Inmate Healing At Prison Pow-Wow

SPRINGFIELD—“Welcome everybody to our first pow-wow in 18 months. At this wacipi we would like to remember all those we lost during this 100-year pandemic. My heart goes out to all those who lost family members,”  said the Sicangu Lakota, president of the Lakota Council of Tribes, Inc. (LCT) at Mike Durfee State Prison (MDSP).

Remembering Those We Lost Wacipi, was the appropriately-themed gathering held on August 7^th here in southeastern South Dakota. Typically there would be 450-500 combined inmates and outside family members and guests in attendance 4 times annually, however it was decided that an “inmates only” pow-wow would be held to kick start 18 months of limited services and activities.  With the covid-19 pandemic that hit in early 2020 the American Indian prisoner group was only able to hold prayer circles and smudging services. Everyone was ready to enjoy a Pow Wow.

“Today is a day to enjoy and laugh with one another along with other stories we have to share from our experiences,  said the Oglala Lakota, LCT secretary. “It’s been a long year for us all during this pandemic and we have more in common than we know.”

The LCT group is representative of the largest American Indian population system-wide in South Dakota, nearly 300 Lakota/Dakota/Nakota brothers from all nine tribes of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires), and sponsors the largest prison pow-wows in the U.S. The year 2020 proved to be a tough one with challenges and hardships including many covid cases.

“Please remember all of our relatives and spiritual leaders we have lost this year,” said the Kul Wicasa/Santee, vice-president of LCT. “Today we honor them, so hoka hey, sing loud and dance hard my people.”

A large banner was hung on the wall and inmates wrote the names of all covid-19 deceased friends, family and tiospaye (extended family). Then a large healing circle was formed  and a memorial song by inmate drum group Ho Maza singers was sung to honor and remember those who journeyed on to the spirit world. A hand-drum contest and dancing contests were held with inmates receiving commissary tokens as prizes. The brothers were also treated to a wild round of men’s fancy shawl dancing which created much needed laughter and healing.

The South Dakota Dept. of Corrections is very supportive  of American Indian healing and self-rehabilitation at Springfield and the Cultural Activities Coordinator,  Brian Foley,  works very well with LCT to ensure the pow-wows are safe, fun and properly organized and carried out. The inmates ate two meals during the day, one of Indian tacos and wojapi, and ending with a supper of buffalo stew and fry bread.

“This day was really needed to help heal our brothers inside the prison setting here,” concluded  the LCT president. “We all survived an emotional and physical illness of some kind during this time of sickness, now we can move forward.”

The Remembering Those We Lost Wacipi was made possible in large part due to a $6000 grant from Running Strong for American Indian Youth and National Spokesperson Billy Mills, Oglala Lakota.  Mills and his foundation recognize and support LCT, a 501©3 non-profit, who are fully responsible to fundraise for all their spiritual and cultural activities. Helping fellow inmate brothers become better Indian men is the fundamental goal for the leadership of LCT to assist indigenous inmates in rehabilitative endeavors during their incarceration period.

Other donors for this pow-wow were Connie Hopkins (buffalo meat and botanicals), Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe ($800), Roger and Heather  Vearrier (firewood), Pastor Dan  Ebbens (firewood), Yankton Sioux Tribe (buffalo meat), and  Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation ($200).

For more information about the Lakota Council of Tribes, Inc at Mike Durfee State Prison you can contact C.A.C Brian Foley or the LCT  President at MDSP, 1412 Wood St., Springfield, SD, 57062,

 (Editor’s Note: Per prison policies the names of the LCT council members providing quotes were not able to be used.)

(Story and photo courtesy of the Lakota Council of Tribes, Inc.)

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