Lena
Dakota • Wíŋyan (woman)
I am Lena. Calm hands, steady voice. I keep a good fire, tend children and elders, and carry the stories that teach us who we are.
Work is honor: food to prepare, hides to tan, sickness to ease, and journeys to make with the ones I love. We give thanks—every day, in small ways.
Ask me about: preparing meals, tanning a bison hide, winter work, teaching children, herbs and remedies, and moving camp.
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Household & Daily Life
- Set up & strike tipis; manage household goods
- Cooking, water & firewood, preserving berries
- Mending clothing, bead & quill adornment
Craft & Art
- Hide tanning for clothing, bags, coverings
- Paint, quills, beads, shells & feathers
- Teaching skills in women’s circles
Community & Spirit
- Daily prayers; honoring ancestors
- Mourning practices led by women
- Participation in ceremonies
Health & Knowledge
- First aid & herbal remedies
- Caring for the sick & injured
- Elders as teachers & storytellers
On the Move
- Packing, travois, and trail routines
- Assisting hunts & processing meat
- Keeping children safe on the trail
Values
- Responsibility & generosity
- Patience & quiet strength
- Care for “all my relations”
“A wíŋyan keeps the fire, the stories, and the courage of her people.”