Support Indigenous Elders Today

Indigenous Grandmothers Elder Fund

Photo by Elijah Rael at The Path

Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Four Directions:

Your contribution to the Indigenous Elder Fund directly supports Grandmothers like Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance, a respected Lakota Elder and a keeper of ancient wisdom. In the past few years, this fund has helped with travel costs, family emergencies, medical emergencies, and unforeseen expenses, ensuring our Indigenous Grandmothers can continue sharing their teachings and cultural heritage with the world. Today, we are raising funds to assist Unci Rita in securing a reliable, used SUV—a vital resource for her ongoing work and daily life.

Preserve this sacred wisdom for future generations. Donate now to uplift Indigenous Elders and honor their invaluable contributions.

Plant the Seeds of Indigenous Wisdom
Indigenous Grandmothers carry the sacred knowledge of our ancestors, connecting us to the Earth and guiding us with wisdom rooted in tradition. Your support ensures their voices remain strong and their teachings are preserved for generations to come. Join our mission to protect and nurture this living legacy.

If you have a gently used reliable, 4 wd, SUV preferebly American Made and would like to donate it The Path would graciously accept this donation for Unci. Please email Heather at info@followthegoldenpath.or g

The Story: Why Your Support Matters
Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance is a revered Lakota Grandmother, teacher, and healer. Her life is dedicated to keeping Lakota traditions alive, preserving spiritual practices, and sharing ancestral wisdom with the world. As a wisdom keeper, she embodies the heart of what it means to live in balance with nature, community, and spirit.

For years, we have supported Unci Rita and other Indigenous Elders through the Indigenous Elder Fund, helping with monthly expenses, emergencies, and travel costs. In 2024, the fund enabled Grandmothers to travel and participate in events, ensuring their teachings continue to inspire and connect us. Now, we are focused on raising funds to help Unci Rita secure a used SUV, which is essential for her daily life and ongoing work.

The Importance of Indigenous Grandmothers
Indigenous Grandmothers are the carriers of ancient traditions, the keepers of the Earth’s wisdom, and the healers of our communities. They remind us of the interconnectedness of all life and offer teachings that guide us through the complexities of modern living. Supporting them is not just an act of kindness—it’s a commitment to preserving the spiritual and cultural heritage that sustains us all.

"When you know who you are, when your mission is clear, and you burn with the inner fire of unbreakable will, no cold can touch your heart, no deluge can dampen your purpose. You know that you are alive." —Chief Seattle

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Why This Work is Crucial
Every dollar you contribute helps ensure Indigenous Elders can continue:

• Traveling to share teachings with global communities.
• Preserving traditions through ceremonies, prayers, and storytelling.
• Mentoring the next generation of wisdom keepers.
• Uplifting their communities in times of need.

Your support ensures their sacred work endures and that their teachings reach those who need them most.

UPDATE October 2024

Dear Friends and Family You helped us do it - Let's work on the Holiday Season for Unci Rita ! “Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance comes with a warm heart, the gathering of incredible life experiences and memories, an accumulation of almost 100 years of knowledge and wisdom. We are privileged to celebrate and to share in her life’s journey in this ceremony,” "The footsteps of our ancestors are the echoes that guide us through life. In their wisdom, we find strength; in their stories, we find purpose. Our grandparents are the bridge between past and future, teaching us that we carry within us not only their hopes but the resilience of generations." Here is link to the New's Story https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/99-year-old-woman-r...

UPDATE 5/25/2024

Happy 99th Birthday to Beautiful Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance !

Poem for Unci Rita at Ninety-Nine
Written by Heather Hall-Dudney Stone (Grandmother Flordemayo's daughter)

Under the wide sky of her Lakota lands,
Unci Rita has walked, with wise, weathered hands.
A life woven deep with the threads of the past,
Her spirit’s bright echo in each shadow she's cast.

Born as the plains met a new rising sun,
Just as the rights for her people were won.
Through decades she’s journeyed, a beacon so bright,
In the dance of the stars, in the cool of the night.

Ninety-nine years, each step a prayer,
Carrying wisdom only time can declare.
Grandmother’s stories, filled with love’s light,
Guiding her forward, through day and through night.

