Our Story

Oyάte Wóokiye (OW) – For the People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (The "Rez") in South Dakota. 

Our mission is to strengthen families and connect communities through wellness; yoga, skateboarding,  meditation, and the Lakota way of life to empower our Lakota youth. 

Oyάte Wóokiye, “For the People” in the Lakota language, was formed to create an environment fostering the confidence, well-being, leadership, and health of our Native American Lakota youth of the Oglala Sioux “Lakota” Tribe/Nation on and off the reservation. Our goals are to reduce fatalities and suicides among Native American youth by providing recreational sports activities and alternative entertainment choices in non-established areas throughout Indian country and strengthen families through reconnecting our people with their Lakota culture and virtues.  

The genesis of Oyάte Wóokiye was to make a young Lakota man’s vision a reality of building a skateboard park on the reservation and was formed in his memory and the lives of Lakota youth that have been lost. Toby Ray Eagle Bull lost his life in a tragic car accident in 2002; but his passion for skateboarding and his dedication to community lives on. In 2003, Toby’s family made the decision to honor his life and contributions by carrying on with his dream and held the 1st Annual Toby Eagle Bull Memorial Skateboard Competition “The Toby Classic” that August. 

Since 2011 Oyάte Wóokiye has assisted the family and the community with erecting the first skate park on the Pine Ridge reservation and the largest in South Dakota named, The Toby Eagle Bull Memorial Skate Park Wounded Knee 4-Directions. Now in its 23rd year the “Toby Classic” is the summer’s highlight event on the Pine Ridge reservation with over 50 skaters ranging in age from 5 years to 30 years old and over 200 parents, relatives and community members come to watch the competition. The Eagle Bull family and Pine Ridge community is thankful for Wounded Knee Skateboards, Grindline Skate Parks, the Stronghold Society, and skaters for turning Toby's vision into a reality - Wopila Tanka! (Big Thanks from our hearts). 

“Today when you come and see the competition in person at the Toby Eagle Bull Memorial Skate park you see children laughing, a community working together to protect the beauty for the event, and you see a community and family who refused to allow tragedy to define them by celebrating the love they had for their relation.” – Community member.

Wopila Tanka! “Many Thanks” for reading our story