As we move through this holiday
that normalizes the genocide of Turtle Island,
we invite rent our short film Remembering Water (39 min. with captions) in support the First Nations Garden.
The First Nation's Garden's mission is to "provide a healing space for Chicago's First Nations communities and promote public knowledge and appreciation of Chicago's Indigenous landscape and ecosystems."
'
How can you watch?
It's simple. Make a contribution to the First Nations Garden of $5 or more via
Paypal.me/janiepochel (memo: FNG)
Venmo: @chi-nations (8743) (memo: FNG)
then fill out the form below and we will give you access to the film for 24 hours!
that normalizes the genocide of Turtle Island,
we invite rent our short film Remembering Water (39 min. with captions) in support the First Nations Garden.
The First Nation's Garden's mission is to "provide a healing space for Chicago's First Nations communities and promote public knowledge and appreciation of Chicago's Indigenous landscape and ecosystems."
'
How can you watch?
It's simple. Make a contribution to the First Nations Garden of $5 or more via
Paypal.me/janiepochel (memo: FNG)
Venmo: @chi-nations (8743) (memo: FNG)
then fill out the form below and we will give you access to the film for 24 hours!
About the First Nations Garden:
The First Nations Garden (Wiinso, Wiikonge Otishinikaaso), an urban land trust under Neighborspace, was established in the Spring of 2019 through community organizing led by the Chi-Nations Youth Council with support from Former Alderman Carlos Rosa of the 35th Ward.
The community chose First Nations Garden as the english name of the space. The term First Nations is a collective noun that emphasizes the importance of direct and ancestral relationships to the land, as human and non-human.
As First Nations peoples, we’ve chosen names that carry the garden site’s history, ancestral ecological knowledge and assist in providing navigational information and teachings to the greater public.
The First Nations Garden is located on the corner of N Pulaski Rd and W Wilson Ave in the Albany Park neighborhood. Albany Park was once known for its diversity of culture, ethnicity, and background, however, the violence of gentrification has shifted the cultural diversity of the neighborhood.
The garden is relationally located between Elston Avenue to the South and West, a historic road that predates colonization. The North Branch of the Chicago River is to the North, an area that flourished as Native villages before and during the early days of Chicago, before forced removal.
The garden's placement on Wilson Avenue holds historical significance, particularly during and after the Indian Termination Era (mid-1940s to late 1960s) and the Indian Relocation Act of 1956, which brought thousands of Natives back to Chicago.
The Uptown neighborhood, and Wilson Avenue in particular, remained a pivotal hub for Chicago's Native community well into the 2010s when gentrification eventually compelled the community to relocate again.
The First Nations Garden also offers ceremonial space and medicinal plants for Native people. We do NOT provide ceremonial or spiritual advice, lead any ceremonies, nor do we have permission to share how to use medicinal plants. We encourage you to seek advice and guidance from your own elders and spiritual leaders.
The garden has undergone renovations throughout 2025 to make the space more accessible and will be re-opening in the Spring of 2026.
Mission:
Our mission is to provide a healing space for Chicago’s First Nations communities and promote public knowledge and appreciation of Chicago’s Indigenous landscape and ecosystems.
- More info about the First Nations Garden on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/firstnationsgarden/
Email: [email protected]