Lakota Ways is the brainchild and design of three distinctly different U.S. indigenous tribal persons: Raycen Raines (Oglala), Kiri Close (U.S. Pacific Islander - American Samoa), and Gerald Cournoyer (Oglala). Two needs of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation are: 1) enhanced and progressed economics toward sustainable employment; & 2) revitalization turned systemization of indigenous cultural/linguistic expression in positive, uplifting, NonPolitical, and NonRevolutionary art forms. Gerald, Kiri, and Leksi Martin Red Bear refurbished the recent Associate Degree of Art in Fine Art at the Oglala Lakota College [OLC], established a Facebook 'tiospaye' of Arts/Culture Civic Engagement and Community Outreach called the 'NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS [NGP] NATIVE ARTIST CONSORTIUM' (nearly 1,400 Facebook friends to date and growing), and for a while, gained a physical studio for collegiate instruction.

 

Additionally, Gerald maintained the OLC Art studios (the old OLC Headstart in Kyle located beside the Kyle Post Office) with his own funding/out of pocket. Eventually, OLC confiscated the same Art Studios, returned them to the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Fortunately for LAKOTA WAYS, and soon after, more uplifting and postive LAKOTA WAYS partners in Native community arts/theatre reoccupied the same studios so that further, safe flourishment of Arts/Theatre/Tribal Culture continues - in spite of minor hiccups.

 

LAKOTA WAYS was established to help resolve the two above listed needs. With the help of Raycen Raines, Gerald and Kiri accomplished just that. LAKOTA WAYS is also established to provide pre- and post graduation employment to Fine Art/Arts degree majors as well as Lakota Studies (or other Northern Great Plains Indigenous Ethnic/Cultural Studies) degree majors EXCLUSIVELY. Both degrees are not typically afforded an abundance of jobs as easily as other degrees. However, LAKOTA WAYS most assuredly proves that a local college degree in the FINE ARTS and/or INDIGENOUS CULTURE, indeed, can be a sustainable economics, sustainable career choice in abundance. Thankfully, LAKOTA WAYS Founders - Raycen, Gerald, and Kiri - continue to believe that and execute those very results.

 

Not everything is perfect at LAKOTA WAYS, but things are surely progressed at a quick pace. When LAKOTA WAYS opened its doors on SATURDAY, September 1, 2012 in a 36,000+ square foot facilty in Wall, SD (a high economic zone located just north of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation), it was a boutique only of consigned tribal arts/crafts. Today, it houses the reconstructed Wounded Knee Museum; offers theatrical/song&dance performances based on local Native life & ancient stories (nearly 20 to date); hosts multiple events; has a fully functioning online website; created a cartoon character that speaks only Lakota language and is a LAKOTA WAYS exclusive merchandise line; engages in capabilities to be hired out for performances/cultural presentations in several venues; leads guided tours of multiple types on our beloved Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and surrounding areas; curates a contemporary/modern fine art gallery; Wall facility allows us to formulate several physical 'stations' for immersive, hands-on cultural and/or tribal arts experiences for visitors; provides tables for in-house and visiting featured local, regional tribal indigenous artists/crafters; employs a cast/staff of nearly 40 (all local, indigenous tribals) made up of tour booking agents, show booking agents, theatrical performers/singers/dancers, administration, etc. - all tribally indigenous from the region; consults with a bevy of informed, local tribal Elders that authorize and guide all we do (as is the local Native indigenous protocol); extended into Rapid City with six (06) other partners for a downtown Rapid City Bus/Walk tour. In progressing to this point, our own local tribal peoples practice our own culture, language toward revitalization of those beautiful ancient things while able to pay their bills at home with a little more ease. Once payroll is systemized, a Fine Arts/Arts Degree and-or regional tribal Indigenous Culture Studies Degree based career is fully cemented through LAKOTA WAYS for years to come.

 

While LAKOTA WAYS is still in progress and undergoes major improvement within our first few summer seasons, the system itself is perfect. We feel LAKOTA WAYS is a blessing from our Creator, and we continue to keep building and refining under his watchful eye - as all things should be. We enjoy the great freedoms toward utter creativity while balancing those stricter ancient expressions and within state/federal regulations as best as we know. It is a wonderful combination enjoyed at LAKOTA WAYS.

 

Our 5 (five) Board of Directors were asked to join LAKOTA WAYS based on the following criteria:

1. Northern Great Plains region Indigenous tribally enrolled, approved, or otherwise invited.

2. Hold a Master's Degree or higher from an accredited institution of Higher Learning (graduate MUST be relevant to LAKOTA WAYS purposes in Fine Arts/Arts or this region's Culture related - we will never need JD's, MBA's, MD's, Administrator or Science based trained  Master's Degree or higher since Fiscal sponsor(s) will already provide those needs - MFA's welcome). Degrees must be in-hand.

3. Raised amongst tribal, native communities on the Northern Great Plains region.

4. Exude a positive, "can do", NonPolitical/NonControversial/NonRevolution energy.   

 

LAKOTA WAYS founders have felt and experienced absolute support from our Board of Directors who continue to be updated on all operations. Below are some photographs of our Founders and Board of Directors. We apologize if we are unable to post all of our Board of Directors' photos up at this time. As soon as we can locate their pictures, we will post.