The Word Carrier Trading Post is returning to the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation this week. On Thursday and Friday, March 21-22, the Word Carrier will offer its large selection of Native American literature and an array of fair-trade products — including vintage clothing and jewelry — for purchase at the Cheyenne River Youth Project®’s Cokata Wiconi teen center on East Lincoln Street. All books will be available at a 20-percent discount to Cheyenne River community members.
The book fair is scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. Also on Friday, CRYP will host an Indian taco sale in its Keya Cafe. Staff and volunteers will serve the tacos on site; they also will be happy to take phone orders and prepare lunches for take-out. The Indian tacos will feature homemade salsa from CRYP’s 2-acre, naturally grown Winyan Toka Win Garden.
“Friday is going to be a great opportunity for people to come in for a fresh, homemade lunch and to browse the amazing selection of books we’ll have set up in our cafe and lobby areas,” said Lizzy Carr, CRYP youth programs intern and the event’s organizer.
“The Word Carrier is bringing more than 500 titles. Community members aren’t going to want to miss this!”
Since 2007, the Word Carrier has partnered with Rapid City, South Dakota-based Dakota West Books to bring the best selection of Native American, indigenous and multicultural titles to communities, schools and households that might not otherwise have access to them. The business is owned and operated by Lily Mendoza y Ducheneaux and Darin Ducheneaux, both enrolled members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
“Both Lily and I are always grateful that CRYP invites us back so often,” Darin Ducheneaux said during the 2012 book fair. “It’s a welcoming partnership and an opportunity for us to visit with family and friends. We are proud to bring this service to the community, and we are always humbled by the thanks we receive from our respected elders who stop in to browse through the books and share their stories.”
According to Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director, the youth project’s staff and volunteers are equally excited about the upcoming book fair.
“We’re always delighted to welcome the Word Carrier to our campus,” Garreau said. “Not only do Lily and Darin provide an important way for communities to connect through meaningful literature, they promote fair trade. And by purchasing fair-trade products, our community members are helping to recognize and support a fair, equitable partnership between artisan and buyer.”
The Word Carrier Trading Post shares a website with Dakota West Books. To order books or items from the Word Carrier’s full range of fair-trade products online, visit www.davestrainbooks.com.
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 www.lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, visit the youth project’s Facebook “Cause” page. All Cause members will receive regular updates through Facebook.
The Cheyenne River Youth Project®, founded in 1988, is a grassroots, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River 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.