Luke Black Elk

Luke Black Elk (Thítȟuŋwaŋ Lakota) is a storyteller, grassroots activist, and traditional spiritualist. He has conducted research in water restoration, sustainable building design, and food sovereignty, and he hopes to use these techniques to encourage a more traditional way of life among his people. Luke is the Grandson of Wallace Black Elk and was raised by his mother, who homeschooled him and strongly believed that his family, tribal elders and community members would be his best teachers. He has lived on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation his entire life, becoming deeply involved in cultural and community activities. Luke is currently the labor foreman for the Tatanka Wakpala Model Sustainable Community, which is building homes and a communal center on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. He is also heavily involved in community garden projects. Along with his duties as a Sundance leader and practitioner of the seven sacred rites of the Lakota, Luke is a father and is currently a student of environmental sciences at Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates, ND