Second Year of LNI Storytelling Competition
The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at South Dakota State University is again sponsoring the Lakota/Dakota Storytelling Competition at the 32nd annual Lakota Nation Invitational (LNI) with funding from the South Dakota Humanities Council.

The competition will be held during the LNI on Dec. 17-20 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City.

In November, Doris Giago, SDSU associate professor of journalism, will visit schools around the state to distribute teaching materials and promote the contest. She will also be available to teach a 50-minute lesson on storytelling during her visits.

While basketball is the major focus of LNI, the tournament also includes knowledge and language bowls, an art show, a hand game competition, and wrestling and boxing matches.

“The academic portion of LNI demonstrates to students that there is more to school than sports,” said Bryan Brewer, LNI coordinator. “We are adding this competition to the line-up of events because storytelling is an important part of Lakota/Dakota culture that is dying out. This competition is a step in the right direction toward reviving it.”

For the storytelling competition, Native American high school students will tell stories in three different categories: traditional stories told in a native language or in English, contemporary stories that blend today’s experiences into the traditional storytelling framework and issue-based stories on important topics in Indian Country.

“Holding the event during the LNI in December is particularly appropriate because among Indian tribes throughout America, winter is storytelling time,” said Mary Arnold, head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. “But young people are encouraged to start preparing for the storytelling competition now,” she continued.

“Sponsoring this program is an important part of our department's outreach to Native American high school students,” Arnold said.

Jerome Kills Small, Oglala Lakota tribal member from Porcupine on the Pine Ridge Reservation and traditional storyteller will assist with the judging and give a storytelling performance during the LNI. Kills Small also teaches Lakota language courses at the University of South Dakota.

Those wanting additional information should contact Giago at doris.giago@sdstate.edu or 605-688-6236.