LAKOTA JOURNEY
“The success of revitalization of our Lakota language lies within the quest to better understand our Lakota spirituality, not as a religion, but to seek and have a greater understanding of a way of life gifted to us by Tunkasila, Creator, in the very beginning.”
Leonard Little Finger, Founder/Director
Cangleska Wakan Owayawa, Oglala, SD.
THE PRINCIPALS GUIDING LAKOTA CIRCLE VILLAGE.
The
Lakota Circle Village adheres to four (4) cardinal principals to
guide and govern decisions and plans for the program goals and
strategies:
- IKCE WICASA TA’ WO’YUKCAN: Wisdom from our past creating solutions for our future. The Ikce Wicasa Ta’ Woyukcan (The Common Man Ways ) will guide Lakota Circle Village as we seek to develop traditional-based and culturally appropriate solutions to the challenges that confront this nation. By drawing from our heritage and cultural traditions, we create lasting solutions and stronger communities based upon the premise of “Lakota Thinking” which allows the application of traditional knowledge .
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LAND AND TRADITIONAL
KNOWLEDGE ASSETS:
See the
resources, not just the needs. Our family already possesses many
of the assets that are necessary to create a healthy and viable
Lakota Circle Village project. The wisdom of our heritage, the enthusiasm of the youth, the richness of our land and
culture, the centrality of our kinship,
our desire the create stronger and healthier communities;
and, even large numbers of people looking for meaningful
work due to unemployment, all lead to the capacity to create
solutions that will be culturally based and sustainable.
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PERSPECTIVE IS CRUCIAL:
Strengthening the structural roots of the Lakota culture is
the whole basis of this effort. It is simply not enough to
save and protect cultural activities, such as ceremonies, songs
and stories. The substance of which these traditional cultural
practices originated from must be researched, identified, and
maintained. Lakota Circle Village will work to redevelop the
foundation of the “Ikce Wicasa Hute”, the Common Man’s roots,
the origin of the identity of the nation.
- PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT: Throughout the Lakota history many cultural, social, and political changes has been accompanied by assimilation processes that have resulted in loss or confusion of identity. In reverse, the Lakota have long understood the relationships of being interconnected with all of creation and Creator, known as Tukasila, Grandfather. The principal belief is based upon the Cannupa, sacred pipe brought by the White Buffalo Calf Woman at the direction of Tunkasila. The sacred pipe is integral to all Lakota rituals and ceremonies, as well as to conduct and behavior, socially, economically, and even, politically systems. Its purpose fuses the individual with his or her fellows, the community of all people, and the larger community of all creations. Adherence to this belief allows a raising or expansion of individual consciousness naturally known to the Lakota as “Natural Law”. One who learns and understands of this ancient traditional and spiritual knowledge sheds the isolated, individual personality and is restored to conscious harmony with the universe or “Sacred Circle of Life”, “Cangleska Wakan”. For this reason, the name of this effort is symbolized as Lakota Circle Village.