Meeting the Pine Ridge Students and doing the inipi (sweat ceremony)

Today we had the opportunity to make friendships with the Anpo Wicahpi girls that will last a lifetime. Since school was closed because of snow the previous day, we were very excited to finally meet them. The eight graders gave us a brief presentation on the Inipi, preparing us for later. They discussed the process as well as the significance of each aspect of the ceremony. One interesting thing I learned was that Gaka Rick, the spiritual leader of the reservation, wouldn’t begin the ceremony until he received a sign from the hills.

After this presentation, we asked the girls questions such as their first experience in the Inipi. We ate lunch and later gave presentations about our schools. We included what it was like to live in a city encapsulated by skyscrapers, a world completely different from the reservation. However, we were able to connect on the fact that our respective schools each held a feeling of community within their walls.

We split into groups and went through a rotation of the Lakota language, Pow-wow dancing, and Indigenous science. We learned the Lakota alphabet, the different categories of Pow-wow dancers, and the significance of the equinox in their community.

Following this, we prepared for the Inipi. The school lent us dresses to wear and we headed outside. The men built the fire and moved the stones into the Inipi in a specific order. Before proceeding in, we spun around and said “mitakuye oyasin,” meaning “all my relations.” The moment we set foot in the Inipi, the air was already thick. The doorkeeper shut the flap at Kaka Rick’s command and suddenly, everything was pitch black. The ceremony consisted of four phases filled with song and prayer. The air began to burn and was filled with steam. The first round was the hardest but a teacher reminded us that at this moment, we were in the safest place possible. Although it was challenging, in the end, the experience was very rewarding and refreshing.

Before dinner, Rick Two Dogs gave us a presentation on Wicahpi Tawicoyake, translating to the Lakota Star knowledge. He explained the significance of the Black Elk Ceremony that we would partake in the following day.

We joined the school for dinner, which consisted of soup, fry bread, and a traditional Lakota fruit dessert. This day was packed with learning and risk taking, and we can’t wait to spend more time with the girls.

Laura Coleman, Class IX, The Nightingale-Bamford School