local Indian powwow club, or Indian athletic league.

Conversely, Native Americans might consider reaching out to a religious community or another Native American group to enrich the experience of engagement. It is strongly encouraged that contact only be made only after some engagement with the study guide and only when there is a genuine interest in sustaining a commitment ot and relationship with people and issued introduced in the study guide.


Construct a Burial Box
Thousands of cedar boxes will be needed to bury the repatriated remains of more than 100,000 Native peoples. To receive instructions (and shipping information) for construction design of these boxes, please contact the Return to the Earth committee at info@Return2theEarth.org or 717.859.1151. Groups are encouraged to use the RTE Study Guide before making burial boxes to gain an understanding of the project. Please consider makinga $20 donation with each box to help defray costs for transportation and internment processes.


Sew a Burial Cloth
Burial clothes will be used as a lining for the cedar burial boxes and as a covering for the remains. Thousands of burial clothes will be needed. Instructions and shipping information can be reaceived by contacting the Return to the Earth committee at info@Return2theEarth.org or 717.859.1151. Groups are encouraged to use the RTE Study Guide before making burial clothes to gain an understanding of the project. Please consider makinga $20 donation with each box to help defray costs for transportation and internment processes.


Make a Donation
The repatriation and burial of thousands of remains will take a lot of resources. Financial contributions and needed for: the storage/transportation of boxes, burial clothes, and other materials.; the hours of work involved in the process; for securing land as burial sites; and for the ceremonies themselves, among other things. Checks can be mailed to:
Mennonite Central Committee
Attn: Return to the Earth
PO Box 500
Akron, PA 17501-0500


Engage Your Congregation
Invite your congregation to be part of a litany of blessing when you send the boxes and burial cloths. Suggestions for litanies are available upon request. Christian communities, for example, could use the Prayer of Saint Francis.


Share Your Experiences with Others
As you participate in this project, share experiences that you and your goup are having. Do you have additional ideas that could be helpful to other groups? What stories do you have to share? Send your ideas and stories to Return to the Earth at info@return2theearth.org.


Develop Advocacy on Behalf of Repatriation
Periodically, NAGPRA (U.S. federal law- Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) must be reauthorized. Congress holds hearingson thismatter and other related issues. Check with your community's policy office to see how yo can encourage needed support for elected officials and policymakers.


Add Your Name to Our Contact List / Attend Regional Events
Email the following information to contacts@return2theearth.org to be included on our national and regional contact lists. You will receive periodic national updates as well as notices on events in your region and how you can get involved by email. Include your full name, email address, and state/province if you live in the United States, Canada or Mexico.