With grace she has stood, where few could have stood,
For her people, her language, the sacred and good.
"Grandmothers’ Wisdom," her heart’s steady drum,
Echoes of counsel from where we all come.

She recalls the journeys, both far and near,
With sisters of spirit, without any fear.
Their global prayer, a powerful weave,
In the tapestry where they all believe.

Today, Unci Rita reflects on the strides,
On rights once denied, on vast, windswept tides.
Of women empowered, indigenous pride,
Through resilience and love, they stand side by side.

Ninety-nine circles around our bright star,
Unci Rita, from near and from far,
We honor your life, your sacred flame,
Your journey of prayer, your venerable name.

So here’s to the stories, the laughter, the tears,
To Unci Rita, and her well-lived years.
May her path continue in light and in love,
Blessed by all lands and skies above.

Photo of Unci in Idaho May 2024 !

3/12/23 Update

February 2023 was more challenging then what I thought. We had a family member have an unexpected medical situation who is now recovering with follow ups. At times like that it doesn't seem like it but it takes its toll and a lot out of the households usual routine. Everything is affected, only after the event can you see how everything is affected. We are reaching out to assist w/our recovery. The winter brought several snow storms, a blessing for the moisture or land needs. But now our area is saturated in water and mud (gumbo). This is a challenge for our vehicles. We live qtr. Mile off the main road, we have two vehicles one is currently in the garage and is ready. The other vehicle we are now using is our trusty old 1994 Ford F150 to get to the main road. Our truck also needs repair, the 4W are lock hubs. Because of where we live we depend on our truck, it is a good fixer upper. The front wheels need adjusting and parts need to be replaced. With our truck running good we are confident always.

This winter 2022/3 started out w/the two winter storms in December. Though the storm impacted many areas it also posed many challenges for our area. High winds creating endless drifts, the past few weeks brought warm weather that created mud. In our area our main road is gravel, the winter moisture helped smooth out the wash board areas. But getting back to our homes, not so easy. We are asking for assistance to recover and get back on track, any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance,

and Nathan, Son

(Updated the goal September 2022 after some money had to help during covid, current car repairs, emergencies)

8/5/22 Update

Pine Ridge Statistical Data:

Despite nearly-insurmountable conditions, few resources, and unbelievable odds, Indigenous people are struggling hard to overcome decades of neglect, discrimination, and forced destruction of their traditional cultures to promote a life of self-respect and self-sufficiency.

* 97% of the population at Pine Ridge Reservation live below the federal poverty line.

* The unemployment rate vacillates from 85% to 95% on the Reservation.

* Death due to heart disease is twice the national average.

* The infant mortality rate is the highest on this continent and is about 300% higher than the U.S. national average.

* Many Elders die each winter from hypothermia.

* Recent reports point out that the median income on the Pine Ridge Reservation is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year.

* At least 60% of the homes are severely substandard, without water, electricity, adequate insulation, and sewage systems.

* Average life expectancy is 45 to 48 years old for men and 52 years old for women. That's the shortest life expectancy for any community in the Western Hemisphere outside Haiti, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Photo by Elijah Rael at The Path

This fundraiser is to support Oglala Lakota Unci/Grandmother Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance with the needed funds for reliable transportation. Unci Rita has two vehicles, both over 20 years old. The gravel road conditions where Unci Rita lives in the Slim Buttes community are poorly maintained and below standard. Although garage bills are a given, the road conditions plus having to travel 20 miles in any direction for food, health care, and other business takes its toll on the vehicles. Unci Rita is an independent Elder living in her own home. True to traditional cultural values when asked, Unci Rita helps provide transportation for those who call on her. The past year has been a challenge with both vehicles in the garage at the same time. Slim Buttes is a rural community, 20 miles from town and the challenges with older vehicles create a domino effect of setbacks without adequate transportation.

