As scholars across disciplines witnessed the accelerating loss of these irreplaceable cultural repositories, it became evident that existing academic and funding structures were inadequate to support the collaborative, long-term research necessary for comprehensive documentation. We founded the Society to address this critical gap, creating a dedicated platform where committed researchers could coordinate efforts, share resources, and access sustainable funding for their preservation work.

Our organization emerged specifically to chronicle voices that have been systematically marginalized throughout recorded history, recognizing that pre-colonial indigenous knowledge systems represent invaluable primary sources for understanding the full spectrum of human experience. These oral traditions, ceremonial practices, and epistemological frameworks offer unique insights into alternative ways of organizing knowledge, understanding natural systems, and structuring communities—perspectives that remain largely absent from conventional historical narratives. The urgency of this work cannot be overstated, as many of these knowledge systems exist solely in the memories and practices of aging community members.

The Sunbird Society operates as a collaborative network, connecting dedicated scholars with the resources and institutional support necessary to pursue rigorous documentation projects. Our mission centers on providing historiographers and archivists with the tools to conduct ethical, community-based research while ensuring that the resulting documentation meets the highest standards of scholarly integrity. Through ideologically aligned partnerships and targeted funding initiatives, we enable researchers to dedicate the time and attention these complex preservation efforts require, fostering a new generation of scholarship rooted in respect for indigenous epistemologies and committed to expanding our collective understanding of human cultural heritage.