Wassaja Oidag

Over the course of the 2026 spring semester, the team transformed an underutilized area of the Wassaja Center into an Indigenous medicinal and food garden rooted in sustainability, Indigenous food sovereignty, and cultural connection. Volunteers, comprised of tribal and community partners and university students, staff, faculty, were instrumental in the making of the Wassaja Oidag and reported outstanding learning and community connection outcomes from this outdoor learning environment.  

Site improvements include four raised garden beds, two medicinal planting areas, one traditional Indigenous food plot, a pollinator and desert habitat garden, a vermicomposting system, a rainwater harvesting cistern, irrigation systems, a trellis system for food production, and an outdoor learning area centered around a mesquite tree. Of the new species established, more than 50% are medicinal and culturally significant plants, supporting the project’s goal of reconnecting students and community members with Indigenous plant relationships and land-based practices. 

The project manager shared:  

“The success and sustainability of Wassaja Oidag was strengthened through collaboration with more than 20 tribal and non-tribal partners, organizations, and community collaborators. Partners’ expertise in areas including Indigenous agricultural and community education as well as their existing relationships with the space supported educational exchanges, technical learning, resource sharing, volunteer engagement, and knowledge exchange."

Through workdays, Traditional Medicine educational workshops, and technical learning exchanges, the Wassaja team is proud to have brought together 84 individuals in this space, generating 244 documented participant hours. Wassaja successfully hosted 16 workshops, educational events, and educational exchange opportunities. Pre- and post-surveys indicate that 96% of participants rated their experience as "excellent" and 100% reported an overall positive experience. Additionally, 96% of participants reported feeling more connected to the community, 87% reported a stronger sense of belonging, and 74% reported building new relationships through their participation. 

The project’s impact expands beyond the garden site itself, with meaningful technical and cultural knowledge widely gained, relationships formed and fortified, and an increase in wellbeing for participants. The implementation of Wassaja Oidag creates a lasting campus resource for future generations of students and community members.