For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples lived on the land we now call “America,” thriving through the building and sharing of knowledge and the keeping of traditions.

Operating on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Očéti Šakówiŋ (meaning “ Seven Council Fires” and referring collectively to the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people), SDHC honors and appreciates the Indigenous people who have the longest relationship to this place. Modern society has benefitted greatly from the knowledge and values of the Očéti Šakówiŋ, which include a unique interrelationship with the environment, an established system of kinship and behavior, an enduring oral and written storytelling tradition, and values that promote resiliency in the face of broken treaties and other challenges. The acknowledgement and implementation of this knowledge, dating back thousands of years, remains vitally important to caring for our world – and each other – now and in the future.

To celebrate, preserve, and share the wisdom and beauty of Indigenous culture, SDHC is proud to announce the upcoming launch of a new online discussion program, Knowledge Keepers. As a companion program to our current online discussion program, Humanities Café (formerly Brainstorming), Knowledge Keepers is based solely on sharing the knowledge of the Očéti Šakówiŋ: not only the history, but also a variety of culturally significant lifeways by which individuals from all walks of life can appreciate and gain value from Indigenous knowledge, building a better society for all.

Some of the topics already scheduled include an introduction to the nine sovereign nations that comprise the Očéti Šakówiŋ; the importance of language; Indigenous spirituality and the sacredness of the land, water, and all beings; an explanation of Indigenous values, which will be shared through storytelling; and a history and overview of the Očéti Šakówiŋ itself. Future episodes will also include topics such as traditional foods, Indigenous science, art, and music, and a series of tutorials addressing the history and tradition of the wacipi. These episodes will be hosted by SDHC with invited guests joining us to share their expertise. Just a few of those already invited include Tamara St. John, Duane Hollow Horn Bear, Whitney Rencountre, Joseph M. Marshall III, Donald Montileaux, Craig Howe, Sarah Hernandez, John Little, Tawa Ducheneaux, Cecelia Fire Thunder, Joshua Rudnik, LaRayne Woster, and Dustina Gill, with several others to be added.

Knowledge Keepers will air its inaugural episode on Thursday, January 9^th at 12:00 p.m. CST via Zoom and will alternate biweekly with Humanities Café thereafter.

These Zoom broadcasts will be recorded and posted on our YouTube channel for those unable to participate in the original Zoom session. Be sure to watch the SDHC website for further details and a link to the program.

Suggestions for upcoming content or an expression of interest in being a guest educator on Knowledge Keepers may be sent to Stacy Chidaushe, SDHC Program Coordinator, at stacy@sdhumanities.org

We hope you will join us on this journey to preserve and share the knowledge of the Očéti Šakówiŋ in South Dakota and beyond.