When young people wrapped up the Cheyenne River Youth Project’s inaugural Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference last November, they already had ideas about what they wanted to do next. Art, music, beading, ribbon skirts, drum-making, dancing, cooking — and more opportunities to take part in the workshops they were most excited about.
CRYP is now preparing to welcome young people back to its Cokata Wiconi (Center of Life) Teen Center for the second annual Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference on Oct. 17-18. Once again, this free gathering is open to teens from all Oceti Sakowin homelands across North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and Minnesota.
As planning continues, the grassroots, Native-led youth organization also is seeking additional Native instructors who will lead a variety of activities grounded in Lakota culture, arts and wellness, with a particular interest in instructors experienced in lakol wichoh’an kin (the Lakota way of life) and mental health. Last year’s event drew 71 young people for 15 workshops and four plenary sessions.
Over the course of the weekend, youth explored traditional Lakota roles and responsibilities, ceremonial teachings, ledger art, Lakota songs, food sovereignty, language revitalization, self-defense, music and beat production, and songwriting. Plenary sessions addressed Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/Relatives and efforts to protect He Sapa (the Black Hills) from destructive mining.
“This year, we’re shifting the conference from a Friday-through-Sunday schedule to Saturday and Sunday only,” said Wakinyan Chief, CRYP’s arts manager and conference organizer. “We want to make the gathering more manageable for youth, families and instructors traveling to Eagle Butte, allowing them to participate without having to take additional time away from school or work.”
As CRYP develops this year’s workshop schedule, the team is drawing on what young people said they valued most about the inaugural conference and what they would like to experience in the future. Post-conference assessments showed particularly strong interest in self-defense, traditional ledger art, beat-making and songwriting, teachings about traditional men’s and women’s roles in Lakota culture, and sessions dedicated to MMIW/MMIR, food sovereignty and protecting He Sapa.
One participant wrote that their biggest takeaway was that “young people are heard — our voices are powerful.” Another said, “I learned how to tell a story with art,” and a music workshop participant shared, “I learned to make a beat loop and write my own song about how I feel.”
For CRYP, bringing visiting artists, culture bearers and other instructors to Eagle Butte is not limited to the annual conference. Guest instructors with a wide range of experiences and expertise work with young people throughout the year, introducing them to new skills and creative practices.
Artist Markus Tracy saw that engagement firsthand while teaching Native barn quilt workshops at CRYP. Students researched Lakota culture, language and storytelling as they developed their designs, and Tracy said the students’ finished pieces reflected much more than the techniques they learned during the workshop.
“Their quilts were very original,” he said. “They came from a specific place here in South Dakota, and that tells a deeper and more enriching story about place, identity and culture.”
Artist Jenny Menzel also has extensive experience working with CRYP youth. She first came to the youth project for a monthlong residency in 2019, teaching logo creation, digital design and promotional marketing. She returned for two-week residencies in 2023 and 2024 to teach photography and realistic self-portrait drawing, and in 2025, she spent a week teaching realistic portrait drawing focused on Indigenous leaders.
“The kids were not only talented, they had a desire to learn and have always been very respectful,” Menzel said. “After sitting in different classes, listening to Wakinyan and other guest artists teach, I really appreciate how much exposure the kids are getting to different art modalities. It’s something I wish I had as an artist in high school.”
She added that instructors should be prepared to adapt their plans to the young people in front of them. Her own approach includes encouraging students to move beyond their artistic comfort zones while allowing them to retain ownership of their individual creative processes.
“We’re looking for instructors who can bring that same spirit of hands-on learning to the fall 2026 Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference,” Wakinyan Chief said. “In particular, we’re seeking instructors with experience in lakol wichoh’an kin and mental health.”
The second annual Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference will take place Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17-18, at CRYP’s Cokata Wiconi Teen Center in Eagle Butte. Prospective instructors may contact Wakinyan Chief directly at (605) 964-8200 or artsmanager.cryp@gmail.com for more information.
A QR code for youth registration is available on CRYP’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Families also are encouraged to contact the youth project directly to register or if they need further details.
To learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project and its programs, and for information about making donations and volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit lakotayouth.org. To stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, follow the youth project on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vimeo and YouTube.
The Cheyenne River Youth Project, founded in 1988, is a grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a wide variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities that ensure strong, self-sufficient families and communities.