Buffalo Children's Society

One of the most important aspects of One Spirit's work is to support initiatives in the communities on Pine Ridge that promote cultural traditions while engaging youth to develop their talents through healthy activities and interests. It is in this spirit that we have been invited by the Allen Community Action Program (CAP) Office to work with them on behalf of the youth of the Pass Creek District and help build the Buffalo Children's Society.

The programs and plans have been developed by the adults and youth of the Pass Creek District. These programs meet a serious need in that they provide opportunities and activities that:

• are enticing to young people
• give them productive, positive alternatives to involvement in self destructive activities
  

For those of us at One Spirit, it is a unique way of working with the Lakota people that exemplifies our philosophy of supporting their initiatives. The community has a long-term plan for this program, called The Buffalo Children's Society, that will provide real hope and support for the youth. This project is beginning with the Allen Art Project.

THE ALLEN ART PROJECT

The Art Project is comprised of three phases.

The first phase: painting the basement space to be used for art activities and preparing the wall for a mural, has been completed. Thanks to a generous donor, money was made available for the paint and supplies. The young people, under the supervision of John DuBray, Administrator Assistant of the Pass Creek District, completed the work. The space is being used for art activities and for community events.

The second phase: setting up a web site so that the youth can display and sell their work. Again, through a generous donor, a new computer and printer were donated and 6 months of broadband internet service has been provided. The web site is in the planning stage.

The third phase: the young people, under the mentorship of Native Artists, will produce paintings, drawings, sculptures, beadwork, quillwork and other art work including a mural for the wall of their space. This phase is ready to begin and the design for the wall mural has been made.

We are presently seeking funding for the art program. We have been able to keep the project moving but ongoing funding for the project is necessary. The community has a plan to make the program self-sustaining and need our help during this development.
We estimate that the initial cost of the project will be about $5000.00

In addition to money for supplies, we need:

• someone to help the group to build a web site for the use of the youth in exhibiting their work
• assistance with exhibiting and marketing the art works produced by the youth
• assistance with publicity for the project

Once the Art Project is well established, the Pass Creek community will develop plans for other programs that will be part of the Buffalo Children's Society.

The letter below from John DuBray describes the program and the dream:

In the south west corner in the state of South Dakota, there is a community called Pass Creek, one of the original nine districts of the Pine Ridge Sioux/Lakota Reservation. The town in the district is called Allen. This Community is made-up of five smaller communities called "Ospiye" These Ospiye are made-up of large extended families called "Tiospiye". These Tiospiye are made-up of small families called "Tiwahe".

In these communities are many young people with visions, dreams, and hope for a better future. They like horseback riding, playing basketball, playing softball, and many things that young people like to do. In this community the love for the horse is rampant. This community is truly a medicine horse community with many of the young people practicing their culture. In this poor socio-economical community the chances of the young reaching their dreams is little or none. By twenty years old they have already given up their hopes and dreams, many times the young look and feel many years past their age. The waste of talent is extremely hard to watch, especially if you love your people the way I do.

These young students of life are very talented. Drawing, painting, quilling, beading, and sculpturing come naturally to these young students of the Pass Creek. I had an art contest at American Horse School and the talent we adults experienced was extraordinary. The natural talent is there with the help of mentors or people who care these youth may possibly seek a career or a life in the world of art. The true meaning of art is create beauty from nothing and this is truly that endeavor.

The One Spirit Program was invited to help with this project to empower our youth on the Pass Creek. The program donated paint supplies to paint the CAP Office and to paint a mural titled "One Spirit", also to locate young artists and to create art paintings to be sold in Liverpool, England to help bring hope and self-esteem to these young veterans of hard times. The CAP Office is painted and we are ready for the next step which is to start the mural. The mentors are ready and the young artists are nervously ready.

If this works out for everybody involved the third step would be to create a Pass Creek Youth Center for all our youth to have a safe place to hope and dream. I would like to give the One Spirit Program a "Wopila Tanka" (Big Special Thanks) for taking the time to have faith in our youth. "Hecetuwelo" (so be it).

John D. DuBray, Administrator Assistant
Pass Creek District
Pine Ridge Sioux/Lakota Reservation
Allen, South Dakota 57714