By Sina Ikikcu Win-Ethleen Iron Cloud Two Dogs | Knife Chief Buffalo Nation Board member
-Project Report with photos for May 2013 is attached, could not input all of text and photos due to web page technical difficulties.
MILA YATAN PIKA PTE OYATE
OKOLAKICIYE
Project Report May 2013
This report covers the end of February 1st through
May 31, 2013. Mila Yatan Pika Pte Oyate
Okolakiciye (Knife Chief Buffalo Nation Organization) continues to provide a
pasture/home for members of the Pte Oyate (Buffalo Nation) and the community
continues to reap the benefits in terms of spiritual and physical nourishment
from them. Below is a summary of our
activities for this period.
February
2013 – a partnership with Students Shoulder to Shoulder organization was formed. This international organization send teams of
youth to various communities around the globe to assist with community development
and as a cultural exchange. This organization
will send youth to the Knife Chief Buffalo Nation Organization in Porcupine to
assist with preparation for the summer ceremonies and the fencing of the buffalo
pasture.
March 2013 – Welcoming new babies ceremony: In this ceremony the babies born within the
past year are blessed on a buffalo robe and a positive prediction and prayer is
made for their lives.
March 2013 – Welcoming back the Thunder Nation
ceremony was held at Hinhan Kaga Paha (Imitates Owl Mountain) in the sacred Black
Hills of South Dakota.
March 2013 – a collaborative partnership was formed
with the Tasunke Wakan Okolakiciye (Medicine Horse Society) and Tatanka Hoksila
Okolakiciye (Buffalo Boy Society), an organization whose goal is to provide affordable
housing to the reservation community; the members of these organizations traveled
to the sacred Black Hills on a wood cutting and wood hauling project so there
will be wood for the sacred Inipi (purification) ceremony.
April 2013 – the Istamni Wicakicipakintapi (wiping of
tears) ceremony was held on April 27, 2013 for all of creation to acknowledge the
losses experienced throughout the year by our relatives – the four legged, the
winged and the plant/tree nations. This
was held at Pe Sla in the sacred Black Hills.
May 2013 – Wanasa (community travels for sacred
buffalo hunt) ceremony was held on May 4th. A young Lakota man prepared for the hunt four
days in a row in the sacred manner and made a buffalo kill so that there would
be meat for the people to be fed in preparation for and during the sacred MilaYatan
Pika (Knife Chief) Sundance ceremony in June.
We plan on sponsoring a rite of passage for a young boy who will prepare in the sacred
manner for a buffalo hunt which will be used for the Tasunke Wakan Wi Wayang Wacipi
(Medicine Horse Sundance Ceremony) in July.
We are also planning to make a journey to the sacred mountain, Inyan Kaga Paha (where
stones are gathered mountain) located in the sacred Black Hills. This journey is in observance of the
spiritual calendar when offerings are made in preparation for the Summer
ceremonies. All of the spiritual offerings made at different times throughout the year according to the
spiritual calendar were taught to us as Lakota people by the Pte Oyate (buffalo
nation) and to whom we continue to honor and care for.
Our fencing project will continue this summer with the help of the international organization, Students Shoulder to Shoulder.
We are also planning for the Children’s Healing Camp on July 12-16, 2013 for children,
ages 7-12, who have experienced trauma, grief and loss. This is a grass roots community
based camp in response to the violence, abuse and trauma the children suffer. This will be held in Porcupine, SD in partnership with Tasunke Wakan Okolakiciye (Medicine Horse Society). See attached brochure for more information.
CONTACT
For
more information, contact us at:
Email: knifechiefbuffalonation@gmail.com
Telephone: 605-209-8777 or 605-407-0091
Website: www.knifechiefbuffalonation.org
We extend a heartfelt appreciation to the people who have supported our efforts
whether financially, physically or spiritually.
Your support is truly appreciated and we especially appreciate the
Tunkasila (spiritual entities) for their continued support and guidance. We also acknowledge the Pte Oyate (Buffalo
Nation) for what they inspire in us and their teachings – protection of the
young, conservation of the land and the strength and fortitude to endure
whatever comes. Lila Wopila Tanka!! (We
thank you all very much). We ask you the general public, our friends and
relatives, what you think we should do to expand our work so that others can
learn from the teachings of the buffalo nation?
We are very interested in hearing from you!
Knife
Chief Buffalo Nation Organization, Buffalo Pasture, February 2013
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