Hóčhoka Podcast: Recent Episodes
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The Lakota word Hóčhoka means the center of the camp circle. The name speaks to the actual location of the recording studio, the centrality of the mission of St. Joseph’s Indian School to all that we do, the role of the podcast to be at the center of the Native American educational conversation and gather others around that conversation.
Feeding teenagers is always a challenge, but feeding 200 on-campus students is, too. Amy Thomas, the Cafeteria Manager at St. Joseph’s Indian School, talks about feeding students, and there is more than just a cafeteria involved. St. Joseph’s has its own grocery store for houseparents to get supplies for the student homes.
Having 12 boys at home and caring for them sounds chaotic, but Stephen and Robbie Chapman love it and love the kids. St. Joseph’s Indian School students live on campus in homes with houseparents. Listen to the story of how houseparents care for students, help them grow, learn and thrive.
Casey Walsh, curator at the Aktá Lakota Museum, describes the new exhibition as featuring artworks that blend modern and traditional elements. She brings her love for history and her appreciation for Native art to her first curated exhibit. Join the conversation and meet Casey.
LaToya Crazy Bull graduated from high school in 2006. Since then, she has been working hard on her education and improving her community. She was recently honored as the 2026 Distinguished Alumna. On this episode of Hóčhoka, she shares how her experiences and education at St. Joseph’s Indian School shaped who she is today.
The alumni team from St. Joseph’s Indian School hits the road every summer with the bookmobile, taking books to people across South Dakota. Andy Lepkowski has worked at the school for 50 years and is delighted to meet alumni, share their stories, and offer assistance if needed. Listen in on his story.
Schools out for the summer – well, kind of. Hear from two young ladies who are crossing from 8th grade into St. Joseph’s Indian School’s high school program. Margaret and Crystal share how their years at St. Joseph’s have prepared them for the next big step.
Each year, seventh graders at St. Joseph’s Indian School take a trip to visit sites significant to the Native American Culture. This trip has become a cornerstone of the Native American Studies Program. The sites the student learns about become real when they walk in the steps of their ancestors.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Day is May 5. For several years, a student-initiated recognition project has honored those who are missing. Amanda Hermeling joins Scott Woster to talk about this year’s event and tips for staying safe.
Moving from tween to teen years and into adulthood can be challenging. St. Joseph’s Indian School has a transition specialist who walks with students to help them along the way. Meet Julie Garcia and hear how she assists students.
St. Joseph’s Indian School is a Catholic school that helps students find and grow their faith. Joe Tyrell, Director of Mission Integration, works with students to develop their spiritual lives by balancing their Native American spirituality with the Catholic faith.
Reading is important, and St. Joseph’s Indian School takes it seriously. The library has been recognized by the State of South Dakota for excellence, and more importantly, our students are developing a lifelong love for reading. Hear from Brooklynn, a freshman, and Claire Nehring, the school librarian, about their joy for reading.
St. Joseph’s Indian School’s Residential Transition Coordinator Frank Whipple discusses the high school seniors' experience meeting certain requirements. But when we talk about the extra benefits of being a senior in St. Joseph’s Indian School’s High School Program, we are talking about so much more.
As Lent begins, we talk with Dr. Damian Costello about the Stations of the Cross and how this devotion compares to the Sun Dance.
Marlena is a seventh-grade student who plays four sports at St. Joseph’s Indian School. Learn about her experience as a student, as an athlete, and her appreciation of the recently renovated recreation center.
St. Joseph’s Indian School educates for life – mind, body, heart and spirit with wrap around care for all aspects of life for the students and families. Today we talk with Sharmel Olson the director of education about the school to better understand her role and the school.
To kick off Season 9 of Hóčhoka, meet eighth grader Tristan and senior Jamison as they share what it is like for them to attend St. Joseph’s Indian School.
St. Joseph's Indian School's Hochoka Podcast is kicking off the ninth season with a few updates. Scott Woster and Daryl Thuringer share what to expect with Season 9 in 2026.
Black Elk prayed, “Morning Star, there at the place where the sun comes up, you who have the wisdom which we seek, help us in cleansing ourselves and all the people, that our generations to come will have light as they walk the sacred path.” In the Book of Revelation, Jesus says, I am "the bright morning star." How might knowing more about the morning star enrich our faith? Let’s talk.
“Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God,” wrote Jesuit Theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. And, Advent joy surprises us and invites us to wonder, says Hóčhoka guest Dr. Chris Hokklotubbe. Let’s talk about it.
Here at the outset of Advent 2025, one Indigenous theologian invites, “Instead of rushing toward the baby Jesus … hang back with the prophet Isaiah.” There are lessons in hope to be found here. Let’s learn.
Not so long ago, the concept of synergy was “all the buzz.” Today it is worth revisiting in a conversation with two organizations that can identify how together they bring about a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate endeavors. Let’s join the conversation.
For Black Elk and the Lakota people, the tipi was a sacred dwelling place that conveyed deep truth. We don't often make a connection to the Bible, where for much of the Old Testament God lived in a tent, and the New Testament literally says Jesus "pitched his tent among us." Tent, tipi, tabernacle: what do these places say about where God dwells? We’re about to find out.
Fine arts, drama, music, movement, and creative writing – these programs are often the first place we look to trim the educational budget. Let’s spend some time today with two artists who can convince us that when this happens, everything else suffers. Listen up.
Is it reading, and writing, and ‘rithmatic? What about STEM? What’s your recipe for educational success? Today, we’re talking to two guys who have a dog in the fight, and they’ve got something to say about Art.
