Description

Created in 1993, the Oceti Sakowin Writers Society is a network of tribal writers committed to preserving and defending Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota cultures, oral traditions, and histories through culture-based writing. Over the past two centuries, Oceti Sakowin writers have published nearly two hundred books and hundreds of journal articles about Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota cultures, languages, histories, politics, and spirituality. This grant will support the annual writing retreat of the Oceti Sakowin Writers Society. Every fall, 20-30 Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota writers gather in their ancestral homelands to read, write, and discuss important cultural/political issues affecting their people, communities, and nations. These writing retreats also bring in prominent Native authors to serve as writing mentors who work with emerging and experienced tribal writers to draft, proofread, and polish their work. This year, Navajo poet Esther Belin will serve as our mentor, which will be held in Flandreau, South Dakota from Sept. 18-22, 2024.
 
This grant aligns with IKI program strategy 1a: To nurture and sustain Indigenous knowledge leaders and their work.