Defenders of the Water School
MNI WICHONI NAKICIZIN WOUNSPE
Preparing Ocethi Sakowin Leaders through Indigenized Education
Our Mission
To help transform the Standing Rock Nation by providing community-based Indigenized education services to interested K-12 students who will become nation builders fluent in Lakota language and culture.
Our Vision
Mni Wičhóni Nakíčižin Wounspe (MWNW) or the Defenders of the Water School, will help transform the Standing Rock Nation by providing community-based Indigenized education services to interested high school students. Our students can earn high school credit for completing instructional projects that are responsive to community needs. Our dream is to help the younger generation learn to be nation builders fluent in Lakota language and culture.
Mni Wičhóni Nakíčižin Owáyawa (Defenders of the Water School) will help transform the Standing Rock nation by teaching holistic wellness, Lakota/Dakota language and culture, nation rebuilding, and environmental and social justice. Our students will be prepared to succeed in a wide range of post-secondary opportunities through transdisciplinary, self-led project-based learning experiences.
Our Approach
MWNW will collaborate with community partners to source student projects in a wide range of subjects, such as holistic wellness, Lakota/Dakota language and culture, nation rebuilding, and environmental and social justice. As our students complete these projects, they will be able to earn high school credit, while learning valuable on the job and life skills. Our team of educators will organize each student’s experience at MWNW so they learn to share -- with each other, with their community and with the land -- the Lakota understanding mitákuye owás’iŋ, and its four related values, otákuye wičhóȟ’aŋ (relationships), awáŋkičhiyaŋka (reciprocity), phiphíya kpamní (redistribution), and wóaiȟpeye (responsibility).
Our Values
Our school embodies Mitákuye Owás’iŋ as a commitment to otákuye wičhóȟ’aŋ (relationships), awáŋkičhiyaŋka (reciprocity), phiphíya kpamní (redistribution), and wóaiȟpeye (responsibility) to each other, other walks of life, and to the land. These four values are shared equally by all teachers and all students in their roles at Mní Wičhóni Nakíčižiŋ Owáyawa.