ABOUT US
Learn the Meaning of Wica Agli
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
THE REALITY OF ABUSE—
In the United States, violence against AI/AN women has reached devastating levels on tribal lands and in Alaska Native villages. From the latest National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Research Report released in May 2016, we learned the following (Rosay, 2016):
More than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women (84.3 percent) have experienced violence in their lifetime.
More than half of AI/AN women (56.1 percent) have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.
More than half of AI/AN women (55.5 percent) have experienced physical violence by intimate partners in their lifetime.
OUR HISTORY—
Indigenous culture teaches us to be men in the same way the sky is in relationship to the earth: to provide a safe place for creation to thrive. As a tribal people, we hold a responsibility to honor and respect one another, acting without violence, anger, or brutality – especially towards the ones we love.
Our history is not one without darkness. Western colonization brought with it destruction and disorder – our people were hunted, women and children beaten, raped, and treated without regards to humanity.
A lingering trauma exists among our people. The destruction of our traditional ways of life and the separation and removal of our family structure along with Western influence brought with it violent and abusive behaviors.
This is why we are here: to remind our brothers that there are better ways to resolve conflict and bring about healing by reclaiming and using our traditional teachings to heal our community one man at a time.
OUR HISTORY—
Indigenous culture teaches us to be men in the same way the sky is in relationship to the earth: to provide a safe place for creation to thrive. As a tribal people, we hold a responsibility to honor and respect one another, acting without violence, anger, or brutality – especially towards the ones we love.
Our history is not one without darkness. Western colonization brought with it destruction and disorder – our people were hunted, women and children beaten, raped, and treated without regards to humanity.
A lingering trauma exists among our people. The destruction of our traditional ways of life and the separation and removal of our family structure along with Western influence brought with it violent and abusive behaviors.
This is why we are here: to remind our brothers that there are better ways to resolve conflict and bring about healing by reclaiming and using our traditional teachings to heal our community one man at a time.
METHODS
OUR METHODS—
We work to move men in a positive direction away from violence and abuse. We do so by using our cultural teachings to heal and empower men to engage their relatives in more aware and loving relationships free of violence. One of the practices that we use locally in Rosebud is to partner men with horses.
Horses have the ability to connect, heal, and empower those that come into contact with them. Just as those we work with have experienced trauma and hardship in their lives, our horses have all endured their own difficulties and suffering, and by nature, take it upon themselves to relieve others of their pain.
METHODS
OUR SYMBOL—
There is meaning behind everything surrounding us. We choose to recognize and embrace these meanings and incorporate them into the very core of our efforts, beginning with our symbol.
Traditionally our directional colors are Black, Red, Yellow and White. The directions were created starting in the West. Our colors have been intentionally rearranged to illustrate that we as men are lost and are in need of finding our way. We have left the Black being the first direction in the original place to further illustrate that our culture holds within it the ability and teachings to shape healthy men free of toxic masculinity.
Black stands for the darkness within each man that he must address and forgive himself for in order to move forward in his individual journey.
The color white represents light, goodness, purity, and the rebirth that the men of our program undergo.
Red represents the Buffalo People and the strength of our community, our programs, and our teachings.
Yellow embodies the wisdom, understanding, and awareness gained through the experiences of our program for the wellbeing of our society.
The chevron symbol itself is an emblem of masculinity, pointing in an upward direction to signify the positive growth we work towards.
OUR JOURNEY—
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Wica Agli
PO Box 1161
Mission, SD 57555
Tel: (605) 223-0122