Mahpiya Luta | Red Cloud

About the Company

Maȟpíya Lúta | Red Cloud is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located on the Pine Ridge Reservation, home to the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Tribe. More than 130 years ago, Chief Red Cloud, one of the most famous leaders of the Oglala Lakota people, recognized the Lakota were facing irrevocable economic and cultural challenges. His wish was for the Jesuits to educate Lakota children to “walk in two worlds” so as to survive in a rapidly changing environment, while still sustaining their Lakota identity. He lobbied the U.S. government for over a decade to allow the Jesuits to build a school on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and in 1888, he succeeded. Today, the Red Cloud Indian School includes three schools that serve nearly 500 students, pastoral services that serve nearly 800 families in communities throughout the reservation, and The Heritage Center – a cultural arts center that works with over 250 Native artists annually.