Aho!  It’s been a long winter, but promises of spring begin to sprout.

We just began  lštáwicayazan Wi, “the moon of the sore eyes”named so because typically there is plenty of snow glaring in the mid-day sun.  But days are getting longer and the blanket of snow is receding.

We’ve been busy attending winter powwows and art festivals in the Dakotas and Nebraska. These are opportunities to meet up with long time friends and encounter new ones.

We’ve also been leading workshops in traditional crafts  In these workshops we teach the participants how to make things that have been part of Lakota life for times immemorial; hand drums, moccasins or dream catchers for example. The workshops are unique in that they provide opportunities to share with participants usually a group of 10-12 people, stories that shape our history and concerns, in an intimate, informal setting–sort of like a family gathering.

People ask questions: What is it like to live at Pine Ridge? What do you like about it? What are the difficulties?  What are the possibilities? When these workshops happen at our reservation, usually at Pine Ridge Retreat Center, participants are able to see with their own eyes what some of the difficulties are, the great distances, limited resources and economic hardships among others. But they also see the beauty, of the land and our people and they understand and even appreciate that this is home for us, and we love it so. Consider planning a visit Pine Ridge. Until then, learn more about history and culture by arranging for a presentation or workshop in your area. Click here for further information. More questions? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us at info@lakotarednations.com

Omaka Teca! Happy New Year!

It’s been awhile since you last heard from us. Several severe storms have hit Pine Ridge and while we are used to all that winter brings, there is always a challenge to deal with what it does for driving around here.

In the next few weeks we will highlight some Lakota Red Nations specialty crafts explaining why and how we make them. We make things inspired by our history and tradition reflected in objects that were once used everyday; cradle boards, moccasins, drums, and medicine pouches to name a few. By recreating these items we bring something of the past into today’s world.

How do we do this? Throughout the year Kelly and Suzie select for the raw materials that will be used; buffalo and elk raw hide, cherry, and willow wood, paints, beads, quill and more. Many of these materials can be sourced locally. As we prepare the materials, we visualize what it will look like when it is finished. Many items are patterned after prototypes we have spend many years perfecting. But we always incorporate something new; a different color, size or design for example.

Take for an example our uniquely designed wo unhabli -dream catcher. People of the Ojibwa Nation first made dream catchers. The custom spread to neighboring nations including the Lakota. Now they come in all different sizes, shapes and material. Typically dream catchers are made with a single hoop. Kelly’s design uses three hoops. Two hoops are joined at the top. Supporting the two hoops is a third, usually painted or beaded with the colors of the Lakota sacred hoop, red, yellow, white or black. One web is woven to bind the three hoops together.

Dream catchers serve as a reminder to keep away from negative thoughts. They also remind us to work at turning our good dreams for the future into reality. We often hope of peace in the world. Kelly’s design fuses all of of these intentions together, letting go of the negative of the past, welcoming the positive of the New Year as well as each new day and hoping for peace in the world. Contact us to learn more about dream catchers or to order one for your home.

Once again Lakota Red Nations participated in Black Hills Powwow at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center located in Rapid City South Dakota. This powwow featured dance and singing competitions with special emphasis on the Northern Plains’ traditions.

This powwow is one of the largest in the area attracting hundreds of participants and thousands of visitors, Native and non-Native alike. Being the early days of October, tourists from abroad still enjoying the last days of their summer holidays experience a slice of Plains Indian culture and hospitality. We met some old friends and made many new ones.

As always, we not only had plenty of handcrafted items for sale at the powwow but also had a picture exhibit highlighting significant moments in Lakota and Dakota history. Through these visual images and descriptions Kelly provides for visitors to our booth perspectives of events in Northern Plain Indian history that are underrepresented or misrepresented in standard US history textbooks used in schools.

There are good efforts to change the way history is taught and to educate a new generation of teachers and Native American youth developing a deeper contextualized understanding of the past.   South Dakota Indian Education Summit brings together professionals across the country to study and share experience in best practice in the field of Indian education and this year we participated as vendors and attended several sessions that focused on integrating Native American cultural values in education and creating strong learning environments for youth in Indian Country.

November is Native American Heritage month and there are many ways you can take advantage of activities throughout the country to educate you and your family on American Indian history. To learn more visit Native American Heritage Month a resource site for teachers and anyone interested in delving into history from different perspectives. To commemorate, we’ll be posting brief articles on historical events, places of interest and the invaluable contributions that the Lakota/Sioux have made throughout history and today.

Aho!

It’s been a busy end of the summer doing what we love to do; share Lakota art and history. In August, collaborating with Wakpamni Lake Cultural Center, our family provided guided tours for visitors from Germany. We went to Devils Tower  known in Lakota as Matȟó Thípila-“Bear Lodge”, Medicine Wheel and Badlands National Park. Our visitors also participated in a youth rally and run at the annual Pine Ridge Reservation Powwow. Each year this event draws thousands of visitors.

photos:https://commons.wikimedia.org

 There is no better way to know and love a new place then spending time with the locals. We are honored to be collaborating with Wakpamni Lake Cultural Center in their efforts to share the best of Lakota living for visitors to Pine Ridge. Contact us to arrange for you next travel adventure.

Summer is the time for families and friends, new and old, to come together.  There’s no better place to do so than at a traditional wacipi. This year, on July 2 during the Veterans Honoring at the Wakpamni Lake Area wacipi,  we introduced a new group of young dancers, ages 7-12. This gathering is one of the oldest continuous events around held annually for over 100 years.   With some help and guidance the dancers our granddaughter included,  prepared their regalia and dance. For many it was their first time in the arena, but you would never know it because they danced as if they had all their  life. What a blessing and joy to see a new generation dancing for the people! They will continue our tradition well into the 21st century.