Monthly Archives: November 2012

Connecting Youth and Culture

I had the chance to speak with a friend on the Pine Ridge Reservation recently. We spoke of many things, but what really stayed with me was his concern for the youth living on the reservation. The teen suicide rate on the reservation has been three times as high as the rest of the United States. Depression and substance abuse are also at elevated rates. But our talk was not about statistics – rather he spoke of real people coping with tragedy and seeking to ease their suffering and provide hope for the next generation.

I asked him what he thought made life so difficult for young people on the reservation. The first thing he said was loneliness. Loneliness that comes from physical distance, but also from losing connection with family.

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Filed under About, Projects, Vision

Announcing the Coyote Life Festival

Follow the Buffalo, Inc. and Healing Lifeways are joining to sponsor and host the first Coyote Life Festival in Comins, Michigan on the weekend of February 22-24, 2013.

The Coyote Life Festival is a celebration of life, love, and laughter in the traditional “coyote spirit”.  There will be plenty of fun, food, games, drumming, singing, storytelling, sharing, and thanksgiving.

Tentative Schedule

Friday

  • Arrive 5-8 pm – meet, mix, and mingle
  • 8-10 pm – drumming, singing, and bonfire (weather permitting)
  • 10pm – Canupa (pipe) ceremony

Saturday

  • 7:30 am – pancake breakfast
  • Morning – games, crafts, and workshops (TBD)
  • 12pm – soup, sandwich, and potluck lunch
  • Afternoon – games, crafts, outdoor activities (weather permitting), drumming, songs, and stories
  • 5-8pm – chili supper – this will be open to the public and will feature drumming, singing, dancing, contests, and discussion on the theme of celebrating life with gratitude
  • Evening – prayers, discussion, etc.

Sunday

  • 8:30 am – breakfast
  • 10 am – blessing the land, drumming, singing, Canupa (pipe) ceremony
  • 12 pm – lunch, cleanup, and farewell

Additional Information

Cost – We suggest a donation of $40 for the weekend (includes all food and activities).  All proceeds will benefit Follow the Buffalo, Inc.

What to bring – simple food to share on Friday evening and Saturday lunch.

Please contact us for lodging information.

To register or learn more, please email sally@followthebuffalo.org or tim@healinglifeways.org or call Tim at (989)848-5757

Click the link below to download a PDF flyer:

Coyote Life Festival info

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Filed under Events

Update on the Elder Wood Project

This month, Follow the Buffalo, Inc., was pleased to contribute to the Elder Wood Project.  The donated funds enabled Arlin Whirlwindhorse, the leader of the project to purchase 2 new chainsaws.

Wopila, Thank you!

We are so grateful for your generous responses to our call for help at Follow the Buffalo.  We wanted to let you know that your help allowed us to purchase 2 Stihl chainsaws to aid the work of the Elder Wood Project.  These sawswill help put a crew of 5 young men to work cutting, splitting, and delivering badly needed firewood to seniors on the Pine Ridge Reservation.  This is just a first step in this process, but a very important step that will make an immediate impact in the community.  We will keep you posted on the progress of this project.

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One of the crew members of the elder wood project, using one of the new chainsaws

 

 

 

Thank you all for your continued support of our mission!

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Filed under About, Projects