- Boozhoo, welcome to the season finale of "Native Report."

I'm your host, Rita Karppinen.

(wistful flute music) - [Announcer] Production for "Native Report" is made possible by grants from the Blandin Foundation, the generous support from viewers like Jack and Sharon Kemp, and viewers like you.

(bright Indigenous music) (bright Indigenous music continues) - Language, culture, and community are deeply connected, each one strengthening the other.

In this story we visit Dakota Wicohan, a Native-led organization dedicated to revitalizing Dakota language and lifeways through family-centered programs, youth leadership, and intergenerational learning.

From classrooms to horse programs, their work centers on passing knowledge forward and preparing the next generation to lead.

(wistful music) (speaking in Dakota language) (speaking in Dakota language) (speaking in Dakota language) (speaking in Dakota language) (speaking in Dakota language) - So I greet you with a heartfelt handshake and my Dakota name is Her Compassion For Peoples Woman, and my English name is Layla, and I am 16-years-old, and I've been studying Dakota language for seven years now.

(bright flute music) - You can't have language without the lifeways and you can't have lifeways without the language.

(speaking in Dakota language) My name is Dory Stands, and I am the executive director at Dakota Wicohan.

I have been here for 14 years and in different positions.

Dakota Wicohan is a Native-led nonprofit and our mission is to revitalize Dakota language and lifeways.

So Dakota Wicohan has youth and family programming.

We have a youth programming that is fourth grade through 12th grade.

We have the Wiciyena, who's the younger girls, and then we have the Wikoska, who's the older girls, and then the Koska program is the boys, Hoksida is the younger boys.

And so our Koska and Wikoska lead the Wiciyena and Hoksida, so they're showing leadership skills.

- I wanna be able to positively impact that and just be able to teach other kids and help them get as intrigued or interested as I was when I was little, to, like, show them the actual, like, true feeling of how good it is to speak your own language and, you know, and learn.

Learn and know your roots.

(Gabby speaking in Dakota language) Gabby Strong, (speaking in Dakota language).

(speaking in Dakota language) So what I shared in my language is my government name, Gabby Strong.

My Dakota name is (speaking in Dakota language).

I am also a (speaking in Dakota language) citizen and also a (speaking in Dakota language), Dakota, connected to this area of Minnesota.

So I am a board member of Dakota Wicohan.

I am also an avid horse volunteer.

I have my home here open and available to the Sunktanka Program.

So as you've seen, my horses, my land is used for that program and for that intention.

- During the summer, we have beginning riding for June and July for the summer programming.

And then in... We also have the Sunktanka Wicayuhapi, advanced riders.

(Kris speaking in Dakota language) (speaking in Dakota language) (speaking in Dakota language) Hello, my relatives.

I am Kris Espinoza.

I'm from (speaking Dakota language), Lower Sioux, and I'm 14 years old.

I like that we, since I'm in Sunktanka Wicayuhapi, that not only do we get to, like, help the younger kids but, like, learn ourselves how to, like, take care of ourselves and the horses and how to be a better, like, person.

(chain rattles) - I think one of the important lessons and teachings is that we have always had a relationship with the horse.

(horse snorts) It's been part of our oral history, and that relationship includes as a woman, for me, being able to rely on that four-legged relative in how I care for my family and my children.

I have to be able to trust that horse, to be able to put my children on them.

I have to be able to travel.

If we think about the traveling that our people did to be able to put a baby on a horse, you know?

That's the kind of trust and bond that we had.

To be able to break camp and move using the horse, And a man, our warriors might have a different relationship.

Hunting!

Being able to ride into a herd of buffalo on horseback, bareback, being able to shoot from atop a horse, being able to go into battle atop a horse.

These are the kinds of relationships and connections that have always been, and those are the kinds of relationships and connections that we want to continue to perpetuate.

(Dancing Horseman speaking in Dakota language) (speaking in Dakota language) Hello, my relatives.

I shake hands with a good heart or greet you.

