Vanessa Goodthunder

Air Date: June 21, 2024

Summary

Vanessa Goodthunder's presentation focused on the Dakota language and Wicohan (Way of Life) that is taught to children from birth to five-years-old. Her goal is to expand this program to older children. She says the five-year-olds will be co-teachers in the advanced program.

SERIES

Iápi Wakán: Sacred Languages

HOST & PRODUCER
Lindell Haywahe, Amanda Leader, William Alexander Yuzicapi

Episode Guest

Vanessa Goodthunder is the Director of the C̣aƞṡayapi Waḳaƞyeża Owayawa Oṭi, a birth- to 5-year-old Dakota Immersion School, which has the mission to raise the next generation of Dakota Iapi speakers at C̣aƞṡayapi, the Lower Sioux Indian Community.

She says she is, first and foremost, a Daḳota language and history teacher, and that this is her passion and drive. When she was in 8th grade, she started teaching youth how to ride horses and speak the Daḳota language. She says this experience taught her that teaching was something that "brought me life." She knew the Daḳota language was the path to heal historical trauma, and "reclaim our communities’ identity and sovereignty." She believes that education is not only about the content being taught. It also provides the foundation for relationships between students, parents, staff and the community. Her educational goal is to build an environment created with and for students, where they can learn at an optimal level.

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