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 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.
The First Nations Garden is located on the corner of North Pulaski Road and West Wilson Avenue, in the Albany Park neighborhood. The garden is relationally located between Elston Avenue to the South and West—a historic road that predates colonization—and the North Branch of the Chicago River to the North, in an area that flourished as Native villages before and during the early days of Chicago, before forced removal. The garden hosts various cultural and educational events, such as storytelling sessions, cultural ceremonies, community meals, traditional planting workshops, and youth programs that promote indigenous knowledge and practices. Additionally, the garden features an outdoor art gallery showcasing works by First Nations artists that celebrate their community’s relationship to the land, creativity, and rich cultural heritage.