My Dakota name is Dancing Horseman.

My English name is Tadan Williams.

I'm from Where They Paint the Trees Red, or Lower Sioux, and I'm (speaking Dakota language).

I've always been amazed by how horse riders like the pros do it, and it's, like, kind of a tradition in our culture about horses and riding them, so.

Now we have all these saddles here and all this gear, but we had our own relationship with them and we dress them and honor them as a relative.

- When I first get here, I put my boots on and I get my halter and I go out to see him and try to get him.

Sometimes it takes a little bit, 'cause he's always kind of unsure about getting haltered, but, like, over time, it become more easier to halter him and get him onto the trailer.

Then I just brush him out.

Sometimes I pick out the burs in his hair or the mane, then I get a saddle pad and then I saddle him and then I bridle him.

Then when I get off of him, I brush him out again and give him treats when he's done.

- Each and every one of these horses here have a regalia, their own regalia, and that's one of the practices, that's one of the traditions we wanted to bring back and teach too, to be able to fully dress our horses.

- We had a class down at Dakota Wicohan where we made horse masks and it was really fun.

It was a really fun class.

- [Gabby] We get asked to be in parades.

We are often participating in rides, commemorative or spiritual rides.

And in doing that, we wanna be able to dress our horses.

And that's the way we honor them, even ceremonially honoring them, because that's how much we care for them, that's how much we respect them, that's how much we love them.

- When I first started at Dakota Wicohan, we were in a smaller office, we were in a smaller space.

We have evolved in the programming.

Our model has stayed the same with the leadership of the Wikoska and Koska, leading the Wiciyena and Hoksida, but we have added a lot of traditional Dakota art programs and master artist programs.

- I'm involved in, like, drum making, drumming, singing.

I've been singing for, like, a long time and dancing.

I dance traditional.

I bead.

I've been beading for a little bit, you know?

Quilling, sewing on a sew machine.

(musicians singing in Dakota language) (rhythmic drumming) - Drumming, it's really powerful.

Like, whenever I'm drumming, like, everything in my head just goes away.

Like, I can't really explain it.

It's like I have no control, I'm just singing.

And, like, the more I sing it just, the more powerful my voice gets.

(musicians singing in Dakota language) - It really is family based and always has been because the family is the root of who we are as a people.

The family is the root of our nation.

I'm also the daughter of one of the three founders of Dakota Wicohan.

My mother, Yvonne Leith, and her Dakota name was (speaking in Dakota language), which means "Woman Who Speaks to Iron."

I remember my mother and the two other ladies, Teresa Peterson, from Upper Sioux, and Mary Erler Peters, from down this way, you know, with the initial conversations, you know, sitting around a table and talking about it.

And that's when, I think that's almost 25 years ago, and I'm happy to say that nearly everybody in Minnesota today that is teaching Dakota language was part of that effort initially.

A lot of the young people, well, now they're older now, came through some of that master apprentice work back then and are teaching and are still teaching and sharing today.

It's hard to find support for language work.

It's hard to find funding for this kind of work.

We just stuck with it, just kept at it.

And so the family work and then the youth work, you know, expanding out even to more of the youth.

How do we continue to engage our young people?

What are some other things that we can engage our young people around?

The horses is one of those ways too.

But programming, you know, that's jargon for funders.

What it is, is we're committed to certain lifeways and teaching and continuation of those things.

The knowledge-sharing, the skill-building, the practices, carrying that forward, and of course based in language and culture.

And so we've been doing that, just continuing to do that.

- At first it was kind of like something where, like, I would gather together with my friends and, like, look forward to after school.

But then, like, as I got older, I was able to, like, look past on the years and, like, you know, be able to be so thankful for the program and, like, it teaching me my language and my culture and all those things I didn't know and wouldn't have known without it.

- Nearly 25 years after a small group of Dakota women sat around a table having coffee, talking about language and cultural revitalization for future generations, Dakota Wicohan continues to grow through the strength of families, elders, and youth working together.

As young people step into leadership, speaking the language, caring for relatives and carrying traditions with pride, the future of Dakota language and lifeways is not only preserved but actively lived and shared.

(bright music) - Giant cell arteritis, or temporal arteritis, is an inflammatory condition of the arteries in the head and neck, especially the temporal arteries.

If not treated, it can lead to vision loss.

Signs and symptoms include: Scalp tenderness and jaw pain when you open your mouth wide or chew.

Other symptoms are fever, fatigue, and unintended weight loss.

Vision loss or double vision are reasons to be seen as soon as possible.

Giant cell arteritis usually affects both sides and symptoms can worsen or can come and go.

Pain and stiffness in your neck, shoulders, or hips are common symptoms of a related disorder called polymyalgia rheumatica.

About half of people with giant cell arteritis will also have polymyalgia rheumatica.

Inflammation can narrow blood vessels and reduce the amount of blood and oxygen getting to tissues.

Giant cell arteritis is rare under age 50 and most people who develop it are between the ages of 70 and 80.

Women are twice as likely as men to develop it.

Sometimes it runs in families.

The cause of giant cell arteritis is not known.

Giant cell arteritis can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms resemble those of other common conditions.

A physical exam with attention to your temporal arteries is important.

Because they are inflamed, they may be tender to touch, they may have a reduced pulse and a hard feel and appearance to them.

Blood tests will usually point to inflammation.

An ultrasound can help assess blood flow, and MRI or other scans might be needed.

The best way to diagnose giant cell arteritis is a biopsy of the temporal artery.

This is done as an outpatient using local anesthesia and usually involves very little discomfort or scarring.

The biopsy sample is examined under a microscope by a pathologist.

The treatment is high-dose corticosteroids such as prednisone.

Treatment is usually started before getting a biopsy.

It's important to start treatment early because if vision loss happens, it's unlikely to get better.

You should begin to feel better within a few days of starting steroids.

You may need to continue taking them for one to two years, or even longer.

After the first four weeks or so, the dose will be decreased because steroids have lots of side effects.

The lowest dose to control symptoms is the best dose.

There are other treatments for giant cell arteritis.

Even with treatment, relapses are common and following with the rheumatologist is recommended.

As always, talk to your healthcare provider.

Regular visits are in your best interest.

Remember to call an elder.

They've been waiting for your call.

I'm Dr.

Arne Vainio, and this is "Health Matters."

(bright music) - For more than two decades, "Native Report" has shared stories from Native communities across Minnesota.

Now PBS North is bringing those stories into classrooms and homes in a new way.

The Minnesota First Nations Project is a digital resource designed to connect Native voices, local history, and education all in one place.

- The Minnesota First Nations Project is a multimedia level project that has "Native Report" video content paired with lesson plans to the segments.

(airy rhythmic music) "Native Report," for 20 plus years, has been uplifting Indigenous voices across the nation, but we don't necessarily see that in a classroom space.

This platform allows us to reach our Indigenous audience and others with the video elements and with the lesson plans, with us having Indigenous folks collaborating through every process of this project, from grassroots all the way to the production and the education itself.

- The Minnesota First Nations website really showcases the State of Minnesota and all the different tribal nations that are located within its boundaries.

So when you go to the website, you can find this interactive map and really be able to explore the state and the different tribal nations that are highlighted throughout it.

So a user can go in there, click on each of the tribal nations, it'll link directly right to their website.

Another aspect of the Minnesota First Nations Interactive Map is that you'll notice that you'll have treaty boundary lines, so you can go in and also learn about the different treaties that affected the different areas of Minnesota.

- Right now was the right time to create this project and launch this project.

One of those being that in 2023, a new bill was passed, SF 1905, which essentially wants educators, K through 12, to incorporate more Indigenous lessons and knowledge in their classroom.

And so we saw that need and we really wanted to bridge that gap.

- [Commentator] A lot of the segments that have been filmed for "Native Report" over the past 20 plus years have had an educational component designed by Indigenous educators in which that kind of partnership has really helped push our video content and our learning content out into the world.

- For this project specifically, it was handling it with care, but also with structure, if that makes sense.

You want to be culturally sensitive and considerate, and that's why at every level we brought in Indigenous people to collaborate, from the producers of "Native Report," to the web designers, and to the educators that are being used to create the lesson plans, and the people in the segments themselves.

- [Commentator] Another important aspect that we thought should be included in this website is hearing from our elders.

So you can go into each of the communities, click on their story, and really get a chance to hear about their life stories, cultural teachings, and really any advice that they have to offer us.

- Finding all the right people.

So we had Indigenous representation within each level or tier of this project was really important.

Doing it in the right way and in a good way was super important to us, but also working within time constraints and a budget is never easy.

And really finding those people, I feel like, was the hardest part.

But once we did, that's when everything kind of fell into place.

I think what makes this different from other Indigenous-centered curriculums is the fact that it is really layered in its approach.

We have the video element from the segment itself, but not only that we have the educational element, so the lesson plan.

And I just think it's so important to talk about how we have that collaboration on every level.

This really is a breathing, living project that will continue on because of that collaboration at every level.

I think success five years from now looks like other states creating similar projects and taking inspiration from us, and Indigenous curriculum not being such a wild, one-of-a-kind idea.

If I had to describe this project in one word, it would be rooted.

And the reason that I think that word perfectly describes this project is because everything that this project encompasses is rooted in culture and history and truth and Indigenous perspective.

It's rooted in those things, but also it's growing and it's spreading into something more.

- By combining storytelling, education, and community knowledge, the Minnesota First Nations Project creates a living online resource that continues to grow.

Through an interactive map, educator designed lesson plans, and voices from elders across the state, the site invites learners of all ages to better understand Minnesota's Native nations, past, present, and future.

And as new stories are produced, the project will keep expanding, guided by the communities whose knowledge it shares.

(mournful music) (airy pensive music) (Pebaamibines speaking in Ojibwe language) (speaking in Ojibwe language) (speaking in Ojibwe language) (speaking in Ojibwe language) (speaking in Ojibwe language) (speaking in Ojibwe language) You know, my twin brother gave that answer and I heard the same answer from the same man, which is our father.

And he said, "When the last speaker of Ojibwe dies, then the world is gonna end."

And so, because my twin brother was so funny, he said, "So as language warriors, we are saving the world."

(wistful bright music) So two words: Wake up!

We have a rich culture, we have a rich language, we have people that still know the teachings.

Wake up and learn them.

And once you learn them, you will find this is what you came here to do.

So wake up!

People are sleeping today and they're not even aware of what they signed up for.

They signed up for this life, they signed up for all of the work that they are to do, but a lot of people don't know that.

So wake up!

I'm telling everybody, "Wake up!

It's time to get to work.

It's time to do what you came here to do."

Once you start doing it, you will experience joy, happiness, fulfillment, and magic.

The magic of living and experiencing a life you came here for.

(somber flute music) - If you missed a show or want to catch up online, find us at NativeReport.org.

And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for behind-the-scene updates.

Drop a comment on social media if you enjoyed the show.

(speaking in Ojibwe) Thank you for spending time with your friends and neighbors from across Indian Country.

I'm Rita Karppinen, and we'll see you next time on "Native Report."

(cheerful Indigenous music) (cheerful Indigenous music continues) (cheerful Indigenous music continues) (cheerful Indigenous music continues) Do you have a story from your community that deserves to be shared?

"Native Report" is looking for story ideas for upcoming seasons.

We're interested in stories from across Indian Country.

If there's something culturally significant happening where you live or a story you feel needs to be told, we wanna hear from you.

To submit a story idea, visit NativeReport.org and fill out the story submission form.

That's NativeReport.org.

(airy bright music)