Archives for December 2018

2018 was a record breaking year at Mitakuye!

Avaline Little Elk holds her traditionally tanned deer skin

We had more students than ever submitting to our Creators Club and Art Contests!

Grand Prize: Winner Dorian Sage Baldes

1st Place Winner Kinsey Hill

Grand Prize Winner Avaline Little Elk

1st Place Honors Winner Christian Sage Lakota

We ran multiple Hoye Wayelo Arts Immersion programs this summer including our first ever sleep away intensive in the Black Hills! The Intensives bring local artists and visiting artists from all over the globe to work with young Lakota Artists in the fields of Dance, Music, Music Production, Visual Arts, Filmmaking, Photography, Writing, and a full spectrum of Traditional Arts including: Traditional Brain Tanning, Beadwork, Plant Medicines, and Traditional Flutes.

Photo Credit: Jessie White Face

Check out the song the music students created here:

https://mitakuyefoundation.com/hoye-wayelo-2018-summer-music-production-the-art-of-life/

Check out the films the students made here:

https://mitakuyefoundation.com/hoye-wayelo-2018-summer-films/

We took the art to the streets with students in Pine Ridge.

We did several Residencies at Crazy Horse School in Wanblee where we taught dance, music, writing, filmmaking and music production.

Students wrote and recorded an original song you can listen to here:

They also filmed a music video that will be out at the beginning of the year!

Arts Residency at Crazy Horse

We connected with thousands of students across the reservation in our Spring and Fall school tours and handed out hundreds of awards to contest winners and Creator’s Club participants!

Award assembly at Pine Ridge

Creator’s Club art supplies and awards!

Wolf Creek Awards

Award Winners at OLL

Award Winners at Rockyford School

Every school is supplied with posters for The LIFELINE – our 24 hour help line run by leaders from the Sweetgrass Project and BEARs program.

Mitakuye LIFELINE Poster designed by Jordan Cortier Age 17

Mitakuye LIFELINE Poster designed by Breianna High Wolf Age 10

We had another beautiful year for the Annual 500 Mile Sacred Hoop Prayer Run.

500 Mile Sacred Hoop Run

Footage of our runners from the Standing Rock Prayer run were featured in the award winning film AWAKE: A Dream From Standing Rock.

Awake: A Dream From Standing Rock

The Thunderlake Lakota Nation Boxing Club for Girls and Boys toured all over the region. Students won many of their matches this year including the regional and national Silver Gloves Championships!

Sisters Niyah and Tina Sierra Photo credit: Randi Shawaway

Champion Isnala White Bull Photo credit: Randi Shawaway

Champion Niyah Sierra Photo credit: Randi Shawaway

Our Holiday Toy Drive sent out 2 huge shipments to Wakpamni village in Pine Ridge. The Holiday community dinner and give-away is one of many community safe events we sponsor.

We have a full roster of programs and events lined up for 2019!

Help us get the new year off to a great start by making an End Of Year contribution here:

https://mitakuyefoundation.com/donate/

WOPILA!

We had a record number of submissions for our October 2018 Art Contest: NATURE!

Congratulations to everyone who submitted!

Grand Prize: Avaline Little Elk, Age 14

Grand Prize: Avaline Little Elk, Age14

First Place Honors: Christian Sage Lakota, Age 14

First Place: Aurora Marshall, Age 13

First Place: Mahtea Brown Thunder, Age 10

First Place: Hayden Pettigrew, Age 9

First Place: Elizabeth Richards, Age 18

First Place: Dorian Sage Baldes, Age 16

First Place: Nora Marshall, Age 12

Honorable Mention: Ramona Tibbitts, Age 9

Honorable Mention: Eryn Plenty Wolf, Age 10

Honorable Mention: Eliza Brien, Age 12

Honorable Mention: Emik Cobain Bruguier, Age 11

Honorable Mention: Victoria Andrews, Age 11

Honorable Mention: Jacinta Vasquez, Age 13

Honorable Mention: Ohiyesawin Ramirez, Age 14

A CALLING TO THE LIGHT

High and Low.
I find it comforting how rivers flow.

My spirit lives in my hair
I pray the days I cut it are numbered rare

Winters pass like a heard of bison
White men came and stole the land
Now a company goes by tyson
They kill animals as if its grand

Dying from greed
Unnecessary numbers for feed

We see the trouble
Yet our minds turn to rubble

We do nothing
We forgot who we are.
We can do something
But all we want is that new car.

Pipelines polluting water
We fought but almost faced slaughter.

Our people are falling apart!
Being poked and prodded by darts!

What are we anymore?
Joining forces with the rival!
Now we believe it from the core!
When the start was just for survival..

We gave up on environment.
Our hearts seem to be in retirement.

We can bring old ways back!
Stop cutting our fears slack!

Unči makȟa is blight
Let’s save our grandmother!
Bring back the light
What do you say sister, brother?

Let’s call to the light.

Honorable Mention: Mae WhapeToWin Tobacco, Age 15

Honorable Mention: Danaye Mills, Age 15

Honorable Mention: Amber Pena, Age 16

Honorable Mention: Aurora White Thunder, Age 14

Honorable Mention: Pema Bull Bear, Age 10

Honorable Mention: Brooklyn Twiss, Age 8

Honorable Mention: Shirleah Ferguson, Age 10

Honorable Mention: Terrayah Rogers, Age 10

Merit Award: Emily Shangreaux, Age 16

Honorable Mention: Grace Eagle Elk, Age 12

Merit Award: Griffey Big Crow, Age 17

Merit Award: Katherine Plenty Bull, Age 17

Merit Award: Lester James Jack, Age 15

Merit Award: Louis Pulliam Jr, Age 15

Merit Award: Tyler Star Comes Out, Age 15

Merit Award: Anthony Rossy Long, Age 15

Merit Award: Athena Meredith Cook, Age 16

Merit Award: Alfred Richards, Age 14

Merit Award: Christopher Red Owl, Age 16

Merit Award: Brandon Traversie, Age 14

Merit Award: Emilee Hill, Age 12

Merit Award: Amanda Iron Cloud, Age 14

Merit Award: LaNessa Hand, Age 13

Merit Award: Charlie Iron Cloud, Age 11

Merit Award: Kinsey Hill, Age 11

Merit Award: Kadence Weston, Age 11

Merit Award: Maisena Kelly, Age 12

Merit Award: Tate High Hawk, Age 12

Merit Award: Lily DuBray, Age 16 – “Stare and Nothing”

Merit Award: Alyssa White Eyes, Age 8

Merit Award: Moraes May, Age 10

Merit Award: Rio Weston, Age 7

Merit Award: Jeffrey Ferguson, Age 10

Merit Award: Elizarayne Clifford, Age 9

Merit Award: Elliana Leshae Reed, Age 9

Merit Award: Ashley Ghost, Age 9

Merit Award: Virginia Spencer, Age 8

We are collecting NEW, UNWRAPPED toys for kids ages 9 months to 18 years.

Pick ups in Los Angeles are December 15th and 16th. If you would like to set up a drive in your community please let us know. You can also donate directly to the toy fund: https://mitakuyefoundation.com/donate/   – and note “Toy Fund” in the program box.