Back in 2019, Tianna Yellowhair, co-owner of Tatanka Rez Tourz, spoke to us about how her touring business was affected by extreme flooding. Yellowhair runs a cultural tourism business on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, providing educational tours on the culture and history of the Lakota people. 

Three years later, we’re checking back in with her. During the pandemic, Yellowhair started organizing 90-minute online presentations. “Our biggest challenge was, because our reservation was closed to visitors, how do we continue […] fulfilling our mission?”

Now that business is again in-person, Yellowhair has a few plans for what comes next. One such plan involves more community engagement. “We want to be able to employ tour guides, right, Native tour guides, to give them a sense during the summer of what working life is. But also, you know, this is something that they could end up wanting to make a business out of in the future.”

To listen to the full interview, use the media player above.