Et cetera : NCCC Team Helps Efforts to bring Sustainability to Pine Ridge Reservation

Member John Kelley poses with Earth Tipi founder Shannon Freed and Raven at the Wazi Paha Festival.

Team Leader Ted Sweeney works on a trail behind the homestead site.

By Jill Ament, Maple 4

Maple 4 left early on the morning of August 2 from Vinton along with the many teams involved in the great NCCC migration to their project locations for round four.

"To be honest I'm nervous about camping for three weeks straight," said member John MacKinnon from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before they began their journey to Manderson, South Dakota, where the team would be serving with the Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge Reservation for an organization called Earth Tipi.

There are several pressing issues facing Pine Ridge including a need in sustainable housing, which is the goal of Earth Tipi. Founder Shannon Freed is creating a sustainable homestead model and education center for community members to come and learn about building a home of their own from materials found on the surrounding land. Freed and her husband, Adam, as well as her father-in-law Gerald all live right next to each other in models, called cob housing, encased in clay material similar to adobe that she mixes in her backyard. Earth Tipi is also encouraging food independence and has an organic garden and a permaculture garden community members can use. The Pine Ridge Reservation is considered a food desert by the USDA. Access to fresh fruits and vegetables aren't available within walking distance nor within a 30 minute drive.

"This will be a new experience for me for sure. But I'm looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to work with the reservation," MacKinnon finished.

The team was also able get involved with several other positive efforts including volunteering with Chief Henry Red Cloud and his organization Lakota Solar Enterprises. Maple 4 members frequented the Oglala Lakota College to tell others about NCCC and participated in the Wazi Paha Festival, a celebration of the Lakota way of life.

"It's exciting to be a part of NCCC and serve with organizations like Earth Tipi. We have a commitment to serve and lend a hand to these positive efforts within the community," Team Leader Ted Sweeney or Portland, Oregon said. "We want youth and young adults in the Pine Ridge area to know about this program."