The Mitakuye Foundation
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https://mitakuyefoundation.com/
The Mitakuye Foundation was created in 2010 as a direct response to the teen suicide epidemic on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Pine Ridge is located in one of the poorest counties in the United States. Most of the difficulties that modern day Lakota deal with – like suicide, alcoholism, poverty, and teen pregnancy – are not inherently part of Lakota culture. They are the terrible by-products of colonization, oppression, and genocide.
- As artists and educators we knew the healing and transformative power of art and wanted to share that with the youth by creating original arts programming and working with local schools. We also saw the positive effects of several community and spiritual leaders on the front lines helping youth to improve their lives and understood the need to support their programs. Our work, guided by our stellar Advisory Council of community leaders and elders, is geared towards helping students fortify their cultural identities so they can turn to their traditions to tackle the difficult issues they face. All of our programs are designed to not only help the youth to survive – but to thrive.
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- The 500 MILE SACRED HOOP PRAYER RUN is an annual run that serves over 150 Lakota youth. Kids run a 5-day, 500-mile relay that follows a sacred loop around the Black Hills and many other sacred sites in Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana. Along the way the kids participate in ceremony, prayer, and traditional teachings. The run is based on the Creation story of the Black Hills and the youth run in prayer for causes including: suicide, teen pregnancy, gang violence, sobriety, treaty rights, cancer, diabetes, and to relieve the suffering of the people.
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- Mabel