Every March, when the Spring season begins, students from Mahpiya Luta schools load into buses to make the nearly two hour drive to the base of Black Elk’s peak in the heart of the Black Hills. Once there, students sing prayer songs and teachers offer the Lakota teaching about this sacred site and the Welcoming Back The Thunders ceremony. This ceremony and hike has been done for thousands of years by their ancestors and marks the official start of Wetu (Spring). This year, the Spring Equinox for the northern hemisphere starts today, Thursday, March 20th.
Hiking Black Elk’s Peak is no small act. At 7,242 feet, Black Elk’s Peak isn’t just South Dakota’s highest point, it’s also the highest elevation between the Rocky Mountains in the western United States and the Pyrenees Mountains in France. Despite the often cold conditions it’s become an annual event many look forward to!
In the Lakota seasonal cycle, Springtime and the return of the rain and thunders marks an extraordinary celebration of life and new beginnings – migrating animals and birds reappear, buffalo emerge from their winter camps, hibernating creatures wake, and the plants and flowers begin to bloom. Springtime was marked by the movement of the sun, as well as the moon and shifting of constellations, and signals a time of preparation for the upcoming summer ceremonial season and community gathering/celebrations.
After this winter we are definitely ready for Spring and longer, warmer days here at Mahpiya Luta! We got our eyes set for all the wonderful end of year activities like prom, and our graduations. What celebrations are you and your family looking forward to this year? Happy Spring!