Owe Aku, a Lakota term meaning "Bring Back the Way", was founded in 1997 by Alex and Debra White Plume and their extended families. Owe Aku is a grassroots non-governmental social change organization dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of the Lakota Way of Life, 1851 & 1868 Ft. Laramie Treaty Rights, and Human Rights. Our work encompasses and goes beyond the Oglala band of the Lakota Nation and the Pine Ridge Homeland, to the Lakota Nation and the Oceti Sakowin: the Seven Council Fires, known historically (incorrectly) as the "Great Sioux Nation". In our Lakota world view of "Mitakuye Oyasin" (we are all related) we have an International Justice Office in New York City which carries all of our appropriate work into the international Human Rights and Justice arena in our birth role and responsibility as Maka Luta Awanke: Protectors of the Sacred Red Earth.
Our work is focused in the following areas:
Lakota People's School of Liberation
Unite to Fight! Leadership Training project
Decolonization & Pedagogy of the Liberated
Oceti Sakowin Treaty School
Children's Human Rights Education Campaign
Lakota Treaty Territory Defense Project
Unci Maka Kiktakte: Protection of Lakota Sacred Lands
Unci Maka Wijala! Crying Earth Rise Up! Water Research Project
Lakota Media Project: Documentary Making
Lakota Cultural Preservation & Revitalization
Community Development/Sustainability
Community House & Cottage Industry Construction Project
Wind/Solar Hybrid Development Project
Kiza Park Improvement Project
Food for Our Tables Garden Project
Silk Screen Youth Economic Development Project
Some of the Actions We've Sponsored/or Collaborated on Includes:
Children of the Red Earth Youth Conference (founded in 1997 through 2000)
Historical Trauma: The Genocidal History of the Lakota People (1997 and continuing to current)
Lakota Star Knowledge Conference (1998 and continuing to current)
Lakota Land Use Initiative: Standing Silent Nation Help Us to Be Free, Planting Hemp (1998 to 2003)
Decolonization: Lakota Men Training/Learning Experience (2003 to current)
Wind Tower/Solar Hybrid: Clean Energy (2003 to current)
Protecting Lakota Sacred Lands: Direct Action Mato Tipila (Devil's Tower), Mato Paha (Bear Butte) 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Resistors' Portray the Truth: The Genocide That Followed Lewis & Clark Protest Direct Actions (2004, 2005)
Founded and opened Lakota People's School of Liberation Unite to Fight! (2004 to current)
Working with Chiapas Media Project in Lakota Country (2005 to current)
Defending the Sacred Mato Tipila (Devil's Tower) Spring 2005
United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples' Interventions on Mato Paha and Indigenous Land Use (May 2005)
Wind/Solar Hybrid Energy Project at Community House (August 2005 to current)
Working Group on the Draft Declaration of Indigenous Peoples, United Nations, Geneva Switzerland (2005)
Founded Intertribal Coalition to Defend Bear Butte (Nov 2005)
Working Group on the Draft Declaration of Indigenous Peoples, United Nations, Geneva Switzerland (2006)
Rally to Protect Mato Paha (April 2006)
Meeting with Bolivian President Evo Morales (Spring/Summer 2006)
Gathering of Nations to Defend Bear Butte (July-August 2006)
Summit of Indigenous Nations: Sacred Land Protection (August 2006)
March on Sturgis to Protect Mato Paha (August 2006)
Crying Earth Rise Up! Water Report on Pine Ridge Published (Spring/Summer 2007)
United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples' Interventions on Sacred Water (May 2007)
Unite to Fight! Indigenous Land Issues (Spring 2007)
Owe Aku International Justice Office opened in New York (Spring 2007)
Youth Participated in Crazy Horse Ride Commemorating War Chief's Life (May 2007)
Guest Speaker/Presenter at 13 Indgienous Grandmothers Water Conference On Sacred Water Protection Work (June 2007)
Standing Silent Nation Hemp Struggle PBS Documentary Released (July 2007)
Sacred Land, Sacred Water Unite to Fight! (July 2007)
Sustainable Living: Outdoor Cobb Oven Construction Training at Kiza Park (July 2007)
Crying Earth Rise Up! Workshop: Contaminated Water Pathways to the Pine Ridge from Cameco Mine Site (July 2007)
Peace Is Like River Conference and Concert at Kiza Park (July 2007)
Mato Paha Spiritual Forum: Religious Freedom and Human Rights (August 2007)
Sacred Site Ceremony and Site Visit He Sapa (August 2007)
Crying Earth Rise Up! Survival of A People Education Campaign Video Released (Spring/Summer 2007)
Testimony at Nebraska Senate Hearing: Water Use and Uranium Mining (August 2007)
Lakota Hemp Days at Kiza Park with Keefe Productions (August 2007)
Joint Petition Filed with Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council in Tribal Court to Remove Native American Energy Group from Pine Ridge Reservation for Promoting Uranium Mining (September 2007)
Attended Lakota Ft Laramie 1851 Treaty Days in He Sapa (Sept 2007)
Screening of Standing Silent Nation in New York City, Hofstra University, NYC American Indian House (October 2007)
Presentations on Crying Earth Rise Up! Uranium and Sacred Water New York City (October 2007)
Banished Native American Energy Group from Oglala Homeland (October 2007)
Petition for Intervention Filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regarding Crow Butte Resources, Inc. planned expansion of North Trend Satellite Uranium ISL/R Mine in Crawford, Nebraska (November 2007)
Presented Crying Earth Rise Up! Sacred Water Protection Work at BHSN Oglala Treaty Council Gatherings (Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov 2007)
Atomic Licensing Board Hearing in Chadron, Nebraska seeking standing to intervene in the Cameco/Crow Butte Resources Uranium Mine Expansion of the North Trend Uranium Satellite Mine (January 16, 2008) based on brief submitted in Nov 2007
Spoke at Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council Meeting, sought and received supporting Resolutions regarding opposition to the North Trend Satellite Uranium Mine proposed for Crowford, Nebraska gaining support of 8 Bands (January 28-30, 2008)
Owe Aku: Bring Back the Way
"We Do Not Inherit Mother Earth From Our Ancestors, We Borrow Her From Our Children." --Crazy Horse
