Board Member

Velma is an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Nation of Porcupine, South Dakota. Velma's traditional education began with her grandparents and mother who raised her in a Lakota speaking home which makes Lakota her first language. She credits her Unci, Khakha and her Ina to many of her life choices. The teachings she received were strict and necessary which were a part of the wicokhan. She was brought up with the knowledge in herbal medicine, sacred ceremonies known only to few, Ohunkankan stories and traditional teachings of becoming a woman and a leader. She was taught the art of sewing, cooking and butchering.

 She tells stories of what she learned from her grandparents and her mother. She is also a speaker on Language, Resiliency, Traditional roles of women, and made a song for her Cepansi Stephanie Charging Eagle when she was sick and sung it for her. The song she made was about preserving the language. 

Velma continued her learning by measuring the Western education system at the #16 BIA Day School in Porcupine at the age of 5. Since she lived 1 and a half miles from the gravel road where the bus stops, her Khakha took her and her brother to the road in a wagon. When her Khakha became ill, they had to walk to the road. Before she went to school, her Ina told her what to say if the teacher says "name". She graduated 8th grade there. Then she attended Oglala Community High School in Pine Ridge where she graduated high school. Then Black Hills State College as it was called then and received her Associate of Arts in Education. After graduation from BHSC, she attended Oglala Lakota College where she earned her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Lakota Studies. While employed as a Special Education Coordinator for the Early Childhood Component, she received her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Special Education with emphasis in FAS/FAE. She was an elementary teacher for over 40 years teaching regular education, a special education teacher, alternative teacher and an instructor for Oglala Lakota College teaching Lakota Language I, II, Ill and IV. Of all her teaching career she loved teaching alternative education. She quotes that alternative education is “Breaking the Cycle of Failure.”

Velma has held many professional roles in her 40 yean plus career in Indigenous education and the Western education, however, she credits her real education from her Unci, Khakha and Ina. It’s through these teachings that by teaching Lakota children, the Lakota language and culture during their most crucial developmental years is necessary in preserving the Lakota’s rich history, as the saying goes, "Without our language, we're nothing, we lose our identity, lose our history, culture so we need to revitalize our language to defend ourselves" with these these in mind, she helped carry out the late Stephanie Changing Eagles dream. Velma and a friend started the movement to “Revitalize and Sustain the Lakota Language". They now partner with Thunder Valley CDC to ensure the traditional teachings, the language, the history and culture by utilizing elders from Cheyenne River, Rosebud, Standing Rock, Sisseton, and Oglala Sioux Tribe.

A concerted focus on language in the upcoming generations is crucial for the preservation of our Native culture in American society.