The 2025 Wóiwahoye Gluótkuŋzapi Lakota Language Education Conference, Creating Spaces and Speakers, was held December 18–20, 2025, at The Journey Museum and was well attended by educators, students, families, and relatives committed to Lakota language revitalization. This year’s conference centered on an intergenerational approach, intentionally creating space for language to be seen, heard, and lived across generations and roles within the community.
From the very beginning, the conference reflected its purpose. The opening prayer was offered in Lakota, and the gathering closed in the language. Students played a vital role in shaping the environment through songs, food prayers, and participation alongside older relatives.
The morning keynote featured Jasmine and Gabe Akipa, a young family actively using Dakota in their home lives and professional work with students. They shared their personal language journey, speaking honestly about healing, identity, and the ways language has strengthened their family. Central to their message was the role of their relatives, those from generations before them, who were the heart of their learning and the foundation upon which they continue to build.
The afternoon keynote highlighted Joe Giago, who shared his own language journey and emphasized the role of winter counts as a traditional method for recording history. He spoke about the many elders who guided him in learning to speak, read, and write Lakota, naming Agnes Picotte, Rick Two Dogs, Vimber Long Wolf, John Around Him, and others who were instrumental in his growth. His message reinforced the idea that language learning is relational, grounded in mentorship, and strengthened through community.
Conference sessions were intentionally designed to keep participants actively engaged in the language through hands-on learning. Offerings included traditional arts, curriculum development, and traditional games. Jeremy Red Eagle from Sisseton led sessions on traditional games as a vehicle for language use. Sierra Her Many Horses and Christi Sioux Bob focused on using Canva as a practical tool for creating Lakota language materials. Destrie Brewer and Randi Giago incorporated quillwork techniques using Lakota as the medium, guiding participants through a final hands-on project that invited them to create their own language journey through a winter count.
On the second day, sessions emphasized engaging with one another through Lakota using prompts, games, and collaborative learning. Participants increased vocabulary while building confidence and connection through shared speaking experiences. Laughter filled the rooms as relatives enjoyed learning together.
The conference closed with an open mic session, allowing participants to speak freely and reflect. One relative stood, speaking entirely in Lakota, sharing what it meant to be in a space where the language was present from start to finish. An elder reminded those gathered of the importance of continuing to speak Lakota and maintaining the connection to the past and to the families from whom the language was learned through listening, watching, and feeling. They encouraged everyone to support the next generation, reminding us not to stand in the way of our children, but to walk alongside them as they learn to speak Lakota, and to learn with them.