Our Stewardship Approach
NCLP is dedicated to promoting reconnection and equitable access to Nipmuc homelands through various modes of land care. Our stewardship model is rooted in reciprocity and guided by our Nipmuc traditions, honoring the knowledge of our ancestors and the dreams we hold for future generations. We strive to nurture not only the land but our relationships with human and more-than-human relatives, ensuring a sustainable and respectful approach to our environment. Together, we cultivate a harmonious relationship with landscapes that hold deep cultural significance.
Cultivating Awareness and Unity
At NCLP, we integrate awareness and unity into our lives, fostering a deep connection to the land and our cultural heritage. Our commitment to nurturing cultural revitalization, food sovereignty, and environmental harmony is at the core of our approach. We believe in creating a space for knowledge-sharing and collaboration among Nipmuc-led organizations to ensure the well-being and prosperity of all Nipmuc people.
Meet Our Board
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Pamela Ellis
Board Co-Chair
Pam Ellis (Nipmuc) is retired from the practice of law in Massachusetts and now serves as the principal/owner of Chagwás Cultural Resource Consultants, LLC. She is an advocate/activist for Aboriginal Rights and Indigenous land stewardship. She holds a law degree and certificate in Federal Indian Law from the ASU College of Law. A traditional dancer and singer, Pam was the 2023-2024 Distinguished Indigenous Artist and Scholar in Residence at Bunker Hill Community College.
Andre Strongbearheart Gaines, Jr.
Board Member
Andre (Nipmuc) is a cultural steward, father, public speaker, traditional dancer, activist, carpenter and educator. Andre's work focuses on sharing traditional teachings and cultural practices through the lens of cultural revitalization and preservation. Andre serves as a board member of Native Land Conservancy and is founder and creative director of No Loose Braids.
Keely Curliss
Board Treasurer
Keely (Nipmuc) is a queer farmer, organizer, and mother with more than 15 seasons of experience growing and distributing vegetables, 10 + years mentoring and working alongside folks of all ages on the land and 5+ years saving seed in the northeast. She has served on the boards of Rooted in Community, a national network of youth food and environmental justice organizations on turtle island and NEFOC, the northeast farmers of color land trust. Currently, Keely is working with a small team to build out Pequoig Farm, a food sovereignty project by and for Nipmucs located on a 180 acre piece of land rematriated to her community.
Jose "Ite" Little Arrow Santana
Board Member
A father, husband, son and brother, Jose (Nipmuc) seeks to revitalize
and embrace Nipmuc culture and community for generations to come. As founder and
creative director of Nipmuc Cultural Hunt and Fish and as Councilman and Treasurer for
the Chaubunagungamaug Band of Nipmuck Indians (CBNI), his desire for a secure
tribal culture for his children and family drives his passion.
Kimberly Toney
Board Co-Chair and
Clerk
Kim (Nipmuc) is the Inaugural Coordinating Curator of Native American and Indigenous Collections, jointly appointed at the John Carter Brown and John Hay Libraries at Brown University. Kim regularly serves as a consultant to cultural institutions in southern New England and her research and personal interests include language and cultural reclamation, the intersections of Black and Indigenous histories, connecting Indigenous knowledges and practices to all scholarly endeavors, and land back.
Keshonn Red Spirit Jackson
Board Member
Tracy Loving Medicine Eyes Ramos
Board Member