Photo by: Jane Feldman

UNCI RITA LONG VISITOR HOLY DANCE:

Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance is a Native American spiritual elder from the Oglala Lakota tribe. Unci (Grandmother in Lakota) was born in the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. She currently lives on the land that was allotted to her great-grandparents more than 100 years ago. She is committed to preserving the Lakota ways of life through the preservation of the Lakota language, which she speaks fluently, education and advocacy. She works with a youth ambassador program for Lakota youth connecting them with their spiritual traditions, including Sundance. In addition, she works to free youth from substance abuse. Unci Rita holds close to her heart the hope that the work and influence of the Grandmothers Council will give a voice to the Lakota People, and bring good things to the children and the generations to come.

Photo by Elijah Rael at The Path

More in Depth Statistics:

* The Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Indian Reservation sits in Bennett, Jackson, and Shannon Counties and is located in the southwest corner of South Dakota, fifty miles east of the Wyoming border.

* The 11,000-square mile (over 2 million acres) Oglala Lakota Pine Ridge Reservation is the second-largest Native American Reservation within the United States. It is roughly the size of the State of Connecticut.

* There is no industry, technology, or commercial infrastructure on the Reservation to provide employment.

* The nearest town of size (which provides some jobs for those few persons able to travel the distance) is Rapid City, South Dakota with approximately 57,000 residents. It is located approximately 120 miles from the Reservation. The nearest large city to Pine Ridge is Denver, Colorado located about 350 miles away.

* Teenage suicide rate on the Pine Ridge Reservation is 150% higher than the U.S. national average for this age group.

* More than half the Reservation's adults battle addiction and disease. Alcoholism, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and malnutrition are rampant.

* The rate of diabetes on the Reservation is reported to be 800% higher than the U.S. national average.

* Recent reports indicate that almost 50% of the adults on the Reservation over the age of 40 have diabetes. Over 37% of the population is diabetic.

* As a result of the high rate of diabetes on the Reservation, diabetic-related blindness, amputations, and kidney failure are common.

* The tuberculosis rate on the Pine Ridge Reservation is approximately 800% higher than the U.S. national average.

* Cervical cancer is 500% higher than the U.S. national average.

* It is reported that at least 60% of the homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation are infested with Black Mold, Stachybotrys. This infestation causes an often-fatal condition with infants, children, the elderly, those with damaged immune systems, and those with lung and pulmonary conditions at the highest risk. Exposure to this mold can cause hemorrhaging of the lungs and brain as well as cancer.

* Many Reservation residents live without health care due to the vast travel distances involved in accessing that care. Additional factors include under-funded, under-staffed medical facilities and outdated or non-existent medical equipment. There is little hope for increased funding for Indian health care.

* Preventive healthcare programs are rare.

* School drop-out rate is over 70%.

* According to a Bureau of Indian Affairs report, the Pine Ridge Reservation schools are in the bottom 10% of school funding by the U.S. Department of Education and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

* Teacher turnover is 800% that of the U.S. national average

* The small Tribal Housing Authority homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation are so overcrowded and scarce that many homeless families often use tents or cars for shelter. Many families live in shacks, old trailers, or dilapidated mobile homes.

* There is a large homeless population on the Reservation, but most families never turn away a relative no matter how distant the blood relation. Consequently, many homes have large numbers of people living in them.

* There is an estimated average of 17 people living in each family home (a home which may only have two to three rooms). Some homes, built for 6 to 8 people, have up to 30 people living in them.

* 60% of Reservation families have no telephone.

* Over 33% of the Reservation homes lack basic water and sewage systems as well as electricity.

* Many residents must carry (often contaminated) water from the local rivers daily for their personal needs.

* Some Reservation families are forced to sleep on dirt floors.

* Many Reservation homes lack adequate insulation. Even more, homes lack central heating.

* Without basic insulation or central heating in their homes, many residents on the Pine Ridge Reservation use their ovens to heat their homes.

* Many Reservation homes lack stoves, refrigerators, beds, and/or basic furniture.

* Most Reservation families live in rural and often isolated areas.

* The largest town on the Reservation is the town of Pine Ridge which has a population of approximately 5,720 people and is the administrative center for the Reservation.

* There are few improved roads on the Reservation and many of the homes are inaccessible during times of heavy snow or rain.

