OLCERI 

The Oglala Lakota Cultural & Economic Revitilization Initiative

As a center for higher indigenous education that uses permaculture practices, our mission is to restore resilience, self-sufficiency, economic independence, and cultural revitalization among the Lakota on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation while sharing our knowledge and research with other communities seeking assistance. 

Through servant leadership, using a traditional 300-year planning model, we will strengthen and empower the people of Pine Ridge and revitalize our culture through practices based on traditional indigenous wisdom.  

OLCERI aims to create and host a demonstration site for enduring and sustainable practices rooted in permaculture, holistic land management and the Lakota culture. Adaptable systems including food security, education, natural building and housing, cottage industry, environmental stewardship, historic artifact repatriation and more will be the resource for implementation of programs to serve the Pine Ridge community and beyond.

 
 

“

Tatanka Iyotake, sitting bull

Let us put our minds together to

see what kind of life we can

make for our children.
 

"

 

Our Projects

OLCERI is headquartered in the Slim Butte area of the Reservation. Slim Butte was once along a migration route the Lakota used near the White River and was then referred to as the Smoky Hills. Our Slim Butte site is about 15 miles west of the town, Pine Ridge, and is the home of Bryan Deans (OLCERI’s founder) and his family. It is an 8,000-acre ranch, home to free-range cattle and hundreds of rescued wild horses.

 

Food Security 

We are using Lakota traditions and Permaculture Practices to address food sovereignty on the Rez through food forests, community gardens, high-tunnel gardens, and walipini style greenhouses. 
 

Wildhorse Rescue

Since 2010, we have partnered with Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue and Red Horse Nation to use our 8,000 acre site at Slim Butte as the new home of hundreds of wild horses.

 

Water Harvesting 

Water supply is scarce in the dry, harsh landscapes across Pine Ridge. We work to develop ideas for harvesting rain water through small-scale, more common methods as well as earth works such as swales and keyline dams.

Natural Building

We are working on several natural building projects to, not only provide sustainable and affordable homes to families in need but to demonstrate various building techniques with every project. 

 

Local biofuels production

As part of our commitment to create a sustainable and renewable energy supply for our Slim Butte demonstration site, we have several projects in the works. Please contact us to learn more about our large scale wind energy initiatives if you’re considering getting involved.

Alternative Energy

As part of our commitment to create a sustainable and renewable energy supply for our Slim Butte demonstration site, we have several projects in the works. Please contact us to learn more about our large scale wind energy initiatives if you’re considering getting involved.

 
 

Get Involved

Many hands make light work. Please reach out if you have resources you can use to support our collective vision. 

 

Sign Up For Work

We are constantly looking for residents of Pine Ridge who want to earn a living doing work that will benefit their extended family for generations.  

Volunteer opportunities

We are always looking for volunteers to host at the OLCERI ranch to help us with various projects that will be running for generations to come. 

Make a Donation

We make the most of every resource we use. Your donation will go far to helping those on the Reservations for the next seven generations and beyond.