Santee Siouxx

Sharing my daughter Alanna Pashe’s rendition of the beautiful Dakota Thank You song, composed by the Dakota Hotain singers and learned from her uncle.

A big thank you to the 2,500+ youth who joined us at this year's NextGEN gathering. Your impact will shape our future.

Grateful to Aiyana Hart, her family and the Manito Ahbee staff for hosting us on Treaty No.1 and Unceded Dakota Territory. Sharing our stories and teachings with the youth was truly special.

Remember how the musicians kept playing on the Titanic? In times of darkness, keep creating, moving, singing, and dancing. That’s how you keep the light within you strong.

PC: 📸

We’re getting closer.

I’m often asked if our regalia carries meaning and yes, it always does.

This is the first fancy shawl I made myself, and it represents my home community of Dakota Tipi First Nation. It honours the grandmothers from there who continue to guide us and bring healing to our Dakota Nations.

The colours, materials, and design were chosen with intention, reflecting the ongoing relationship between past, present, and future.

Regalia carries our stories. It is a living expression of identity and connection to community.

Pechanga’26 PW

We will never forget.

December 29 marks the anniversary of the Wounded Knee Massacre (1890).

This was one of the deadliest massacres of the Lakota people. It followed years of broken treaties, starvation policies, and fear surrounding the Ghost Dance, a peaceful spiritual movement led by Wovoka that emphasized prayer and renewal. It’s also important to note that not all Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota people followed the Ghost Dance, and Nations were never one belief or one voice.

After the massacre, 20 Medals of Honor were awarded, a decision that remains deeply controversial. Sacred items were taken as trophies. One Ghost Dance shirt was held overseas for decades before Lakota leadership, including Marcella Ryan LeBeau, helped bring it home.

The “handouts” conversation is never consistent.

Indigenous peoples are often accused of receiving “handouts,” despite treaty-based rights that predate Canada itself.