I am a member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation in Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. I reside in Lincoln Nebraska and I’m a mother to a sweet CASK boy named Sunny.

As a member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, I understand that parfleche means "hide." Our people believe in using the whole animal, including the skin. We use the skin not only for tipis but also for boxes, containers, and bags. This buffalo hide box is painted with acrylic marks featuring important cultural symbols: The turtle represents Turtle Island, which is central to our creation story The red line down the middle symbolizes fertility The two tipis represent the connection between the spirit realm and our physical world The stars reflect our belief that everything is mirrored in the spirit world, with stars representing our spirits/souls The star above the tipi shows how our spirits reside in the spirit realm, and when ready for rebirth, our children choose their parents Blue triangles symbolize clouds and the journey to our homes (the tipis) The fork designs point toward the heavens

Title: Spirit Paths: Lakota Parfleche

Medium: Parfleche box

Dimensions: 6”x7” depth 6”

I created this parfleche artwork to share the Lakota story of how our children choose us—a belief I hold tightly in my heart. This teaching became especially meaningful to me throughout the journey of learning about Sunny's CASK diagnosis and understanding what it all means for our lives. In our tradition, we believe that spirits reside in the Spirt realm before choosing to be born. The knowledge that our children see us as the ones strong enough to love and care for them has given me strength on my darkest days. This buffalo hide box carries these sacred teachings through traditional Sicangu Lakota symbolism—the turtle representing our world, the connected tipis showing the bridge between spiritual and physical realms, and the stars symbolizing souls making their journey. Through this artwork, I honor both our ancestral knowledge and my personal journey of resilience as a parent. The parfleche itself represents resourcefulness and respect for the buffalo who provides for all our needs, much like we strive to provide for our children who have chosen us as their guardians on this earth.

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