#NativeReads Top Ten Books of the Oceti Sakowin Oyate
For the inaugural year of #NativeReads, First Nations Development Institute partnered with the Oak Lake Writers’ Society (Society) to increase knowledge of and appreciation for Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Lakota and Nakota) literatures. Because of the devastating effects of colonization and the government and church boarding schools, few people recognize that the Oceti Sakowin have our own rich and complex literary traditions. In 2019, the Society compiled a list of nearly 200 books by Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota writers that disprove and challenge this false assumption. We present to you this list of suggested Oceti Sakowin Reading for the year 2020 and beyond!
Books chosen by members of the Oak Lake Writers’ Society
#NativeReads ep. 1: The Oak Lake Writers’ Society
Hosts: Dr. Sarah Hernandez, Dr. Nick Estes and Mabel Picotte
The Oak Lake Writers Society was the first tribal writers group of its kind. The #NativeReads campaign brings their members and the work of many tribal writers from the D/N/Lakota literary tradition to the forefront. This episode is a discussion with the #NativeReads committee of OLWS members: Lanniko Lee, Gabrielle Tateskanskan, Patti Bordeaux Nelson, Joel Waters and Tasiyagnunpa Barondeau. In 2023, we changed our name to the Oceti Sakowin Writers Society.
#NativeReads wrap up, musings on the Dakota Literary Tradition
The podcast series is produced by The Red Nation Podcast.
In partnership with The Red Nation Podcast and Red Nation Publishing, the Oak Lake Writers Society is producing a series of podcast episodes in conjunction with the First Nations Development Institute-funded #NativeReads campaign. The podcast series is a supplemental learning tool that can be paired with lesson plans and curricula on Oceti Sakowin Literary Traditions.
The Red Nation Podcast is hosted by Nick Estes and features discussions on Indigenous history, politics, and culture from a left perspective.
Read about The Red Nation Podcast in Lakota Country Times. The Red Nation Podcast is available on all major podcast platforms, such as Google Play, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Libsyn, etc.
Music: “My Stone [instrumentals]” by Frank Waln (Sicangu Lakota): http://frankwaln.com
Wopila tanka to these creatives:
Frank Waln (Sicangu Lakota) for The Red Nation #NativeReads Podcast Song “My Stone (Instrumentals).”
Ruben Hernandez (Sicangu Lakota) for the OLWS logo and the #NativeReads podcast cover art.