Mní Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Owáyawa One Year Reunion and Celebration

  Please join us September 7-10 as we gather to celebrate. This weekend will include workshops for students, meetings to discuss and plan our future, camping, and a ceremony to honor those that have helped us during our journey. Those who prefer not to camp, may secure their own lodging at the Prairie Knight Casino. …

Updates

We have been busy planning!  Alayna, Blaze, and Jose were in Washington, D.C. for the Native Nations Rise with Standing Rock March. We held a couple events to let people know what our future plans are and had planning meetings while there. We are very excited about our upcoming summer camp and our progress moving …

Camp Evictions and Our Future

We at Mní Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Owáyawa, Defenders of the Water School, were very disappointed in the government’s decision to ignore the call for an environmental impact study regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline put in place by the previous administration. The speed with which the drilling was completed was much faster than what Energy Partners had …

Come As You Are

COME AS YOU ARE. That is enough. Bring your prayers, bring your helping hands and an open mind. The vision has been written, and if you feel the call, come do your part with an open heart. I am writing this as a volunteer and good intentioned ally for the people of Standing Rock, the water …

Official School Statement

Háu Mitákuyepi, We at Mní Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Owáyawa (Defenders of the Water School) are greatly encouraged by the Army Corps of Engineers’ decision not to grant the easement underneath Mníšoše. Indigenous people, along with allies, have prayed together and stood together to say that human rights abuses, treaty violations, and environmental degradation will not be …

Third Man Books

We are very excited to announce two new projects in conjunction with Third Man Books. Run by Chet Weise and Ben Swank ,TMB is the publishing imprint of musician Jack White’s Third Man Records.  Director of Development for Mní Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Owáyawa, April Rain, met with Chet at the publisher’s Nashville office early last week …

The Schoolhouse Learning Center

After receiving a donation a couple weeks ago from a group of children in Vermont, we asked their teacher,  Kathryn McEachen, to share the story of how they had raised the funds. We were thrilled to receive the following beautiful story to share with you about how these young water protectors thousands of miles away …

Two Schools — EarthWalk Vermont and Mní Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Owáyawa (at Standing Rock)

On  October 31st, I had the privilege of carrying from EarthWalk Vermont — http://www.earthwalkvermont.org — where I have volunteered for 9 years, to Mní Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Owáyawa, the school at Standing Rock, some stories, skills and games. “EarthWalk’s mission is to inspire and empower children, families and communities to reconnect with and care for one …

Itóǧiŋ Kitȟúŋpi-Halloween

Yesterday the children were able to trick or treat thanks to generous donations of costumes and candy. This was an important experience for so many reasons. The children are warm and safe in the camp, our students do not go to the frontlines but their friends in camp often do. They love being in camp …

CATV 47 Visits Mní Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Owáyawa

CATV 47 visited with our school and interviewed some of our students about the school and how we will stop the black snake. It is a wonderful report and we hope that you enjoy watching it. -April Rain  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZwhq1z11Nw&feature=youtu.be        

My Visit to Mní Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Owáyawa

 Hello!  This is Suzanne Young, from Vermont.  I was at Oceti Sakowin October 16-21, 2016 The kids at Mni Wichoni Nakicizin Owayawa spend much of their morning reading together in small groups.  School lessons being at 10:00.  I had heard meal times in the camp can be sporadic and can vary from day to day …

NPR Here and NOW

The school's founder, Alayna Eagle Shield was on NPR's "Here and Now". Please give it a listen.  http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2016/10/20/pipeline-protesters-winter April

Statement from Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

"The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Oceti Sakowin Camp are committed to the educational rights of all children. In that spirit, the Mni Wiconi Nakicizin Owayawa was created to serve as a home education resource for the families residing at the camp. Under the allowable home education provisions of the North Dakota Century Code, …