* Weather is extreme on the Reservation. Severe winds are always a factor. Traditionally, summer temperatures reach well over 110*F and winters bring the bitter cold with temperatures that can reach -50*F below zero or worse. Flooding, tornados, or wildfires are always a risk.

* Many of the wells and much of the water and land on the Reservation are contaminated with pesticides and other poisons from farming, mining, open dumps, and commercial and governmental mining operations outside the Reservation. A further source of contamination is buried ordnance and hazardous materials from closed U.S. military bombing ranges on the Reservation.

* The Pine Ridge Reservation still has no banks, motels, discount stores, or movie theaters. It has only one grocery store of any moderate size and it is located in the town of Pine Ridge on the Reservation.

* Several of the banks and lending institutions nearest to the Reservation were recently targeted for investigation of fraudulent or predatory lending practices, with the citizens of the Pine Ridge Reservation as their victims.

* There are no public libraries except one at the Oglala Lakota College of the reservation.

* There is no public transportation available on the Reservation.

* Ownership of operable automobiles by residents of the Reservation is highly limited.

* Predominate form of travel for all ages on the Reservation is walking or hitchhiking.

* There is one very small airport on the Reservation servicing both the Pine Ridge Reservation and Shannon County. Its longest, paved runway extends 4,969 feet. There are no commercial flights available.

* There is one radio station on the Pine Ridge Reservation. KILI 90.1FM is located near the town of Porcupine on the Reservation.

* Alcoholism affects eight out of ten families on the Reservation.

* The death rate from alcohol-related problems on the Reservation is 300% higher than the remaining US population.

* The Oglala Lakota Nation has prohibited the sale and possession of alcohol on the Pine Ridge Reservation since the early 1970s. However, the town of Whiteclay, Nebraska (which sits 400 yards off the Reservation border in a contested "buffer" zone) has approximately 14 residents and four liquor stores which sell over 4.1 million cans of beer each year resulting in a $3 million annual trade. Unlike other Nebraska communities, Whiteclay exists only to sell liquor and make money. It has no schools, no churches, no civic organizations, no parks, no benches, no public bathrooms, no fire service, and no law enforcement. Tribal officials have repeatedly pleaded with the State of Nebraska to close these liquor stores or enforce the State laws regulating liquor stores but have been consistently refused.

* Scientific studies show that the High Plains/Oglala Aquifer which begins underneath the Pine Ridge Reservation is predicted to run dry within the next thirty years, due to commercial interest use and dryland farming in numerous states south of the Reservation. This critical North American underground water resource is not renewable at anything near the present consumption rate. The recent years of drought have simply accelerated the problem.

* Scientific studies show that much of the High Plains/Oglala Aquifer has been contaminated with farming pesticides and commercial, factory, mining, and industrial contaminants in the States of South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Photo by Jane Feldman

Unci Rita cherishes and advocates her traditional Lakota ways and language which she speaks fluently. Unci Rita is empathetic to single parents and their struggles to raise their children because she herself was a single parent raising her children (and five of her oldest grandchildren) on her own. Unci Rita is skilled in survival knowing how to dry food and make traditional Lakota style or contemporary clothing. Unci Rita is a grandmother, great grandmother, and great great grandmother. Please contact us if you need assistance with getting a donation to Unci.

Photo by Elijah Rael at The Path

Unci and my Mom talk every couple of weeks, and they love each other so much. They are always laughing together and loving their friendship.

Please contact us if you need assistance with sending a donation to Unci.

If you are unable to donate, please share this fundraiser with your social networks. We would be forever grateful.

With Love, Light, Blessings, and Gratitude

Grandmother Flordemayo and Heather

“Our people know that the land and the language are one. If we lose one or the other we are no longer who we say we are.”

~ Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance ~

Photo By: Elijah Rael

"You have the knowledge, you have the power, and you have the protection”

~ Grandmother Flordemayo ~

Remember there is so much more work to be done. As individuals, our unique gifts are critical. We can do much, right where we are, with what we have. We are like sparks that when brought together create a bright shining fire of compassion for all living beings.

~ For Donors of $1,000 or more we will mail a copy of Grandmothers Wisdom autographed by Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance and Grandmother Flordemayo ~