Indigenous Governance Database
Oglala Sioux Tribe
New economic hope on Pine Ridge Reservation
When I read the Lakota Country Times I am heartened by the economic progress that oftentimes is hidden in the more alarming media reports of rampant alcoholism and the resulting horrors that the disease brings to the communities there on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. There is hope to be had in…
Hoka! Coffee gets off the ground in Pine Ridge
Some people are lucky enough to find a job that stimulates their passions, Sharice Davids just happens to be one of those people. Sharice’s recently created a coffee company on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Taking inspiration from the Lakota language she decided to name her company Hoka!…
Henry Red Cloud Leads the Renewable-Energy Charge at Pine Ridge
There is a revolution under way to bring renewable resources to Native American people. Led by modern-day warrior Henry Red Cloud, a direct fifth generation descendent of Red Cloud, the famous Lakota war chief, and Trees, Water & People (TWP), inroads are being made one home and one business at…
Credit union opens new doors at Pine Ridge
In only nine weeks since it opened, the Lakota Federal Credit Union has attracted 317 members, and $1.2 million in deposits. “We have already approved $100,000 in loans, and that has been by word of mouth. It’s been huge,” Tawney Brunsch, executive director for the Lakota Funds, announced. Brunsch…
The Dirt Poor and Filthy Rich: A Study in Contrasts
A pair of Sir Elton John’s signature high-heeled boots. … Jimmy Hendrix’s Flying V guitar. One of Madonna’s bustiers. A bevy of pick-chipped six-strings previously owned by rock legends like Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton — and one American Indian tribe owns them all. The Seminole Tribe of Florida, who…
Addressing the crisis in the Lakota language
With only 2 to 5 percent of children currently speaking Lakota, Thomas Short Bull, president of the Oglala Lakota College, said the time has come to raise the alarm. As the day begins at the Lakota Language Immersion School, a young boy passes an abalone bowl of sage to each child sitting on the…
Gardens Flourish on Pine Ridge
John Yellow Hawk’s garden is one of many new feeders of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation’s developing economy. This past year, Yellow Hawk and 20 other Oglala gardeners each received a $1,000 loan and a $2,000 grant from Citigroup via Lakota Funds, a 26-year-old Native community development financial…
South Dakota Indians Sue for Early Voting
Native Americans have never had an easy time getting to vote in South Dakota. In 1977, the state attorney general dismissed the Voting Rights Act as an “absurdity” and advised state officials to ignore the federal law. The state didn’t allow Native Americans into polling places until the 1940s,…
Oglala Sioux tribe to vote on constitutional changes
A more stable tribal government and economic development on the reservation could be the result of a vote on constitutional changes by Oglala Sioux Tribal members on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation April 22, supporters say...Key proposals include an amendment to separate the tribe's judicial…
South Dakota maker of bison snack bar expects big growth with Whole Foods partnership
A South Dakota company created to provide a healthy snack for American Indians expects its sales to grow by a third this year after seeing its product picked up by national grocery chain Whole Foods Markets. The development also could lead to more hiring at Native American Natural Foods in Kyle,…
Indian Pride: Episode 113: Indian Gaming
Indian Pride, an American Indian cultural magazine television series, spotlights the diverse cultures of American Indian people throughout the country. This episode of Indian Pride features Philip Hogen, former Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission, and focuses on the topic of Indian…