Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2025 served as a reminder for our people and the world that Indigenous communities have always and will continue to stand tall and proud in the face of great challenges. This was the third year NDN Collective hosted an Indigenous Peoples’ Day event in Main Street Square of Mni Luzahan, AKA Rapid City, consisting of a rally, march and free community concert.
The afternoon of Monday, October 13 started off with a rally of community organizers, Tribal leaders, Indigenous people of all ages, allies, accomplices and Rapid City-based organizations. Speakers at the rally included an elder of the movement, Madonna Thunder Hawk (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe), who shared her gratitude for the changes that she’s witnessed in the Rapid City community over the years.
“It’s good for me to see it like this, with all these signs and the young people coming together because back in the day, Rapid City wasn’t like this. We had to fight our way in,” she said. “So when you come to events like this, I hope you remember that people had to fight for us to be here. I’m so grateful to all of you for coming here and still standing here. It’s important, not just for us but for those who are watching us.”
“You know, wasicus really get nervous when Indians gather, they don’t really know what to do,” she added with a smile before handing the mic back to the remaining speakers. “So it’s kind of fun to do this every now and again, to give them a little something to worry about.”
As the crowd lined up in preparation to march down 5th Street toward Main Street Square, an ATV pulled up to the front of the gathered people. From the vehicle emerged movement elder Leonard Peltier (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa), the recently freed American Indian Movement member who spent nearly 50 years behind bars for standing up against an unjust system. This was Leonard’s first-ever Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration.
With minimal assistance, he made his way to the front of the march, right behind the large banner proclaiming: RISE UP AGAINST AUTHORITARIANISM.
Once the march reached Main Street Square, people filled seats in front of the stage. The gathering opened with the Four Directions prayer song from the students of the Oceti Sakowin Community Academy, a Lakota language and culture-based school in Mni Luzahan. Students ranging from ages 5-8 have sung for the opening of Indigenous Peoples Day for the past three years, and remind us all why this day is important to celebrate.
“We created this school because we wanted a place where our kids could be who they are and be unapologetically Indigenous everyday. They are very proud of who they are,” Mary Bowman, the Head of School said to the crowd. “We are the largest school of this type in the state of South Dakota with 70 students, kindergarten through third grade. I have so much gratitude for these students because they are carrying on our stories, our languages, and are our culture bearers, making sure that our ways live on for future generations.”
Shortly after, a social round dance took place with all the people gathered in a circle dancing, shaking hands, laughing and visiting to a song sung by the Blackstone Singers. As the drum finished out their song, Nick Tilsen, NDN Collective Founder and CEO, and Wizipan Little Elk Garriott, NDN Collective President, took the stage to welcome the community to the gathering.
“Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day!” Wizipan shouted for the crowd. “This is a time for us to look back at our history, but more importantly it’s a time for us to look forward at what we can do, at what the possibilities are.”
When Nick took the stage, he spoke of the warriors of the movement who came before and fought for the rights and lands of Indigenous People. He then welcomed Leonard Peltier to the stage to speak to the people on his first Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a free man.
“I want to thank all of you for doing what you did for me,” Leonard said. “But make sure you remember I’m not the only one. There were generations of warriors who came before me who fought back. It’s been a long battle but I want you to know that we can win.”
With that, the music and creative performances began.
Indigenous performers from all across Turtle Island and beyond including: Hawane Rios (Kanaka ʻŌiwi), Nanibaah (Diné), Pte San Win (Oglala Lakota), Autumn White Eyes (Oglala Lakota & Turtle Mountain Band of Anishinaabe), Santee Witt (Oglala Lakota), Isaac Tonesket (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation), Mic Jordan (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa), Jana Schmieding (Sicangu & Mniconju Lakota), Joey Clift (Cowlitz Indian Tribe), Xiuhtezcatl (Mexica), the Bearhead Sisters (Stoney Nakoda), Nevad Brave (Oglala Lakota), Miracle (Oglala Lakota), AntoineX (Oglala, Sicangu, & Umonhon Nations) and special guest, Macklemore.
“It always feels good being amongst the relatives and being on these lands, sharing our prayers, our language, and our solarity here. So it just feels good. It feels like medicine,” Hwane Rios said after her set. Hwane is Kanaka ʻŌiwi from Hawai’i. She is connected to the Black Hills following the movement at Standing Rock and the shared solidarity between the Oceti Sakowin and the Hawaiian Kingdom.
On sharing her greatest wishes for Indigenous people and future generations she said:
“On this Indigenous Peoples’ Day, I wish for the next seven generations’ sovereignty, in every sense of the word. From our bodies to our minds to our languages, our dances, I wish us sovereignty and freedom. I wish us a pathway that is clear to return to our own land. I wish for our mountain tops to be sacred again. From our tallest mountains to our deepest oceans, I wish for healing, for our planet and for our people.”
This Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration included a variety of creative performances not only from singers and rappers but also spoken word poets, a filmmaker, and comedian, all coming together to share their talents.
Autumn White Eyes is a locally-based spoken word poet from Pine Ridge and has been writing songs and poetry since middle school. She found her creative voice through encouragement from her father to read John Trudell’s works, and she draws inspiration from him and many other Indigenous poets of today.
“Being able to share in the homelands with my community really is a gift,” she said. “I don’t get as many opportunities to share my work in the community, so this is really powerful. It’s different to be able to share it among your people. It’s a gift to be able to share it with your family and your community. So that’s been my favorite part about this event here in Mni Luzahan.”
Autumn encourages Indigenous youth to commit to their creativity and find inspiration wherever they can.
The evening continued with performances by comedian Jana Schmieding, who brought her talents of humor to the stage, reminding all that Indigenous people love to laugh.
Rappers AntoineX and Nevad Brave helped ignite the crowd with excitement while the sultry voices of Isaac Tonesket and Miracle brought an air of harmony to the space.
To finish out the night, returning for another year to celebrate with our people, Grammy Award-winning artist and rapper Macklemore took the stage. Macklemore first met Nick Tilsen in 2023 at the Free Palestine Rally in Washington, D.C. Nick invited him to He Sapa to learn about NDN Collective— about why building up Indigenous movements matters and how true accomplices can help carry this work forward. Macklemore is an outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights and uplifted our work to free Leonard Peltier.
During his set, the crowd vigorously danced along to his hit songs, including ‘Glorious’ and ‘Can’t Hold Us,’ a fitting tribute to this day of celebration and resistance.
*Click the photo to enlarge. All photos by Angel White Eyes for NDN Collective.
