Center for Helping the Youth
Weaving Traditional Values into Modern Life Skills
Pine Ridge Reservation
OUR LEADERSHIP
Fred Menard
Cultural/Spiritual Adviser
Tetowan-Rosebud-Oglala-Lakota
AA in Small Business
Sinte Gleska University
Artist
Retail/Wholesale Art Business
Bear Butte Spiritual Camps 45 years
Resided in Black Hills 30 years
Linda Menard
Founder/Executive Director
Teca WaWokiye Cokata
Batesland, South Dakota
Bachelor of Science Business Administration
Oglala Lakota College
Former Human Resources Officer at Oglala Sioux (Lakota) Housing 32 years
Pine Ridge, South Dakota
FRED:
"I come from a long line of Spiritual Leaders from both Reservations. The Buffalo Horn Chips and Moves Camp Family. From Rosebud, Crow Dogs, Eagle Bears in Black Pipe Community, and Robert Stead Tioyospaye.
I am truly blessed for having family that have been known for Traditional Values, Traditional Arts, Song and Dance.
I became a trained artist at a very young age and have carried this knowledge.
I was raised in the Spiritual ways of the Lakota and attended Spiritual camps at Bear Butte for more than 45 years and have resided in the Black Hills for 30 years.
I have knowledge in survival skills including plants and animals of South Dakota. I believe this knowledge must be passed to our young people of our Nation, as such skills have been passed from one generation to another, not changing, but adapting to the changing times of our great Lakota Nation.
Survival in this day and age has been changed drastically through the coming of the non-native people’s and their morals, standards and language. Our young people are lost without their traditional knowledge which is dying due to mis-information through schools and false teachings.
It’s up to us to see that Our Lakota Way of Life, Our Lakota Language and Traditional Ways are not lost."
LINDA:
" I am Oglala Lakota and Aztec. I have lived on the Pine Ridge Reservation since I was fourteen years old when I moved here with my mother.
I believe in the Lakota Way of Life with the Values and Virtues taught to us by Pte San Win - White Buffalo Calf Woman. I follow the Traditional ways of our Lakota people and have for 30 years. I love our Way of Life.
As I was growing up, I learned how to pick our medicines, to dry and store. I believe that when there is an abundance of a medicine (plant) that is sacred to us, we must pick it because Tunkasila and Unci Maka is showing us this plant for a reason.
I love our Culture. It’s about making pieces of our history and tying them together.
I learned to sew by watching my mother. I began to sew by hand and then by pedal sewing machine. I taught myself how to make our ceremonial bags, medicine bag, moccasins, sweat dresses, ribbon skirts.
When I was in my twenties, my grandfather Charles Thunder Hawk gave me beaded hair ties and said, "maybe someday you will dance." When my daughter became a jingle dancer and then fancy shawl, I began to sew her dress outfits. I also learned to do bead work so I could bead her hair ties and barrette. I made my grandson’s grass dance and traditional dance outfits.