The late contemporary Irish poet John O’Donohue wrote in an unfinished poem, “I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.” Our guest today embodies this open delight at life. Let’s meet this 2025 graduate of St. Joseph’s Indian School.
Many are familiar with the declaration in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against?” This bold and rhetorical question is subject to many considerations, but for oppressed peoples seeking to interpret Christian scripture, it can be problematic. Let’s unpack the issue.
What if we were to turn the clock back some 60 years and visit this soon-to-be-100-year-old school? Who might we encounter, and what might that person tell us? Here to accompany us as we travel back through time and up to the present day, none other than the 2025 Distinguished Alum, Gerald High Elk. Let’s go!
Filmmaker George Lucas of Star Wars fame addressed teachers with these words, “You have the most important job of anyone today. Our kids need you to advocate for their futures.” During our last episode, we learned how vital the Lakota language is for the future of our students. Today, we learn how two women at St. Joseph’s are advocating for them.
Lakota elder and teacher Dottie LeBeau once noted, “Losing the language means losing the culture. We need to know who we are because it makes a difference in who we are and who our children are.” If language is the carrier of culture, what does this mean for the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people, whose Native speakers now number in mere hundreds? Let’s talk about it.
Mother Teresa is often quoted, "I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things." That is the great benefit of collaboration, which shapes much of the work we do at St. Joseph’s. Let’s learn more about the school’s relationship with the University of Notre Dame.
Why are three college-age women traveling throughout the Indian Country of the Northern Plains distributing books? Let’s find out.
How is it that a former U. S. Marine from Texas with a Poly-Sci major finds himself deeply involved in the spiritual and administrative life of St. Joseph’s Indian School? Let’s talk with Fr. Greg Schill, SCJ, and learn all about it.
Leadership is a role performed uniquely by the person who holds the role. At St. Joseph’s Indian School, we are experiencing a transition in leadership that brings a new title and a new face. Let’s get to know this person!
President Ronald Regan and Vice President George W. Bush begin their second term in office. Coke releases new-and-improved New Coke, meeting so much opposition that old Coke is back on the shelves in three months. The Unabomber is on the loose. “Back to the Future” opens in theaters across America, and Mike and Kim Tyrell arrive for their first year as houseparents at St. Joseph’s Indian School. These things happened 40 years ago. Here to tell us what it’s like 40 years later, the school’s President, Mike Tyrell.
Don't miss Hóčhoka Season 8 when:
- Former President, Mike Tyrell, new CEO, Jennifer Renner-Meyer, and incoming President, Fr. Greg Schill, SCJ, set the vision for the future
- Chris Hoklotubbe and Dr. Damian Costello join us once again to enrich the Christian perspective with Indigenous wisdom.
- Three alumni from different eras are with us “talking thiyóšpaye.”
- We learn about the American Indian Catholic Schools Network from its Director, William Newkirk.
- We enjoy highlights from several of the school’s best programs, including Lakota Language Preservation, Visiting Artists, and the Bookmobile.
"Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air." St. Joseph’s alum Hope McCloskey favors this quote by Henry Grunwald, former editor in chief of Time, Inc. Let’s find out what the noise is all about.
Our 7th Graders head out on their annual visit to sites sacred to their culture this week. During the school’s 2022 Seventh Grade Cultural Trip, as the boy’s group reached the summit of Matȟó Pahá, their pleasant ascent became shrouded in fog and they could not see ten feet in front of them. They were pelted with sleet and snow. What can Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk teach us about this event?
Today we bear profound grief on the wings of deep gratitude as we invite you to join in remembering our friend Joseph Marshall III.
Love is medicine, learning from each other is a precious practice and positive change is possible says successful Indigenous author, speaker and consultant Monique Gray Smith. That sounds like good medicine. Let’s learn more.
It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, Your old men will have dreams, Your young men will see visions,” says the prophet Joel. “What does it mean for Christians to embrace and honor the dreams and visions given to us by Creator?” asks Dr. Chris Hoklotubbe. Let’s find out!
Some critics of Christianity find a connection between a Christian perspective that places humankind over and other than the created world and the shaky ecological health of our planet. Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk and the Ghost Dance tradition say, “Not so quick.” Let's learn from Dr. Damian Costello.
What can the former Chaplain and Director of St. Joseph’s Indian School tell us about the Native American education that takes place here when we look back, at the present and ahead to the future?
What do Star Trek, the Chicago White Socks and social activist Dorothy Day have in common? We’re about to find out as we talk with Fr. Steve Huffstetter, SCJ.
“Ceremony is a vehicle for belonging – to a family, to a people, and to the land,” says Robin Wall Kimmerer, Potawatami botanist and author of “Braiding Sweetgrass.” Today we turn to how First Nations Christians relate to their cultural traditions through ceremony. Why is this important? Let's learn with Dr. Chris Hoklotubbe
In 2013, Botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer published “Braiding Sweetgrass.” It took seven years for the book to inch its way up the New York Times bestseller list, but since then, this book of Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teaching of plants has been hard to keep in stock. Let’s talk to Monique Gray Smith whose adaptation of the book, “Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults,” makes this valuable text more accessible to countless readers.
Native American elders advise, “Go among the standing people.” This is a reminder that plants can be our caretakers, healers, teachers, and guides. There are intelligences other than our own. Imagine how less lonely the world would be if we knew and believed that we didn’t have to figure everything out by ourselves.
“You are dust and unto dust you shall return,” admonishes the Christian Church each Ash Wednesday. What happens not only to the fear factor but also to our understanding of what it is to be human when we look at our relationship to creation through an indigenous lens? Let's talk with Dr. Chris Hoklotubbe.
To some, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, who chose the pen name Zitkala-Šá, might be a study in contradictions. How did the woman who authored “Why I am a Pagan” also embrace Catholicism? Who better to help us explore the topic than Dr. Damian Costello?
“My country! ‘tis of thee, Sweet land of Liberty, My pleas I bring. Land where OUR fathers died, Whose offspring are denied, The franchise given wide, Hark while I sing.” This stirring takeoff on Samuel Francis Smith’s “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” begins our conversation on the final two decades of the life of Zitkala-Šá.
The 2024 Zitkala-Šá Quarter is the 15th coin in the American Women Quarters Program. Who is this woman minted by the United States Treasury, and why does that matter to all of us?
What is a Buffalo Harvest and what is the significance of the buffalo to the Lakota people? Let’s learn from two people who recently participated in a harvest.
Who are the wakȟáŋheža? Lakota children are called by this word that means “little sacred ones.” Significantly, the Indigenous have known all along what new science is proving: There is great power in the spiritual life of children. Let’s explore the topic with Dr. Damian Costello and learn what it means for parents and educators everywhere.
What does it mean to be 13, back stage adults, watching on tiptoe, waiting to go onstage?" Some years ago, TIME magazine reporter Nancy Gibbs asked that question. Today we hear from someone who spends every day in a middle school classroom. Let’s find out what he says about this unique stage of life.
Theologian John Shea says, “We are the story God tells. Our very lives are the words that come from God’s mouth.” If this is so, the intersection of the rich Indigenous storytelling tradition and Scripture holds profound assets both for Native Christians and for all followers of Christ. Let’s learn more!
Don’t miss Hóčhoka Season 7 when:
- Monique Gray Smith, author of “Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults,” joins us for three lively conversations
- Chris Hoklotubbe enriches the Christian perspective with Indigenous wisdom
- Damian Costello returns to talk about Black Elk, the Ghost Dance and more
- Steve Huffstetter, SCJ, “talks thiyóšpaye”
- We explore the world of youth with Influencer Gabe Dannenbring and others
We learn about Zitkala-Šá whose remarkable life is commemorated on a quarter by the United States Mint
“We say this phrase, ‘Mitákuye Oyá’sin.’ It means all my relatives, all my relations. Once you have that belief, you find it easier to care for people, to have compassion for other people, to practice generosity and reciprocity.” Those are the words of Ben Sherman, grandfather of today’s guest, alum Danielle Arpan, whose pursuit of a nursing degree embodies his teaching.
“I ponder within my heart, where will I gather the holy, fragrant flowers? Who will I ask? … If they showed them to me, I will fill my tilma and with them I will greet the nobles, with them I will make the lords happy.” This famous pre-colonial Native song is a key that opens our imaginations to the mystery of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Let’s open that door!
Darkness gets a lot of bad press. Few of us want to be “in a dark place” or living in “the darkest hour.” Many are afraid of the dark, the absence of light, and it is under the cover of darkness that nefarious deeds go unseen. Colossians 1:13 proclaims, “He has rescued us from the power of darkness.” But Dr. Damian Costello tells us that Indigenous and Catholic traditions alike tell us that darkness is nothing less than sacred. Listen.
Winston Churchill, who served as Prime Minister of England during the Second World War, once said, “I’d rather spend half an hour in the company of a top carpenter than three hours in the company of an average brain surgeon.” It’s our good fortune today to spend around a half hour with someone we consider a top carpenter here at St. Joe’s, alum Trinity Sazue.
To be a Native American Elder today means to have navigated the forced assimilation of the boarding school era and to have witnessed the loss of culture, language and more. How might you have emerged from such an experience? Let’s continue our conversation with two who show us the way.
Lydia Whirlwind Soldier writes in her poem “To Be an Elder,” “Nope … I am not ready to give up my immature ways, to spontaneously give. I am not ready to examine and prune my behaviors, to ask for those senior discounts, to set examples for those around or let those old patterns vanish.” Today we talk with her and Joseph Marshall III about being a Lakota Elder.
“If we keep everything in balance, we are in harmony with ourselves and are at peace,” said Lakota Holy Man Frank Fools Crow. A key component of balance at St. Joseph’s Indian School is our Counseling Services Department. Today, we’ll look at their work through an Indigenous lens.
“To us, health is about so much more than simply not being sick. It’s about getting a balance between physical, mental, emotional, cultural and spiritual health,” says one Indigenous physician and researcher. Let’s learn how St. Joseph’s Indian School’s health center is taking those words to heart.
Jonas Salk, medical researcher who developed one of the first successful polio vaccines, once said, “Solutions come through evolution. They come through asking the right questions, because the answers pre-exist. It is the questions that we must define and discover. You don't invent the answer-you reveal the answers.” Let’s talk to a couple of people asking the right questions here at St. Joseph’s Indian School.
What do Jesus, the ancient Red Heifer Ceremony, White Buffalo Calf Woman and Black Elk have in common? More importantly, what deeper connections between Lakota Spirituality and Catholicism does this reveal? Let’s find out.
“Give me a glimpse of what could be – not to ponder what might have been – reveal the blush of dawn – overlook the thorns beneath the rose – welcome the glow of winter’s stars – to laugh and play in drifts of snow – kindle that gentle beauty and pray when night and quiet come.” The poem called “Hope” is from “Survival Songs,” poetry by Lydia Whirlwind Soldier on her Native American boarding school experience.
“I retreat to the edge of dreams, empty my heart of haunting fears. I fly with the red-tail hawk along the bank of rolling thunderheads into the mysteries of prayer.” This is poetry that gives voice to the Lakota Way with heart-stirring imaginative power. Join our conversation with Lakota Poet Lydia Whirlwind Soldier.
How is it that a seminarian from Vietnam and a business major from Ft. Myers, Florida, find themselves traveling through Indian Country of the Northern Plains distributing books on St. Joseph's Indian School's Booklmobile? Let’s find out.
As Native communities across the country reclaim their narratives and embrace their cultural heritages, our work at St. Joseph’s Indian School has become increasingly enriched through Indigenous ways of knowing. It is time to ask, “Well, then, what about an indigenous evaluation framework for our students?”
What’s all this talk about Indigenous ways of knowing? Why should a school for Native American students seek to develop measurements of student achievement based on Indigenous knowledge systems? Let’s talk to Dr. Melanie Nadeau who can help us appreciate this complex topic.
What happens when a researcher and doctor in public health and an alum of St. Joseph’s, who herself works and pursues studies in health care, have the opportunity to get to know one another? Let’s find out when we meet Dr. Melanie Nadeau and Danielle Two Two.
Don’t miss Hóčhoka Season 6 when:
- Dr. Damian Costello joins us again to provide fresh perspectives on Catholicism through an Indigenous lens. We explore the Red Heifer, the Advent season and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
- We hear from South Dakota Living Treasure and Lakota Poet Lydia Whirlwind Soldier. Joseph Marshall III joins her for two episodes called the “Elder’s Circle,” when they talk about life over eight decades.
- Three alumni “Talk Thióšpaye” – Danielle Two Two, Trinity Sazue and Distinguished Alum Danielle Arpan.
- Dr. Melanie Nadeau, Indigenous Evaluation Specialist, explains the topic and works with our staff on our evaluation methods
What happens when Lakota author and artist Donald Montileaux collaborates with our librarian, Claire Nehring, and her students to create an illustrating project? Let’s watch and listen in.
What happens when a beloved Lakota artist joins ranks with traditional tribal storytellers who used their wisdom and gifted voices to paint pictures of wonderful, magical animals and colorful birds on the walls of young people’s minds? To borrow some words from Donald Montileaux himself, this one is for all those children whose eyes dance in the firelight as he creates words and images that jump boldly from the pages of his books and into young imaginations.
What do an impromptu visit to a friend’s house, a pick-up basketball game, going on an out-of-state trip or cultural activities have to do with a healthy residential environment for kids? We’re about to find out from the Executive Director of the Coalition for Residential Excellence Don Forrester.
Strength and resiliency – these are perhaps two sides of the same coin. The apostle Paul would say, in my weakness I am strong. Let’s hear what Joseph Marshall III says about the traditional Lakota bow and arrow and the power that comes from overcoming adversity.
Some tout the elegance of simplicity. And nowadays it seems everyone is talking about “Ikigai,” the Japanese word-become-buzzword for purpose. It is said to be the secret to a long and happy life. But it has been more than a decade since Joseph Marshall III drew on centuries-old Lakota wisdom to write about simplicity and purpose as characteristics of a life well lived.
A simple ash-wood bow. A willow arrow. What can these two things teach us about life? Listen as Joseph Marshall III unpacks the power and beauty of lessons from the bow and arrow in a three-part series, here on Hóčhoka.
The Sundance and the Paschal Mysteries – the great, annual religious ceremonies of the Lakota and Christian traditions. Let’s talk about their surprising similarities and very important differences as Dr. Damian Costello provides another fresh perspective.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Today we ask this question to a mostly grown-up audience. Why? Because, no matter what you do, Sr. Cathy Bertrand wants you to know you matter, it matters and even the smallest act or word of kindness you offer in this world makes a difference. Think about it.
What happens when a jaded adolescent living in Roman luxury and urban pretension finds himself transplanted to a tribal society with deep connections to the land? What lessons does his story contain for us? Listen and enjoy the beauty of the Deer's Cry.
When average Americans think about St. Patrick, they likely conjure up images of parades, shamrocks and green beer. “There is much more to this legendary guy,” says Dr. Damian Costello. As Patrick’s feast day is near, we share a two-part series on this fabled saint and the important lessons his life holds about human nature and ultimate meaning.
Prosetelize. Evangelize. Catechize. Supporting the spiritual dimension of life with children and adolescents in residential care is difficult to get right. Join our conversation with Michelle Maikoetter of Cal Farley’s to talk about lessons her organization has learned along the way.
It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men,” says today’s guest quoting Frederick Douglass, who 200 years later continues to inspire social workers and human rights activists worldwide. Our guest is Milton Hershey's A.J. Rinaldi, a man committed to building strong children, particularly by being better youth workers. Let’s get to know him.
It’s been eleven months since we asked the question, “What happens when a high school senior interviews a residential school administrator?” We found out in Season 3, and we're here again today to find out what happens when Basic Eagle Star and Sean Milner meet again almost one year later.
What goes on in 615 days in the life of the Provincial Superior of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in the United States? Roughly half-way through his three-year term, Fr. Vien Nguyen is here to give us an up close and personal account.
Did you know that of the 2,336 characters on 345 of the most popular TV shows airing between 1987 and 2007, only three were Native American? Sixty-two percent of non-Native Americans report not knowing a single one of the over five million Native people in the U.S., 70% of whom live in urban areas. And then, there is the issue of stereotypes. What if well-known and gifted storyteller Joseph Marshall III wanted to change that landscape? Listen as he tells about three new novels he publishes this year.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands.” So begins Psalm 19. “We sell our ancestral traditions short if we don’t delve deeper into what that means,” says Dr. Damian Costello as he brings us another fresh perspective on Catholicism through an Indigenous lens.
Hóčhoka podcast returns to the airwaves this January with Season 5, offering 16 more episodes that engage audiences in the conversation about Native American education today.
- Dr. Damian Costello joins us again to provide fresh perspectives on Catholicism through and indigenous lens.
- We hear what Fr. Vien Nguyen says on the half-way mark as Superior Provincial of the Priests of the Sacred Heart.
- We learn about the wisdom of the traditional Lakota bow and arrow from Joseph Marshall III.
- We visit with Don Forrester, Michelle Maikotter and AJ Rinaldi, thought leaders in residential education.
- We spend time with Oglala Sioux ledger artist Donald Montileaux and follow him into sessions in the classroom with our students.
A scallop shell, a walking stick and a young woman from Nebraska – let’s find out what this is all about. Today we are talking with Religious Studies Teacher Kim Schneider. This was a summer of pilgrimage for Kim, and we invited her here to share her experiences with us.
Few things are more arresting that the smell of burning sweetgrass, according to Dr. Damian Costello. He says re-connecting with this relative, which some people call the hair of Mother Earth, can help re-indigenize our faith and heal wounds that affect our planet. Learn the promise and the lesson of this humble plant.
Someone you know has gone missing. What should you do? Allison Morrisette, South Dakota’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator, and Mary Beth Holzwarth, Human Trafficking Coordinator, discuss their new roles and educate us about human trafficking and missing and murdered indigenous persons.
What would the many missing and murdered indigenous persons tell us if their voices could be heard? Lily Mendoza explains what indigenous families need to know to create a preventive environment against this scourge that has robbed her culture of so many of her sisters.
What is a red ribbon skirt, and what is its special meaning? Today's guest is Lily Mendoza, cherished Lakota uŋčí and founder of the Red Ribbon Skirt Society, a grassroots collective dedicated to confronting the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous persons. Learn about the issue and the society’s work to confront and heal.
Bridging our conversation between Native American Literature and the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, join our conversation with Joseph Marshall III. Learn about his new novel, “Sing for the Red Dress,” and how he hopes it will impact the MMIP landscape.
You may think of storytelling as an art, but current scientific research tells us what great storytellers have known for ages: storytelling is a superpower. Join us as award winning author Joseph Marshall III coaches us on the wisdom of good Lakota storytelling technique.
“I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Or Oklahoma. Or New Hampshire. Hear what two interns from the University of Notre Dame have to say about hitting the open roads of South Dakota as volunteers on St. Joseph’s Indian School’s bookmobile.
According to a proverb, "Those who tell the stories rule the world." Storytelling transmits culture, teaches, and heals. For Native Americans, its power survived generations despite attempts at repression. Lily Mendoza, bookseller, explains through the lens of three Lakota poets. Be sure enter the drawing for a copy of Joy Harjo’s beautifully illustrated “Remember.”
When Damian Costello thinks of the Lakota way, many sacred items come to mind. The Sun Dance tree. The čhaŋnúŋpa, or sacred pipe. The drum. The prayer tie. And the rosary. Dr. Damian Costello joins us to talk about that most Catholic of prayers, the rosary, understood as a Lakota way. October is dedicated to the Rosary.
“What defines us is our place in the environment that we live in and how we express ourselves in it,” says visiting artist Michele David Mechling. Learn about her journey as an artist and the joy she finds sharing art with the students of St. Joseph’s Indian School.
It has been said that "Our first task in approaching another people, another culture, another religion is to take off our shoes, for the place we are approaching is holy.” Fr. Vien Nguyen unpacks the meaning of intentional intercultural living for those who founded our school towards the end of the boarding school era and for the world's future.
From Vietnamese boat person to Provincial Superior – let’s get to know Fr. Vien Nguyen, Provincial Superior of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, founders of St. Joseph’s Indian School. Learn his favorite musical choice and why he likes the prophet, Amos.
Should the Catholic Church near you have a buffalo skull? Dr. Damian Costello, a Catholic theologian specializing in Indigenous spiritual traditions, joins us to bring fresh perspectives on Catholicism through an Indigenous lens. We explore the appropriateness of the presence of the buffalo skull in Catholic houses of worship.
Don't miss Hóčhoka Season 4 when:
- Dr. Damian Costello joins us again to provide fresh perspectives on Catholicism through and indigenous lens.
- We get to know Fr. Vien Nguyen, Superior Provincial of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, founders of our school.
- Visiting Artist Michele David Mechling shares the joy of art with our students.
- We learn about Native American literature from Lily Mendoza, Joseph Marshall III and the school's own bookmobile initiative.
- We talk about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women with Red Skirt Society Founder Lily Mendoza, Joseph Marshall III and employees of the State of South Dakota who work on the issue every day.
- We visit with Religious Studies Teacher Kim Schneider about her summer spiritual journeys that traversed the Lakota sacred sites of South Dakota and the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Been here, done that! Let’s get acquainted with a former student. Today we talk with Larry Jandreau, a student from 1960 to 1964. Larry is currently the Director of Facilities Management for the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and a member of the St. Joseph's Indian School Board of Directors. Enjoy his look back to St. Joe's in the 60s.
Let’s hear about what it was like from someone with soul. Today we talk with Virgil Taken Alive, former counselor in the Big Boys Dormitory, enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, retired station KLND DJ who went by Lakota Soulman and our treasured powwow emcee.
Why contribute to the mission of St. Joseph’s Indian School? During the school’s 46th Annual Powwow, host Scott Woster sat down with Steele and Alphin to learn how this couple became donors and what motivates their generosity.
What would Sitting Bull and Bishop Marty talk about? Why does it matter? Today we talk with Dr. Paul Monson, associate professor of church history and academic dean at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology near Milwaukee, Wisc. Today we talk with Dr. Paul Monson, associate professor of church history and academic dean at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology near Milwaukee, Wisc. Dr. Monson discusses the relationship between these two iconic figures and wonders about the influence Sitting Bull had on Bishop Marty.
Equine Therapy at St. Joseph’s Indian School – learn why it is more than horse sense. Today we talk with Patty Bourne, equine specialist, and Robyn Knecht, director of Counseling Services. Patty gives us insight into the dynamic at the heart of equine therapy. She and Robyn tell us how this therapy is utilized in Counseling Services provided by St. Joe’s to our students.
Where you look affects how you feel. Really? Today we talk with Dr. Karen Wiemers, psychologist, and Robyn Knecht, director of Counseling Services. Dr. Wiemers helps us understand “Brainspotting” – that where you look does affect how you feel. She and Robyn tell us how this therapy is utilized in Counseling Services provided by St. Joe’s to our students.
One counselor to every twenty students? That isn't the only exceptional feature of St. Joseph's Indian School's Counseling Services Department. Today we talk with Robyn Knecht, director of Counseling Services. Robyn is here to discuss Counseling Services' role in the "Circle of Care," our approach to student care at St. Joseph's Indian School.
What is a wraparound environment? Why does it matter? St. Joseph's Indian School's Executive Director of Child Services Jennifer Renner-Meyer discusses the "Circle of Care," our approach to student care. Learn about this practical and comprehensive concept.
What happens when a St. Joseph's Indian School high school senior meets a professional trainer and coach in the fields of youth development, forensic psychology, social services, mental health, juvenile justice and education? We're here to find out.
Mark Freado has more than four decades of experience in services for young people and their families. He provides consultation and training services to public and private organizations worldwide. Listen as St. Joseph's high school senior Basil Eagle Star gets to know Freado.
You don’t need to be a superhero to be a top-flight Kid Whisperer, but there are four superpowers you’ll want to make your own.
Today Mark Freado joins us again to unpack the wisdom in his book, “The Art of Kid Whispering, Reaching the Inside Kid.” Hone your superpowers with kids here.
Look out, Gucci, you have competition. Kids with pain and trauma are costume designers.
Today Mark Freado joins us again to unpack the wisdom in his book, “The Art of Kid Whispering, Reaching the Inside Kid.” Listen and learn about kids, costumes and being present to the Inside Kid.
Today’s guest says, “If you want to understand kids, you must learn to dance.”
Today we talk with Mark Freado, who, with JC Chambers and Matt Merrit, wrote the book “The Art of Kid Whispering, Reaching the Inside Kid.” Mark is currently revising the text for a new edition. He has more than four decades of experience in services for young people and their families. He provides consultation and training services to public and private organizations worldwide. Mark has been an essential partner to St. Joseph’s Indian School for many years.
Ever wonder what "that kid," thinks? We've got someone with us today who was "that kid?"
Today we talk with Sean Milner, an alumnus of The Baptist Children's Village. He came to the ministry at a young age with his three brothers and one sister and remained there for 18 years. He is the only former childcare resident to serve as executive director of The Baptist Children's Village and the only one nationwide among all Southern Baptist childcare agencies. Today he gives us perspective on a residential upbringing as someone who lived that life.
What happens when a high school senior interviews a residential school administrator? We’re here to find out.
Today St. Joseph's Indian School senior Basil Eagle Star talks with Sean Milner. Sean is an alumnus of The Baptist Children’s Village. He came to the ministry at a young age with his three brothers and one sister and remained there for 18 years. He is the only former childcare resident to serve as executive director of The Baptist Children’s Village and the only one nationwide among all Southern Baptist childcare agencies.
Houseparenting – who wants that job? Lets’ find out by talking to someone who wasn’t so sure at first, the President of St. Joseph’s Indian School. Today we talk with Mike Tyrell. Tyrell is the President of St. Joseph’s Indian School and author of the recently published “Detour Home,” whose name we steal for this series. The novel is a series of fictional stories sewn together to tell a more significant tale. It is loosely based on his experience as a young man who moved with his wife to St. Joseph’s Indian School to become a houseparent. Like the other two parts in this series, it explores the true meaning of the residential setting as a crucible for growth and relationship. Anyone with a connection to the school will listen and enjoy.
Hóčhoka podcast returns to the airwaves this January with Season 3, offering 15 more episodes that engage the viewer/listener in the conversation about Native American education today. St. Joseph’s Indian School hopes you enjoy learning about the people and ideas that make our school the special place our families tell us it is.
Most of us don’t know how deep the Christmas tree’s roots are says Dr. Damian Costello. He walks us through some history and shares indigenous cultural traditions and other perspectives to bring us full circle to appreciate the secret indigenous life of the Christmas Tree.
Can the Catholic Faith and Lakota tradition emerge from the same spiritual trunk to become the branches that nourish and shelter the students at St. Joseph’s Indian School? Mission Integration Director Joe Tyrell illustrates how Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel is an icon of the bridges between Lakota spirituality and Catholic tradition for life at St. Joseph's Indian School.
Makȟa Black Elk follows the path of his great great great grandfather Nicholas Black Elk in fully embracing his Lakota heritage and the Catholic faith. He finds no dualism in this approach. Instead, he understands the richness and fullness of this spirituality. Listen to Makȟa and host Scott Woster on Hóčhoka.
Dr. Damian Costello says that few things in American life strike a deeper chord than Thanksgiving. Walk with us through the true indigenous roots of the first Thanksgiving feast to come to see and respect the Indigenous way of giving thanks at the heart of this celebration. Look at Squanto from a new perspective.
Learn what drives the mission of St. Joseph’s Indian School and the inspiring leader who said, “The Heart of Jesus is overflowing with tenderness and compassion for all those who suffer, those who endure hardships, those who go hungry, and for the sick and the infirm. His is the heart of a father, the heart of a mother, the heart of a shepherd.” Listen as Fr. Tom Cassidy introduces us to Fr. Leo John Dehon.
How can faith communities participate in the Truth and Healing needed because of our nation’s boarding school era? Fr. Mike Carson, Assistant Director of Native American Affairs for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, explains the group’s work on the subject and talks about the bishop’s efforts to advance boarding school truth and healing. We look at factors influencing this critical work.
In this second of a two-part series, Makȟa Black Elk joins us to explain the impact of boarding school history on Native America today. Makȟa unpacks the living reality of that history for boarding school survivors and descendants and the vital work of truth and healing.
Makȟa Black Elk is Executive Director for Truth and Healing at Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, S.D., a former Indian boarding school. A descendant of boarding school survivors, he brings a passion for interreligious dialogue to his work advocating for truth and healing in Catholic ministries and schools serving indigenous peoples. He speaks about why this challenging work is so important now and why it is difficult for many to engage in.
We’ve been speaking with Joseph Marshall III on Lakota Leadership, primarily through the lens of legendary leader Crazy Horse. Today, we learn how St. Joseph’s Indian School travels in the footsteps of Crazy Horse to prepare seventh graders for their leadership roles at the school the following year.
In this second in a two-part series on Lakota Leadership, Joseph Marshall III, award-winning author, cultural and historical consultant, teacher, craftsman, administrator, actor and public speaker, completes our discussion of Lakota leadership and how it can inform parents and the public as we seek to form natural leaders to shape today and the future.
In this first in a two-part series on Lakota Leadership, Joseph Marshall III, award-winning author, cultural and historical consultant, teacher, craftsman, administrator, actor and public speaker, unwraps his statement, “True leadership is only possible when character is more important than authority.”
October is the month of the rosary, and as it draws near, Dr. Damian Costello says, get out your rosary to honor Enriquillo. His feast day is September 27, Día del Héroe De Bahoruco in the Dominican Republic. Pray the rosary and send up your voice with Enriquillo, the first Indigenous Christian we know of, champion of the rosary and authentic freedom.
Running a home with 12 students means at least a dozen opportunities daily for laughter, growth, and patience. Listen as the best of St. Joseph’s Indian School share the joy and wisdom they have garnered along the way.
Who is a houseparent? What do they do? Why choose this career? Listen as seasoned Houseparent Odis Cosgrove explains his role in the life of Native American students at St. Joseph’s Indian School.
In this first in a three-part series on residential life at St. Joseph’s Indian School, we speak to Fr. Tom Cassidy, SCJ, who led the school from 1977 to 1986, about the shift from dormitories to family living units. Hear about the sensitive thought that went into this change.
Why tune in to a podcast from St. Joseph’s Indian School? Learn more about what the school has to offer. Listen to the wisdom of thought-leaders on Native American education today. Laugh, hope, warm your heart and sharpen your mind at the center of the school’s camp circle.
The Lakota word Hóčhoka (emphasis on the first syllable) means the center of the camp circle. The name speaks to the actual location of the recording studio at the heart of campus, the centrality of the mission of St. Joseph’s Indian School to all that we do, the role of the podcast to be at the center of the Native American educational conversation and gather others around that conversation.
Did Black Elk choose Christianity as a sell-out or a survivor? What does 1 Corinthians 13
have to do with it? Join us on Hóčhoka as Dr. Damian Costello answers these questions
and helps us tease out the complementary aspects of Lakota and Christian
spiritual traditions to arrive at something even bigger.
What happened when Black Elk took the same spirit of openness that led to his discovery of Christianity in Europe and brought it to his encounter with Native Christianity in the Ghost Dance movement at home? Learn what happened as he wrestled with his visionand these discoveries. Hear about opportunities missed in the Lakota-Christian encounter.
Learn about the Native discovery of Christianity that pre-dates forced assimilation and the scripture passage where in Black Elk found new power in the new world that was thrust upon him. What does all of this have to do with the trauma that still needs healing today? Join Hóčhoka and listen to leading Black Elk expert Dr. Damian Costello.
What was this fascination with the numbers four and seven? Why did she love storms
and the red earth of South Dakota’s Black Hills? Listen as St. Joseph’s Indian School’s
LaRayne Woster tells the story of her personal journey to a strong Lakota Cultural Identity
and how she encourages her students to follow the same path.
“To be a good person is the right thing to do,” says author and storyteller Joseph Marshall III in expressing the first purpose for living. He and hosts Scott Woster and Hope McCloskey explore the role of place, purpose and history in restoring Lakota cultural identity. Remember, send an e-mail to hochoka@stjo.org to be entered into a drawing for one of 12 signed copies of Joseph Marshall III’s book, “Crazy Horse Weeps.”
Cultural and familial stories hold the seeds of cultural identity. Award-winning author and storyteller Joseph Marshall III tells traditional Lakota stories and shares his familynarratives to illustrate the power and richness of stories. Remember, send an e-mail to hochoka@stjo.org to be entered into a drawing for one of 12 signed copies of Joseph Marshall III’s book, “Crazy Horse Weeps.”
Hear the fascinating story of how the Lakota bow and arrow get their form and function from the natural world and hold Lakota cultural authenticity. Lakota author and storyteller Joseph Marshall III uses the bow and arrow to relate practical advice for restoring cultural identity. Remember, send an e-mail to hochoka@stjo.org to be entered into a drawing for one of 12 signed copies of Joseph Marshall III’s book, “Crazy Horse Weeps.”
Legendary Lakota Leader Sitting Bull had a vision before the battle of Greasy Grass that included this message, “Do not take anything that belongs to them.” Join award-winning author and storyteller Joseph Marshall III as he discusses the debate on the meaning of the vision and how it pertains to cultural identity today. Remember, send an e-mail to hochoka@stjo.org to be entered into a drawing for one of 12 signed copies of Joseph Marshall III’s book, “Crazy Horse Weeps.”
Legendary Lakota Leader Sitting Bull had a vision before the battle of Greasy Grass that included this message, “Do not take anything that belongs to them.” Join award-winning author and storyteller Joseph Marshall III as he discusses the debate on the meaning of the vision and how it pertains to cultural identity today. Remember, send an e-mail to hochoka@stjo.org to be entered into a drawing for one of 12 signed copies of Joseph Marshall III’s book, “Crazy Horse Weeps.”
“Know where you came from,” advises award-winning author and storyteller Joseph Marshall III as he reflects on the wisdom of his grandfather who would remind him to look back down the path they had travelled. Cultural identity depends on this kind of memory and language revitalization. Remember, send an e-mail to hochoka@stjo.org to be entered into a drawing for one of 12 signed copies of Joseph Marshall III’s book, “Crazy Horse Weeps.”
“Know where you came from,” advises award-winning author and storyteller Joseph Marshall III as he reflects on the wisdom of his grandfather who would remind him to look back down the path they had travelled. Cultural identity depends on this kind of memory and language revitalization. Remember, send an e-mail to hochoka@stjo.org to be entered into a drawing for one of 12 signed copies of Joseph Marshall III’s book, “Crazy Horse Weeps.”
Where do you find hope for Lakota cultural identity? Award-winning author and storytellerJoseph Marshall III has hope for the mechanism of storytelling to revive community and identity for his people. Listen here for the wisdom he shares on Hóčhoka. Remember, send an e-mail to hochoka@stjo.org to be entered into a drawing for one of 12 signed copies of Joseph Marshall III’s book, “Crazy Horse Weeps.”
Where do you find hope for Lakota cultural identity? Award-winning author and storytellerJoseph Marshall III has hope for the mechanism of storytelling to revive community and identity for his people. Listen here for the wisdom he shares on Hóčhoka. Remember, send an e-mail to hochoka@stjo.org to be entered into a drawing for one of 12 signed copies of Joseph Marshall III’s book, “Crazy Horse Weeps.”
Success is a concept. What does it look like? Feel like? What about failure? In Part III of our series on Kid Whispering, Transition Specialist Krista Lepkowski knows it well and tames the concept in her vital work with students at St. Joseph’s Indian School as she supports students in their transition into life beyond their high school years.
Success is a concept. What does it look like? Feel like? What about failure? In Part III of our series on Kid Whispering, Transition Specialist Krista Lepkowski knows it well and tames the concept in her vital work with students at St. Joseph’s Indian School as she supports students in their transition into life beyond their high school years.
What is one of the most important life skills a child can learn? In Part II of this three-part series called “Kid Whispering,” St. Joseph’s Indian School’s Student Coordinator Jennie Schilling explains the way that the school helps students to recognize and manage behavior issues and learn the new skills needed to navigate difficulty.
What is one of the most important life skills a child can learn? In Part II of this three-part series called “Kid Whispering,” St. Joseph’s Indian School’s Student Coordinator Jennie Schilling explains the way that the school helps students to recognize and manage behavior issues and learn the new skills needed to navigate difficulty.
Our parents asked us to tell about the positive parenting methods we use, and we’re responding. How do we turn a problem situation into a positive learning experience? In this episode St. Joseph’s Indian School’s Student Coordinator Jennie Schilling tells us about the big differences the school makes in students’ lives by meeting them where they are and turning challenges into opportunities.
Our parents asked us to tell about the positive parenting methods we use, and we’re responding. How do we turn a problem situation into a positive learning experience? In this episode St. Joseph’s Indian School’s Student Coordinator Jennie Schilling tells us about the big differences the school makes in students’ lives by meeting them where they are and turning challenges into opportunities.
Why tune into a podcast from St. Joseph’s Indian School? Learn more about what the school has to offer. Listen to the wisdom of thought-leaders on Native American education today. Laugh, hope, warm your heart and sharpen your mind at the center of our camp circle as we share our conversations with you.
Why tune into a podcast from St. Joseph’s Indian School? Learn more about what the school has to offer. Listen to the wisdom of thought-leaders on Native American education today. Laugh, hope, warm your heart and sharpen your mind at the center of our camp circle as we share our conversations with you.
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The Lakota word Hóčhoka literally means the center of the camp circle. The name speaks to the actual location of the recording studio at the center of campus, the centrality of the mission of St. Joseph’s Indian School to all that we do, the role of the podcast to be at the center of the Native American educational conversation and to gather others around that conversation. Mike Tyrell, Jennie Schilling, Krista Lepkowski, Joseph Marshall III, LaRayne Woster, Dr. Damian Costello -- hear them all in conversation with hosts Family Service Counselor Scott Woster and Alumnus Hope McCloskey.