Mitakuye Foundation

Awake: A Dream From Standing Rock

We are excited to announce that Josh Fox, the Emmy-award winning director of Awake: A Dream from Standing Rock and Gasland, is joining with us in support of the Mitakuye Foundation and the 500 Mile Sacred Hoop Run!

In 2016 the Mitakuye Foundation sponsored a prayer run, led by spiritual leader Ricky Gray Grass, that brought kids from Pine Ridge to Standing Rock to stand in solidarity with the water protectors. The kids were honored with a horse and police escort into the camp, were greeted by the whole camp with a powerful drum circle and ceremony, and had a special meeting with the tribal president. (See blogpost here)

We filmed the prayer run as part of our upcoming feature Running On A Wing and a Prayer (watch a sneak peak of Running On A Wing And A Prayer here) and released a short video of the Standing Rock Run on You Tube (See the film: “Prayer Run to Standing Rock”).

Sacred Hoop Runners

Awake: A Dream from Standing Rock shares some of the footage of the Sacred Hoop Runners on their journey. This beautiful film tells the story of the #NODAPL movement and the water protectors at Standing Rock Reservation in the summer and fall of 2016. We are excited that our kids got to be a part of this important film!

We are very happy to have Josh and his team as partners! We appreciate his support of the 500 Mile Sacred Hoop Run and all of the programming we do at Mitakuye to empower and uplift Native youth. We look forward to expanding the ways we support each other in our mutual goals of empowering the youth and bringing attention to the ongoing political, environmental, and economic abuses that continue to take place in the Lakota homelands!

Awake: A Dream From Standing Rock

HOLY MAN: THE USA vs DOUGLAS WHITE

We had a beautiful week of teaching, visiting schools and handing out awards to our Art Contest Winners!

Young Dancers at Crazy Horse

Young Dancers at Crazy Horse

Music Production with Paul

Music Production with Paul

Final wrap up with the young artists at Crazy Horse

We handed out awards to our Art Contest Winners at schools across the reservation!

Award Winners at OLL

Award Winners at OLL

Students at OLL cheering on their class mates

Winners at Anpo Wicahpi

Award Winner Destiny Big Crow

Award Winner Maisena Kelley at Anpo WIcahpi

Anpo Wicahpi student Breianna High Wolf has won several awards for her art

Award Winners at Rockyford School

Rockyford Artist Apollo Richards

Rockyford Artist Amalia Swallow

 

Two time first place winner Briley Ferguson

Our youngest winner Braxton Whalen

Rockyford Artist Dustin LeBeaux

Rockyford Artist Cody Mousseaux

Pine Ridge Elementary students cheer on their classmates

Three time winner Aurora Marshall

Award Winner Natalia Two Two

Pine Ridge Winners!

Red Cloud Winners

Wolf Creek Artist Emilee Hill

Wolf Creek Artist Leilani McGlaughlin

Wolf Creek Award Winners!

Little Wound Award Winners

Little Wound High School Award Winner Elizabeth Iron Horn

Batesland Elementary Award Winner Tate High Hawk

Batesland Elementary Award Winner Nathan Whalen

Batesland Award Winner Marcus Black Calf

Oelrichs School Grand Prize Winner Baylie Her Many Horses

Baylie discussing her art

Baylie’s work

Baylie’s work

Baylie’s work

HOYE WAYELO SUMMER ARTS INTENSIVE 

JULY 1 – 6, 2018

APPLICATIONS DUE JUNE 5th

The 2018 program will be held at Camp Placerville in the Black Hills from July 1-6. All students who are selected will receive full tuition scholarships, room and board and transportation to and from the Black Hills. There will be local drop off points in each district.

We had a record number of submissions for our Winter 2018 Art Contest IMAGINATION!

Congratulations to everyone who submitted!

Grand Prize: Dorian Sage Baldes, Age 16

Grand Prize: Baylie Her Many Horses, Age 15

Detail of Baylie Her Many Horses winning submission

First Place: Chance Pullman Age 18

First Place: Wicahpi Chaddelsone-Yankton, Age 16

First Place: Taiyah Pourier, Age 12

First Place: Emilee Swalley, Age 13

First Place: Elliana Lashae Reed, Age 9

First Place: Olivia Standing Bear, Age 12

First Place: Elizabeth “Bizzy” Iron Horn, Age 14

Honorable Mention: Malea I’atala Age 17

Honorable Mention: Maiden White Plume Kelly, Age 12

Honorable Mention: Aurora Marshall, Age 12

Honorable Mention: Brianna Lone Elk, Age 9

Honorable Mention: Emilee Hill, Age 12

Honorable Mention: Kinsey Hill, Age 11

Honorable Mention: Lanie McGee, Age 12

Honorable Mention: Tate High Hawk, Age 12

Honorable Mention: Abigail Booth, Age 15

Honorable Mention: Anthony Rossy Long, Age 14

Honorable Mention: Emily Stover, Age 10

Honorable Mention: Alyssa Stover, Age 12

Honorable Mention: Amalia Swallow, Age 10

Merit Award: Amanda Red Owl, Age 18

Merit Award: Breiana High Wolf, Age 13

Merit Award: Destiny Big Crow, Age 12

Merit Award: Angelina Brave Age 13

Merit Award: Laeshawna Catches, Age 13

Merit Award: Natallia Two Two, Age 11

Merit Award: Ohitika Lewis, Age 17

Merit Award: Shia Sierra, Age 11

Merit Award: Brandon Traverse, Age 13

Merit Award: Sharaon Chief Eagle, Age 12

Merit Award: Felipa De Leon, Age 9

Merit Award: Tia Sitting Bear, Age 11

Merit Award: Maraes May, Age 9

Merit Award: Gerry Runnels, Age 10

Merit Award: Dante Witt, Age 17

Merit Award: Annette Red Owl Age 11

Merit Award: Apollo Richards, Age 9

Merit Award: Kylie Big Crow. Age 12

Braxton Whalen, Age 5

Merit Award: Stephanie Brewer, Age 11

Merit Award: Lloyd Yankton, Age 1

Merit Award: William Clifford Age 13 Poem and performance piece

William Clifford Age 13 Rockyford

The theme for the Spring Art Contest is FREEDOM!

