“I was talking with my daughter about the world – and shared with her how I genuinely believe if everyone on this planet went through the Oceti Wakan curriculum we would have world peace.”
Testimonial from Community Partner
“Oceti Wakan” translates to Sacred Fireplace. The fireplace represents the central gathering place for family and community—where people come together, share stories, find warmth, and connect. It’s the sacred space where the fire burns and people gather around it.
Thirty-six years ago, 37th and 38th Generation Medicine Men—Petaga Yuha Mani (Pete Catches Sr.) and Zintkala Oyate (Peter Catches)—lit a fire. They saw addiction and suicide devastating Pine Ridge, and they envisioned a process for healing by helping the community return to living a life walking in balance — Living Wolakota.
We need your help keeping this fire burning—maintaining the sacred gathering place where healing, culture, and community come together.
The Reality vs. The Hope – We provide services in a community with one of the lowest life expectancies in the Western Hemisphere. The challenges are real. Yet the Lakota spirit remains unbreakable—and your support helps ensure that resilience transforms into healing and hope.
Over the last decade, your support has built a protective shield for our children and youth:
- 5,000+ students across 40 schools now use our K-12 Life Skills prevention curriculum
- We use the sacred Medicine Wheel to heal the mind, body, emotions, and spirit of our children, youth, parents, and community members
Now, we must fulfill the second half of our founders’ vision.
Education planted the seeds. Now, we must build the sacred fireplace to keep this fire burning.
Your gift today contributes to our Two-Fold Path to Healing:
- Healing the Family – Expanding workshops for parents, teachers, and community members so the healing students find in the classroom is supported at home and throughout the community
- Building the Sacred Space – Laying the groundwork for the Oceti Wakan Healing Center, the physical space our founders dreamed of—a place for sweats, talking circles, skill-building, and restoration for those seeking better lives.
Your Impact Today:
- $50 provides holiday joy to a child who might otherwise go without
- $100 puts culturally-based prevention tools into the hands of students, parents, and community members
- $500+ helps lay the foundation for the Healing Center
Whether you give to provide a gift for a child or to lay the foundational stones of the Healing Center, you are honoring the legacy of the Medicine Men who started this journey. You are nurturing our Sacred Fireplace.
Mitakuye Oyasin — We are all related. Thank you for being our family.
Wopila Tanka,
The Oceti Wakan Team
www.ocetiwakan.org
P.S. Donations of $100+ receive our limited edition 2026 Calendar, featuring stunning Lakota and Dakota artwork and cultural wisdom—a daily reminder of the beauty you are helping to preserve.