Helping the Sicangu people restore intergenerational health

The Siċaŋġu Lakota were once one of the happiest and healthiest people on earth. Eating buffalo and local foods, physically active in our daily lives, connected to the land, each other, and the Spirit, we led long, healthy lives filled with meaning and purpose.

Achieving intergenerational health for the Siċaŋġu begins with this remembering of Wicozani, or “the good way of life,” healthy and whole in body, mind, and spirit.

The Siċaŋġu Health Initiative is here to accompany Siċaŋġu families on their return to their natural healthiness and wellbeing. We help people achieve Wicozani in their own lives.

Our approach is founded on relationship and compassion. We build socio-emotional well-being in young people through in-school programming and camps, support family health through coaching and food and wellness classes, and engage communities through health- and relationship-building events.

We hope you contact us to see how we can accompany you on your Wicozani journey.

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Woyute ki Pejuta Waste Heca Program

Woyute ki Pejuta Waste Heca (“Food as Good Medicine”) is a nutrition and wellness coaching program that seeks to help community members overcome their health challenges and live a healthier lifestyle.

In this program, you will:

Understand how food affects their health, their family’s health, and community health (physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually).
Learn to create and follow a health plan with achievable goals.
Learn skills that will help improve their health longterm.

SHI Birthing Initiative

The Sicangu Health Initiative’s Birthing Initiative is currently working to lay the foundation for a culturally grounded birthing support system that is rooted in Lakota values, traditions, and community relationships.

Our long-term vision is to help create a supportive, culturally responsive birthing system that honors Lakota values, traditions, knowledge, and the voices of our families and community.

Over the course of the next few years, we will be dedicated to gathering information directly from the community. This includes conversations with mothers, families, elders, healthcare providers, doulas, and community programs in order to better understand the birthing experiences, needs, strengths, and gaps within the Sicangu Nation.

Lakota Foodways

Lakota Foodways runs the Home Gardens Project, assisting local families with starting their own garden! We take care of the often difficult and expensive first step of finding resources and materials, and then stepping back and letting the family enjoy the process of planting, growing, and harvesting their own crop!

In 2026, we helped ~50 families in the community with seeds and seed starters. All of the program participants were accepted at a first come/first serve basis at no cost!

We understand how important it is to support locally grown foods and traditional medicines, so we help supply seeds and starters for pumpkin, watermelon, sunflower, carrot, beets, sage, chamomile, and marigold seeds; as well as pepper and tomato starter plants.