Deadline for submissions is May 5th.

The theme for the Winter Art Contest is IMAGINATION!

Deadline for submissions is February 1st.

We are happy to announce the winners of our 2017 Fall Art Contest!

There are so many ways to interpret this idea. While some of the work focused on color and incorporated color into the work – some submissions were about the absence of color and how that artistic choice made an impact.

Grand Prize Winner Aurora Marshall Age 12

Grand Prize Winner Carrie Twiss Age 18

1st Place (11-14) Elizabeth Iron Horn Age 14

1st Place (15-18) Ohitika Lewis Age 17

1st Place (15-18) Isabella Lakota Age 16

1st Place (10 & under) Amalia Swallow Age 10

Honorable Mention Alyssa Stove Age 12

Honorable Mention Tyra Standing Bear Age 16

Honorable Mention Giani Bettelyoun Age 12

Honorable Mention Angelina Zimiga Age 14

Honorable Mention Malia White Eyes 1 Age 10

Honorable Mention Malia White Eyes2 Age 10

Award Of Merit Brianna Vocu Age 16

Award Of Merit Emilee Swalley Age 14

Award Of Merit Shia Sierra Age 11

Award Of Merit Kaylee Provost Age 10

Award Of Merit Johnny Vallejo Age 10

Award Of Merit Jaye Kingfisher age 9

Every student who submits artwork for a contest is automatically enrolled in our Creators Club. Every time they submit work they earn points to save up for prizes. We are most interested in keeping young people engaged in the creative process – and the Creators Club was born for that very purpose. It goes us a way to reward effort as well as merit and keep kids engaged in the ongoing process of creativity.

2017 was a busy year at Mitakuye!

We gave out hundreds of prizes and awards for our Monthly Art Contests and Creators Club.

Grand Prize Winner Joey Hill, Age 12

Grand Prize Winner Baylie Her Many Horses, Age 15

Grand Prize Winner Morgan Nava Age 17

We sponsored the 500 mile Sacred Hoop Run with over 130 runners

Photo Credit Simon J Joseph

Photo Credit Simon J Joseph

Photo Credit Simon J Joseph

The Hoye Wayelo Arts Intensives brought teachers from all over the globe to work with young Lakota Artists in the fields of Dance, Music, Visual Arts, Filmmaking, and Traditional Arts:

Check out the 2017 Summer Films here:

Lakota Lady Warriors: https://vimeo.com/242417125

The Institution: https://vimeo.com/242418054

We sponsored the Thunder Lake Boxing Club for Boys and Girls in events all over the region:

Thunder Lake Boxers prepare for the Buckskin Gloves Invitational in Ft Hall

Darren NoDAPL Cross

Nyah Sierra

We launched our LIFELINE posters – designed by winners of the poster contest.

Mitakuye LIFELINE Poster designed by Breianna High Wolf Age 10

Mitakuye LIFELIBNE Poster designed by Jordan Cortier Age 17

Showing the final print to Breiana High Wolf – one of the two winning artists that designed the posters

We did a Spring School Tour in schools across the reservation. We brought art opportunities, handed out prizes for our Art Contest Winners and Creators Club participants, and shared posters and information for the LIFELINE and other suicide prevention programs run by the BEARS.

We brought prom dresses and make up for kids going to prom!

We worked with the BEAR program to help get Pine Ridge Youth to the Unity Conference in Arizona:

Brian Sherman, one of the young people we mentor, was selected as a 2017 Running Strong For American Indian Youth DreanStarter! We helped Brian apply for the grant and developed a training program and curriculum for him to realize his goals of bringing dance to the Pine Ridge Reservation. We brought Brian to Los Angeles in June to train at studios all over Los Angeles and to receive his Zumba Certification so he can teach not only on the reservation but any where across the world.

Tor Campbell at Neighborhood Dance Studio

Swing Brazil at Electric Lodge in Venice

And we are not done yet! Our New Year’s Safe Events for all ages will run from 6pm 12/31 to 6 am 1/1/18.

New Years Eve Safe Event 2017

2018 is shaping up to be even more exciting! Thank you for all you do to help support these young people. Don’t forget to make your Year End Donations here: https://mitakuyefoundation.com/donate/

Submit to our Winter Art Contest!

What does the idea of IMAGINATION inspire you to create?

All forms of creativity are encouraged!

Deadline is February 1st 2018.

Tee Iron Cloud “Wakanyeja” photo by Jennifer Jessum

Today we are thankful for all of the beautiful and sacred young people we get to work with at Mitakuye!

Read Simon J Joseph’s beautiful post about Wakanyeja (Sacred Seed):

https://simonjjoseph.blogspot.com/2017/11/wakanyeja.html

And listen to Tee Iron Cloud’s haunting melody here: