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Pispiza Wounspe Annual Report
Accomplishment of the 2006
In the first part of the year 2006, the Pispiza cultural exchange program could send two Lakota teenagers to Germany and Switzerland. With the friendly support of Andreas Weiss and Family, Dieter Hickmann and Family was it possible for Steven Richards and Eric Petrsyzon, to partibate in a work program in Germany. Further, they participated in the “Mal und Zeichenproject†under the professional instructions of a named Swiss artist, Birgit Burri. Different paintings produced during the program by the young Lakota artist were displayed at a seminar about Lakota spirituality at Aurach in May 2006.
Further, another twenty acres could be purchase on a contract for deed. The Pispiza land is now considered a small ranch, which allows a tax break in land tax and it allows to keep livestock. This is important for some animal programs, where animals like horses or small animals are interrogated into programs for disturbed children. Also, it provides the program with a food source, like eggs, milk etc. This was possible with the help of a generous donation by the S.E.R. Stiftung through Birgit Burri. The monthly payments of the 40 acres are carried by the founders of Pispiza Wounspe, Karen Swan and Winfried Alessi-Narr.
The second part of the year, we were able with a donation from the S.E.R. Stiftung , to start the school building on the Pispiza land. Up to date we were only able to develop the land. We installed the septic tank, train field and sewer system. Further construction at this time is not able to be complete, because of weather conditions. The construction will be continued in 2007.
The Lakota language department of the Pispiza Wounspe was able to finish a language project with Dolly Red Elk. The result is a Lakota student dictionary, which will be used in the different Lakota Universities throughout the reservation. The Lakota dictionary is now in the state of testing in the field. The studies will be finished in February of 2007 and then it will be printed in March of 2007.
At Christmas, the Pispiza Wounspe helped some families of the Rosebud and Pineridge Indian Reservations with monetary and other gifts. The families are; family Holy Eagle Delores, family Provincial and Family Bald Eagle. And we donated $250.00 for toys for needed native children at White River.
Year 2007 Building Projections
In the first part of the year 2007 the construction of the Pispiza building in the Black Hills should be done as far as the frame and the basic division of the single rooms and the workshop. The cost on the construction is higher than the projection of 2006. Higher building material cost due to higher gas prices, US wide shortage of cement and the taxes increases are due to the “War of Terrorâ€, raised the building cost in the USA of more than 30%. At this time it is difficult to say how this price increase will affect our budget. The exact figures will be summated later. An increase of cost of 10-15% can be expected.
The house in White River is at this time rented to Mr. Wooden Knife a local Native American from Rosebud. Mr. Wooden Knife has been chosen by the program to rent the house, because he tries to take care of his family and to give him a start out. His rent is $200.00 a month. He did some cosmetic improvement at the house. Otherwise, no further constructions or improvements have been.
In June 2007, Mr. Wooden Knife will move out and the house can be remodeled and can be used to host children and visitors of the Pispiza Wounspe Program.
Construction & Builder
The firm Stick and Stones Log Homes are doing the construction in the Black Hills. Mr. Jim DeLucca, owner of Stick and Stones Log Homes, mainly donates his time to build this building. Winfried Alessi-Narr traded him a camper trailer in the amount of $3500.00 and native goods in the amount of $1000.00. These will add up to $4500.00. The normal labor fee would be way over $10000.00. The development of the Pispiza Land was done by Stan’s Enterprises. The installment of the septic system and cistern amounted to $5000.00.
Budget Plan 2007
Construction site Black Hills:
An increase of cost of 10-15% will occur in the of 2007
Further construction will show how far the budget will take the complition of the house.
White River House
The remodeling cost of the White River house should be for the first half of the 2007; $7500.00. This includes all necessities to bring the house in a condition of operation. This means that the state code is met and the house is furnished with the standard furniture.
The completion which includes some updates in electricity and construction up dates should be completed in September of 2007.
Also an increase of cost of 10-15% has to be considered.
Pispiza Cultural Exchange
For the year 2007 are three Lakota girls planed to participate in the program. Two candidates are chosen and one position is still open at this time. Further are two German teenagers eligible to participate in the program. The Lakota teenagers shall be going to Europe in April until mid of May of 2007. The German teenagers are scheduled to go in July until August of 2007.
Activities of 2007
Merging School
In April of 2007 at the Pispiza Wounspe Tipi shall be a one week merging school in Lakota. That means that Lakota children will be living in this house for a week and they are exposed to the Lakota language and culture. There will be no English allowed during the duration of the stay. Dolly Red Elk, Harriet Brings and Elaine Delores are the Lakota speaker who is creating a Lakota specking environment for these children.
Lakota class
Pispiza Wounspe will offer a Lakota language class for beginners in Hill City. The instructor is Dolly Red Elk. This program shall help with some funding for the Merging School class. This course will take one school semester. It starts in February 1st of 2007 and it ends on May 1st of 2007.
Pispiza Publishing
The Lakota student dictionary shall be printed in March of 2007.
Two other language projects are in process since December of 2006. One is a children’s book with Lakota mystical and educational background and the other is a translation of a common children book in the USA, called “Seven Monkeys jumping on the Bed.â€
Continuously, we will work on the Lakota dictionary which could be compared as the Lakota “Websterâ€.
