Sacred Storm Buffalo program trains Native youth in meat processing and food systems

Sacred Storm Buffalo is a workforce development enterprise focused on meat processing, cultural preservation and food sovereignty, according to a March 4 report by Lakota Times. The program trains Native youth in traditional butchery, agriculture and ecological stewardship while reconnecting participants with cultural knowledge tied to buffalo and land stewardship. According to Lakota Times, the initiative aims to help participants build careers in food production while supporting local food systems and community well-being.

The program operates through a Native-owned buffalo processing plant and mobile slaughter unit that follows what the organization describes as a “birth-to-table” approach to food production. According to Lakota Times, the effort grew from the work of Wambli Ska Okolakiciye, a Native-led nonprofit founded in 2014 in Rapid City, South Dakota, that focuses on reconnecting Native youth and families with cultural teachings and community programs.