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OUR WO R K
THEMES
E CO L OGICAL & CULTURAL RESTORAT ION
Ekvn Yefolecv
Ekvn Yefolecv (ee-gun yee-full-lee-juh), an intentional
ecovillage of Maskoke people, exempli昀椀es a powerful model of Indigenous stewardship and cultural
and ecological restoration. After 180 years of forced
removal from their traditional homelands in what
is now called Alabama, the Maskoke have returned
to practice linguistically, culturally, and ecologically
regenerative lifeways. This return, symbolized by the
term “ Ekvn-Yecolecv,” which means both “returning to
the earth” and “returning to our homelands,” highlights
their commitment to reconnecting with their roots.
The ecovillage operates off-grid on 2,661 acres, emphasizing income-sharing, natural construction, renewable
energy, and integrated regenerative systems. The Maskoke
language is critically endangered, with only a few fluent
speakers left. Through their proven immersion program, the
Maskoke language is being revitalized. The ecovillage is home
to the only fluent Maskoke-speaking children on the planet.
I formerly associated this envisioned
ecovillage way of life with being poor,
which is how I grew up. I promised myself
I would get out of poverty, and here l am
using composting toilets and living on four
hundred dollars a month. But I realize that
in having the privilege of working directly
with Earth every day, I am not poor and
that I have agency in choosing to live
in the right relationship with Her. We
hold the land in common and commit to
living simply in recognition that the
accumulation of money is tied to the
abuse of Earth and the exploitation
of human bodies around the world.
TAWNA LITTLE
MASKOKE
