Lakota Youth Development
Reclaiming Lakota language, culture and spirituality by promoting education and healthy lifestyles for our youth through culturally based strategies.
2022 is a Year of Celebration
We have been serving Lakota Youth for 30 Years!
NEWS & EVENTS & THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Check out our 30 year Anniversary
Honey Lodge Gift Bundle
Tipi Stays
Summer Apprenticeship Program
Visit our underground garden
Designed by Grad Student from Brookings.
Built and maintained by our youth. Watch video!
Rent our mechanical bull or rock wall!
Great for parties, picnics, camps and more. (CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE DUE TO NEEDING REPAIRS.)
Check us out on PBS and other media!
Our unique stories are getting noticed and shared! Click to see more
Check out our Youth Channel
Upcoming Activities/Events
See schedule and download application
LYD 2021 Annual Report
South Dakota Tourism Training
LYD has been selected for a unique opportunity to be a site for the Discover America Tour through Trafalgar Tours starting in 2023. On November 5th, our staff will work South Dakota Tourism and George Washington University on developing this cultural heritage experience for our visitors. We are excited for the opportunity to have even more visitors to learn about our organization and culture.
Language Immersion Sessions
Since March 2021, our staff member have been attending weekly Lakota language immersion sessions instructed by Joseph Marshall III, our Board of Directors President and native speakers of Lakota. This is an important first step in reaching our organizational goal of having a completely language and cultural immersive environment for our youth. So far, our staff has learned about 200 words in Lakota and very basic sentence structure.
Honey Lodge has hives waiting to be adopted!
LYD invited to participate in "Remembrance Day" Activities in Italy
Listen to SD Public Radio Interview with our Executive Director, Marla Bull Bear.
Youth entrepreneurs offer new products
Check out our Honey, Lip balm, Candles, Stickers, Sweetgrass braids, Authentic Parfleche Ornaments. Shop now
Experiential Camps
Camps are based on traditional Wolakota values and are certified for Project Venture's Positive Prevention Model. Serving youth from Gregory, Todd, Mellette and Tripp counties in S.D.
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SunkaWakan Otakuye - "Horse Wisdom" Lakota equine life skills are woven into each camp
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2021 Camps
Leadership ~ Chaperone Training ~ Bow and Arrow
Spring Medicine ~ Summer Harvest
Hunting Safe Certification ~ Fall Hunt
Social Enterprises
DEVELOPED ~ LED ~ OPERATED by OUR YOUTH!
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Cultural Tourism
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TIPI Stays
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Camps, Hunting, Fishing, Riding, Hikes
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Youth Performances and Presentations
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Traditional art, dance, storytelling
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Star Knowledge
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Beekeeping & Honey Products -Online/wholesale
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Restoration Garden- trail walks and Medicinal Herb product sales
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Cultural Performances and Presentations
Youth
Societies
Maţo Tašuŋka Wakiŋyaŋ Okolakičye
Bear Horse Thunder Society for Young Men
Womaske ye Waste Walakin Nahan
Young Women's Sisterhood Guild
Youth Leadership Societies are formed by participants in our cultural youth camps. They organize themselves in order to have a youth voice related to our alcohol and drug prevention programming.
Members utilize the Lakota society structure as a peer mentorship and leadership system to promote Lakota language development, increase participation in Lakota spirituality and ceremonies and live an alcohol and drug free life style.