ONE SPIRIT

The North American Pole of Inaccessibility A "pole of inaccessibility" is a geographic point calculated as the furthest place on land from any ocean. In North America, that exact point happens to sit inside the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota—in the district of Allen, to be precise. Throughout history, the economic wellbeing of a community has largely been dictated by its proximity to ports, trade routes, and fresh water. But for the Lakota, this isolation was n

Food sovereignty has been cropping up increasingly in a variety of conversations ranging across sustainability, off-grid living and indigenous rights. While we can often grasp the general idea, the roots of the philosophy must reach deep to ensure the Lakota can reclaim their food supply chains. It is about keeping the products and their yields local, bridging a feedback loop that sustains growth and reinvestment directly in the community. To dismantle the Food Desert, we dep

To dismantle the reservation food desert, we must secure the community today. Our network of three active food pantries in Pine Ridge—strategically located in Allen, Manderson, and alongside the Buffalo Meathouse—serves as the immediate stabilizing force for the Lakota people. These locations are not merely charity distribution centers; they are community-operated lifelines that provide the strength and breathing room required to build permanent, self-sustaining infrastructur

This camp is a chance for children from Pine Ridge to form new friendships and discover new passions through a myriad of activities, offering a short break from an environment that tests the resilience of many every day.

On Sunday, April 5—Easter—our executive director, Jeri Baker, was awakened around 5:30 a.m. to phone calls. Authorities needed her key to get into the Okini Market, which was on fire. Fortunately, no one was hurt. However, that fire ultimately consumed the building, everything in it, and the attached food pantry for people with diabetes and dialysis. We're talking to our insurance now, but we know it won't cover everything. We estimate it will cost $40,000 to replace what's b

The SAVE Act is a bill passed by the House which is being debated in the Senate. Proponents of the bill say it will make federal elections more secure, but opponents point out that, in doing so, certain people, including Native Americans, will face difficulties registering to vote. Specifically, for those on Pine Ridge , the first major change should the SAVE Act become law is that you would have to prove your citizenship IN PERSON. For many, this means spending more money dr

In the heart of a brutal South Dakota winter, where temperatures regularly plunge below zero, a home is more than just a building—it’s a lifeline, a shelter from the cold. Recently, that lifeline was severed for dozens of our neighbors in a series of devastating events. Over the last several weeks, three separate fires, like the one to the left, and a severe weather incident have left approximately 73 people homeless in the middle of a life-threatening freeze. Two trailers in

Lakota, Nakota, and Dakota. Are these just arbitrary words? Most people do not give it much thought, but in reality, these words have history. History that has affected every American's material reality. Why is that? How do the events of history, as far back as 1862, have anything to do with the events of today? Recently, 4 Lakota were taken into ICE custody, and reports say they are being held at Fort Snelling. On first observation, it sounds absurd: “How can Native American

Today, my grandma made her journey home. Although this is the saddest day of my life, all I can think of is how grateful I am that God has given myself and the entire world my Grandma Tiny for the time she lived on this earth. She truly changed the world with the love and compassion she led with everyday. She lived every day like it was her last. She fiercely fought for the youth and underprivileged. She loved and gave tough love. She had so much compassion for people in all

If you are a skateboarder, you may be familiar with the Impossible. This is a trick where the skater rotates the board along the intermediate axis, and, unless you are a physicist, you may have no clue what that means. Essentially, it is a trick that was long thought to be impossible, hence the name, due to the unpredictability of the board when spun at the midpoint. This unpredictability was overcome by Rodney Mullen, making use of his foot to guide the board as it spun at t

The following article is an op-ed written by RF Buche. RF Buche is the President & CEO of GF Buche Companies buchefoods.com and Founder of Team Buche Cares teambuchecares.org. He is a fourth-generation grocer serving rural and tribal communities across South Dakota, where his family’s business has operated for 120 years. The opinions shared here are Mr. Buche's and are not necessarily those of One Spirit's. I’ve spent my entire life in grocery stores. I am a fourth-generation

Let me know if this sounds familiar. “What an exhausting day! All I want to do is go home, eat dinner, and relax”. When I get home, I look through the fridge, move over the expired milk to reach the leftovers from a week ago, then open the lid, wince at the smell, and throw it out. I head over to look in the pantry: Cans of vegetables, rice, noodles, and pasta sauce fill every shelf. I take a step back and think to myself, “A house full of food and nothing to eat. What to do?

Why does the United States have a holiday for a man who never set foot in what would become the United States of America and did not speak English? This is a question that largely goes unexplored, but it is objectively true. Columbia is a mishmash of Latin and “Columbus,” meaning Land of Columbus. There are multiple cities, including our nation's capital, named after Columbus, and a federal holiday. Columbus’s legacy is intertwined with America’s genocide of the native people

Picture a vast, hilly landscape with flowing rivers of red and beautiful, sweet clouds. You are probably thinking about Gunflint Trail,...

It is 1964, and the world is tuned in to watch the Tokyo Olympics. Tamakhóche Thehíla (Billy Mills) is rounding the corner of the track...

Iyahnna High Hawk (seated on the left, in black) enjoyed her summer camp experience. After a busy and impactful season, summer is over at...

In any culture, women have always been an integral part of the community, and the women of the Lakota are no exception. For generations, the Lakota have practiced a traditional women's society Isnati ceremony (coming of age). For young girls transitioning into their teenage years, this ceremony aims to teach them about their responsibilities, how to cook traditional food, self-care, making healthy choices, education, and planning for their future careers. Taught by mothers,

Opportunity, dignity, financial security, job security, and hope. Well-paying and meaningful jobs create economic opportunity and break the cycle of poverty on Pine Ridge Reservation. For years, the people of the Pine Ridge Reservation and One Spirit have been working on the Charging Buffalo Meat Processing Facility , a beacon of hope in a food desert and a community that needs employment opportunities. Charles Bamm Brewer, a.k.a. Captain Oglala Nation, and his staff are star

In our 20 years of working with the Lakota, we have never been this worried about meeting basic food needs on the reservation . Our food...

We have all seen the photos and videos of people in other countries waiting to get food being brought to their country by trucks or...