TIYOSPAYE WINYAN MAKA

Promoting Alternative Housing, Education, Energy, and Food Sovereignty For Indigenous Families

About Us

Our Services & Projects

Collaborative Visions

Volunteer

Our programs are supported by generous donations and annual fund-raising campaigns. Consider making a tax deductible donation to help fortify indigenous women and children and restore wicosani to individuals, their tiyospayes, communities and tribes.
 

We are also taking item Donations:

  • Windows 
  • doors 
  • electrical equipment 
  • plumbing equipment
  • sand bags

Mail your donations directly to: 

Tiyospaye Winyan Maka 

c/o Christinia Eala 

1245 East Lincoln Ave.  #722

Fort Collins, Colorado 80524

Contact Us

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"Our purpose is to inspire [native youth] to embrace their own history and culture. 

Without them, we Indians have no future". 

     - Floyd Red Crow Westerman 

For over 15 years, it has been the vision of Tiyospaye Winyan Maka, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, to create sustainable housing on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Starting with the late, beloved Muriel Ashmore, founder of Tiyospaye Crisis Center and more recently, Christinia Eala, founder of Winyan Maka, two small agencies have merged to promote sustainable housing, renewable energy, as well as nutritional and educational sovereignty for Indigenous families.

Tiyospaye Winyan Maka, a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit, has a strategic vision to address the multitude of issues facing the Lakota and other indigenous people by merging traditional wisdom and values with contemporary regenerative practices, particularly in the building trade.

Mission Statement:

Our mission is to promote alternative housing and energy, nutritional and educational sovereignty for indigenous women and their families. To do our work effectively we raise awareness that there are beautiful, strong people with a proud history who now live in third world conditions throughout one of the richest nations on Earth. There are many people who are suffering; however, our focus is currently the Lakota (Sioux) tribes living in Lakota Territory in South Dakota.
We continuously strive to create support networks, to encourage self-help, to promote healing, and a sustainable lifestyle for indigenous women, youth, and families, whether living off or on the reservation. All of our programs embody our commitment to the Lakota value of wicosani, which means to walk in balance with the four aspects of self: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. By combining traditional values with educational training in sustainable building practices, we strengthen the capacity and confidence of indigenous people to lead the way as engaged and effective stewards of the Earth's resources.

Meet the Team

Christinia

Jessica

Elissa

Rita

 

Mario

Mary Jo

Manuel

United Indigenous Nations: 

 
The position of the United Indigenous Nation's is that the traditional indigenous peoples of the world could function at the level much truer to their spirit if they operate under traditional laws and customs. To that end, United Indigenous Nations travels around the globe to advocate just that perspective to the varied tribal administrations and councils.

Women’s Alliance to Save the Earth

Tiyospaye Winyan Maka created an Advisory Board and we call it “Women’s Alliance to Save The Earth” or the acronym is W.A.S.T.E. (“Was’te” in Lakota means “Good”). Our advisory board is made up of women who work with Indigenous Peoples around the globe.

WAS'TE Advisory Board:

  • Mary Tuchscherer—www.voiceflame.org
  • Susan M. Kains -
  • Bernadette Hollow Horn - Wounded Knee   Community Member
  • Susan M. Kains -  

Buckville Energy Consulting, LLC

Buckville Energy Consulting LLC is located completely off-grid at 8200 feet elevation in the Northern Colorado Rocky Mountains, 11 miles from the nearest power line or telephone pole. Offices are powered entirely by solar and wind, with biodiesel and wood-fired steam for backup.

Dan Fink and Dan Bartmann are the owners, and they are also responsible for the popular do-it-yourself renewable energy website Otherpower.com. Dan B grew up off the grid, hauling a car battery up and down the hill to an antique WinCharger turbine to charge so he could watch Star Trek. Dan F moved off the grid in 1991, and has been a professional renewable energy system designer, installer and troubleshooter since 1994.

Engineers Without Borders-CSU Chapter

Engineers Without Borders at Colorado State University (EWB-CSU) partners with disadvantaged communities in Latin America to improve their quality of life through the implementation of environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects. Through these projects, we give students of all backgrounds, from engineering to anthropology, the opportunity gain hands-on experience in international development.

We are a chapter of Engineers Without Border-USA, a non-governmental organization established in 2000 which helps students and professionals with the design and construction of water, wastewater, sanitation, energy, and shelter systems. We strive to include the community in all phases of the project to ensure ownership, appropriateness and long-term effectiveness while building self-sustainability.

Faith Community Initiatives

Tiyospaye Winyan Maka has partnered with several faith communities including Unity Church in Boulder, CO; Unitarian Universalists in Rapid City, SD; and Washington Park United Church of Christ in Denver, CO.

To organize a group of volunteers please click here for more information.