It’s a Good Life

Every other weekend, Tate Win (pro. Taw-tay-we) puts on her jingle dress, adorned with small cones that jingle like bells when she dances. Her father, a round dance drummer, is nearby, and the air is filled with the sound of traditional Lak̇ot̄a songs.

As she dances, Tate Win, seven years old, prays for her older sister, Ryan, a college basketball player, to gain speed and strength.

Here at Siċaŋġu Co in Mission, South Dakota, local tribe members gather to connect with Wiċozani, or “the good way of life.” That includes creating a healthy, just and abundant world for future generations of the Lak̇ot̄a people.

Tate Win is steeped in the practices of her Lak̇ot̄a traditions. She attends Wak̇aƞyeja K̄i Ṫokeyaḣc̄i which is the first and only Lak̇ot̄a immersion school on Rosebud. She participates in community Tatanka harvests, a staple of Lak̇ot̄a culture, and has learned early lessons in food sovereignty by harvesting broccoli, celery, and carrots from the community garden.

As Siċaŋġu Co embraces the age-old traditions of Lak̇ot̄a teachings, Tate Win is amongst the next generation to learn and embrace Wiċozani, the good way of life.

Newman’s Own proudly supports Siċaŋġu Co, which uses ancestral wisdom to run programming dedicated to holistic health, food sovereignty and more for Siċaŋġu Oyate youth in South Dakota.