School has begun with typical noise and challenge, but still, the hills are quiet, and all is well. Some things are the same here as in all the Waldorf schools I’ve been in, yet woven through it all is Lakota Language and Culture. Every morning we begin with a smudge of sage that grows on this land and a Lakota prayer song. Twice a week, there is a Drum Group for the whole school. In Lakota tradition, only boys drum. The girls stand and sing with high strong nasal voices. You can see a snippet in the video below.

Recess is joyful in the playground shared with a town of prairie dogs.