Badlands , SD
Who are we?
We are an Indigenous Cultural Resource Management Company specializing in Site Protection and Preservation. We value and honor our heritage through protecting our natural resources and preserving our heritage and culture. We come from a family who is very involved in our community practicing core values learned from our elders and ceremonies. Our goal is to streamline the Indigenous Cultural Resource Management process creating databases using new-age technology allowing users to access cultural and natural resources using metadata standards and GIS.
Traditions
We support the cultural foundations of Indigenous communities by embedding culture and creativity into work. We can create opportunities for growth, employment, and wealth generation. We encourage the continuation of traditional artistic practices, the sharing of ancestral knowledge, and the fostering of intergenerational cultural exchange.
History
We were raised on the Assiniboine, Sioux and Mandan Nation values by our mother who was taught by her grandmother on the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana. The beliefs and values taught to me instilled a great appreciation and respect of the importance of our heritage. As time went on, I realized my passion for the cultural ways can be a way to share and unite all our relations. Thus, Circlingthunder was created.
Preservation
Along with our history and traditions, we want to ensure that our heritage is preserved. We are proactively passing down oral histories and storytelling, teaching Indigenous languages, practicing traditional arts and crafts, protecting sacred sites, engaging elders as knowledge keepers, promoting community-led initiatives, and advocating for cultural rights and recognition while ensuring respect for Indigenous communities and their autonomy in managing their cultural heritage.
Experience and Leadership
Founder Larry Longee, Jr.’s extensive experience and collaborative efforts in Indigenous tribal relations are commendable. He has established meaningful partnerships across various levels of government and with Indigenous communities. The work involving Section 106, AB52, CEQA, NAGPRA, and NEPA requires a delicate balance of legal compliance, cultural sensitivity, and community engagement. Larry is a bridge builder—someone who connects worlds, ensuring that heritage is respected while progress moves forward. His reputation speaks volumes, echoing through the hills and valleys where ancestral stories reside. Larry’s experience includes working with the following:
Tribes and Archeologists:
Fort Peck Indian Reservation
Yocha DeHe Wintun Nation
Middletown Rancheria
Shingle Springs Miwok Band of Indians
Colusa Indian Community Council
LSA Associates
Pacific Legacy
Far Western Anthropological Research Group
GEI
Oil and Gas Companies:
TC Energy
Pacific Gas & Electric
First Responder Training - Gas
Indigenous Relations - Construction Liaison
Indigenous Cultural Sensitivity Training
Federal, State, County and City Municipalities:
City of Napa
Napa County
Solano Community College
US Army Corps of Engineers
UC Davis
City of West Sacramento
Yolo County
Pacific Gas & Electric
Cal Fire
USDA/US Forest Service
State of California
Sonoma State University
Caltrans
Lake County
California Native American Heritage Commission