Expansion Project
Now in our 20th year, Center Pole is excited to announce a redesign of our community service, social enterprise and education facilities.
Located in the valley below the site of the Battle of the Little Big Horn on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, this is a joint project of the Center Pole, Portland State University's Center for Public Interest Design, and the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN). As news of this project spreads, we are attracting the interest and active participation of internationally recognized conservation, design, and landscape groups.
The project will foster principles that reflect just energy transition and indigenous decolonization education, including food sovereignty, regenerative farming, conservation and ecological stewardship, intergenerational healing and indigenous-appropriate community and youth development.
Center Pole will become the headquarters for a think tank of brilliant indigenous minds, to explore ways to build healthy, just communities, providing inspiration, practical guidance and hope for our world.
These brilliant minds will include respected, knowledgeable Elders and renowned specialists. These cultural leaders and educators will share their perspectives on the principles of the project during radio interviews which will be live streamed on our Crow Voices radio station. Their interviews will attract new listeners which will broaden our already international reach.
Ash kap ka wi aa, the new Indigenous Discovery Center project, will feature an observation deck overlooking the Little Big Horn Battlefield for ceremony, performance and stargazing, a large meeting space, a kitchen for traditional food practices and a greenhouse for growing traditional plants, medicines and food.
The new Grounds design will feature permaculture and conservation grassland areas, regenerative gardens with cistern, a tipi camp, horse facilities and an artist makers space. The main buildings, resale shop, radio station, food bank, café and sacred areas will remain the same.
The completed Center and Grounds will house the food sovereignty program and healthy foods hub that educates, trains and feeds the community, traditional Crow cultural healing events, heritage activities and education, an artists cooperative, as well as various agritourism and social enterprise activities whose income supplements our operations.