The sun is high and hot, storms roll in and out, and the rain is washing away the remnants of last year. In these shifting skies, we feel the pulse of something ancient and alive moving through our circle.

Right now, some of our warriors are away at ceremony—gathered in sacred places, lifting prayers for our people, and carrying the hopes of our ancestors into another season. Their absence is felt and honored. It’s a living reminder that healing, transformation, and vision are never the work of one alone, but belong to the whole circle. The work of ceremony holds space for us all, weaving together past, present, and future with every song and every step.

This is also a time when we remember who is with us and who has walked on. We honor those whose footsteps still echo in our lives, even as we gather close with those who remain. In the quiet, we notice the growth in our children—the way they move, speak, and help, showing us how much can change in a single year. These days bring us together in ways we sometimes forget: with time away from phones, games, and TVs, we share stories, laughter, meals, and presence, just as our ancestors did.

Here at home, we prepare for the new year in our own ways. Some are tending to the buffalo—feeding, checking fences, watching over the calves. Others are completing inventory at the recently opened Sacred Storm Retail Shop, sharpening minds and readying for a season of good work. In kitchens and offices, we gather receipts, close out ledgers, and take stock of what was spent, saved, and shared.

It might look like ordinary work, but at Wambli Ska and Sacred Storm, every act is more than a job—it’s a ceremony of its own. From teaching a young apprentice to break down a buffalo, to wrapping gifts for elders, to creating a new batch of Pretty Pink Buffalo tallow, we are participating in a living tradition. We are choosing, each day, to begin again—with intention, with gratitude, and with courage.

A new year isn’t just a mark on the calendar—it’s a moment to recommit to our values: rooted in culture, driven by purpose, powered by sustainable rematriation. We remember why we do this work: for the youth who are rising, for the ancestors whose prayers brought us here, for the land and buffalo who sustain us, and for the generations yet to come.

As we sweep out the old and welcome the new, we send prayers for all our relatives—those at ceremony, those at home, and those yet to come. The road ahead will bring both storms and blessings. And if we greet each day as a way of life—not just a job—we know we are walking the right path.

Wopila tanka—deep gratitude—to everyone who stands with us as we begin again.
May your path be guided by wisdom, your hands by purpose, and your heart by hope.

— The Wambli Ska, Sacred Storm, and Pretty Pink Buffalo Team