Cultural: Lakota Language Bowl

Háu mitákuyapi,

On behalf of the Oglala Lakota County School District, we warmly invite your school and language team to the Lakota Nation Invitational – Language Bowl. This year, we have made some changes to the competition structure. These adjustments are designed to enhance the use of the Lakota language in both speaking and understanding. Our goal is to encourage participants to actively engage with the language, building their confidence and fluency in a more immersive, fun, and meaningful way.

We also welcome all schools and teams to make suggestions throughout the year, as our hope is to create a better Lakota language experience for our children—not for the sake of competition, but out of love for the language. We believe these changes and ongoing collaboration will provide a more enriching experience for all participants and further support the growth of the Lakota language among our youth. We look forward to seeing your school represented at the event and to celebrating the continued journey of our students with the Lakota language.

Wópila ečíčiya peló,

Corey Yellow Boy
Lakota Studies Director
Oglala Lakota County School District

Registration is INVITE ONLY.

Each school must bring one line judge. Submit your workers name to Dani Walking Eagle one week in advance.

All other tournament positions will be staffed by LNI.

Head Referee – Joe Drabb

Each school must submit a 15 player rooster and team photo two weeks prior to the tournament. Please send to Katie at Clark Printing, katie@clarkprinting.com. If the deadline is missed, schools will not be in the program.

There will be not practice times as games being Friday morning.

Locker rooms will be available.

Please turn in your rooster to the announcers before game starts.

BEFORE THE COMPETITION

To qualify, teams must complete the registration form, media release form, and pay the competition fee before the December 3rd deadline. Please ensure your school’s business office understands the importance of meeting this payment deadline.

 Teams must complete check-in before the official competition start time, which begins at 8:00 am, with the first competition starting at 9:00 am.

Teams are permitted a maximum of 5 members, including 1 alternate. For eligibility, each team must have at least three members.

All teams must consist of enrolled students in grades K-12; Tribal enrollment is not mandatory.

Team names will be drawn 15 minutes before the competition to determine participants. If a team is drawn but not present, they will be allowed a 10-minute grace period and then disqualified if not in attendance.

DURING THE COMPETITION

The promotion of good sportsmanship is strongly encouraged.

If an alternate is needed, the student must be checked in and registered on that team’s roster on the day of the event. Failure to do so will result in the disqualification of that team.

Harassment of any kind towards the LNI coordinators, staff, or participating students is not permitted. Non-compliance may result in removal from the event. In case of harassment, please contact any of the Language Bowl staff.

During competition activities involving the buzzer, students must keep their hands flat on the table (no hovering above the button). Failure to do so may result in the loss of that point. The moderator will remind competitors of this before the event.

Students should prepare for the competition, and the use of scripts or assistance from coaches or sponsors is not permitted.

All teams and coaches must comply with the moderators’ instructions.

AFTER THE COMPETITION

In the event of a disagreement with a call, the coach may question the decision after the competition. While judges may consider re-administering points, it is essential to acknowledge that the judges’ decisions are final.

All teams are highly encouraged to shake hands with the moderator, the opposing teams, and judges in the spirit of good sportsmanship.

LNI Language Bowl coordinators and staff are not liable for theft or injuries.

Coming Soon for 2025