EAGLE BUTTE, SD — This summer, five young women from the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation had the opportunity to visit Pipestone National Monument for Founders Day, an annual celebration that includes a variety of activities and cultural experiences. The nonprofit Cheyenne River Youth Project organized the trip Aug. 23-25 ​​for the teens, who ranged in age from 14 to 18.

For over 3,000 years, indigenous people have mined the red stone here to make pipes for prayer and ceremonies. The tradition continues today, making Pipestone a sacred site for many, including the Lakota people.

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“For us, connection to the land is essential to our long-term health and well-being,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “Our Lakota culture is deeply rooted in this connection, which is why we are committed to providing our youth with every opportunity to visit our sacred places. The land is part of who we are.”

Many of these sacred sites are far from the Cheyenne River Reservation, home to four tribes of the Lakota Nation. The reservation was created in 1889, when the Great Sioux Reservation was divided into several smaller reservations, and the people lost access to sites vital to their cultural health.

“I’ve never been to Minnesota and I didn’t know we had family as far away as here,” said Loula, 14. “It’s cool that we (the Lakota people) are so spread out.”

“I talked to the young women about the importance of connecting to the land and caring for it,” said Jerica Widow, CRYP’s program director, who mentored the teens. “Even though we’re far from home, it’s still a rewarding experience.” Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) earth.

Widow invited teens enrolled in CRYP’s current Indigenous Food Sovereignty and Lakota Culture workshops to participate in the August trip, and the youth project also opened the opportunity to teens from the broader community. The group left Eagle Butte on the morning of Friday, August 23, and drove five hours to Pipestone, Minnesota.

Founders Day on Saturday, August 24, was a busy day for the Cheyenne River teens. Not only did they get to see mining, traditional flute playing and cooking demonstrations, they also learned how to make an atlatl and practiced shooting.

An atlatl is a spear-throwing device that allows hunters to hurl projectiles over 100 meters at speeds of up to 160 km/h. This Stone Age technology is powerful and effective, and evidence indicates that it has been in use for approximately 30,000 years.

While in Pipestone, the teens also met Jackie Bird, a longtime hoop dancer and culture bearer who is a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Tribe of South Dakota and the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota.

About the Author: “Levi \”Calm Before the Storm\” Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Native News Online. Rickert is the recipient of the 2021 Native Media Award for Best Column in Print/Online from the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at [email protected].”

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