Ripley began her presentation by explaining that sageing is the first of the Lakotas’ four sacred writs. Sage drives out negative thoughts, energies, spirits, and all influences. Sageing is when sage is burned in a special bowl and smoke is then wafted around the person needing purification and cleansing. Ripley saged a number of people from the audience and then introduced herself with a poem.
As a child, Ripley spent summers with her Lakota grandmother, who was a healer. She made a promise to her grandmother that she would help her people. When Ripley became a grandmother, she founded Hawkwing and started to fulfill her promise. “Hawkwing’s mission is to promote cross-cultural education while assisting the Lakota people with basic human needs arising out of the worse living conditions in America,” said Ripley. “I am working to build hope, faith and connection.”
This program was sponsored by the MxCC’s President’s Committee on Diversity, fulfilling its commitment to promoting awareness and appreciation for cultural diversity.
CAPTION: Rochelle Ripley, Hawkwing founder, is shown sageing a member of the audience.