Dear Beloveds,
I was unable to post yesterday as there was so much going on with travel, adjusting to Pine Ridge, meeting everyone here at SuAnne Big Crow, and teaching.
First and foremost I have to say Leatrice "Chick" Big Crow is an incredible and outstanding person. That she chose to stay on the reservation and work towards realizing her daughter's dream and running this Boys & Girls Club is a blessing to behold.
It is truly amazing to experience this. We are teaching child and adult classes each day and the Lakota take to capoeira so fast it's incredible. They are a very talented and proud people. Some of our capoeira kids here are dancers, drummers, and singers of traditional Lakota styles and are getting ready for an upcoming pow wow. Leatrice "Chick" Big Crow, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club here, told us the Lakota are very light on their feet. She said if you watch the dancing you will see it. This weekend we are planning on attending a Pow Wow on the Rose Bud Reservation so we can check that out.
The Boys & Girls Club here is beautiful; there is a competition size swimming pool, a weight/fitness room, skate park, 50s style cafe, and full sized multi-purpose basketball gym--that's where we are training. It reminds me of training with Mestre Beicola at UC Village in Albany.
The Pine Ridge reservation is just as it is described on the SuAnne Big Crow Boys & Girls Club website; mired in poverty and socio-economic challenges. What SuAnne envisioned for her people has taken root and is blossoming here...and it is incredibly inspiring. To think that this was all created not because SuAnne has money or influence, but because she has vision and attitude...that this is all here and working because of the way she lived her life. THE WAY SHE LIVED HER LIFE.
Please allow me post other experiences and images in a bit. I have to get ready for classes.
Thank you all soooooooooooooooo much for sending us up here!!! You are all angels for giving.
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