Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Meet Lakota Longhorn

Lakota Longhorn, 17, is a member of the Absentee Shawnee, Northern Arapaho, and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes. She currently rows with Riversport OKC in Oklahoma City, Okla.

What is the most meaningful aspect of rowing to you?

The most meaningful aspect, for me, is the connections and friends that I have made throughout my rowing journey, especially when we visited The Head of the Charles. Meeting people who share the same love for the sport as I do was special to me, and meeting Jess (Jackson, USRowing's DEI Associate) and hearing her talk was moving for me. Relating to people who shared or experienced the same things as me and just bonding over rowing in general, it's amazing what one sport can do. If you had told novice me four years ago I would be doing this, I wouldn't have believed it. I am so very grateful for these wonderful opportunities that I have been given.

How do your cultural values align/not align with rowing values?

I feel that my cultural values align with rowing values in that we respect one another and do our best to respect the land that we are on or the shells that we take such care of and that I'm lucky enough to be able to use. The part where they don't align is the spiritual aspect. I feel when I'm away at a regatta at a course that is not my own, I take time to pray and recognize, showing my respect as a guest and that I will do my best to treat that water and the land that I am on with great respect while I'm there.

How do you feel when you leave your home culture and enter a new culture like rowing?

Our people, like a lot of minorities, grew up hearing that "we learn how to walk in two worlds." So, for me, I'm an Indigenous person no matter where I am, but I know and pay attention to my native ways, as well as being mindful and knowing what's expected of me in the Caucasian world that we live in.?

What do you wish people in your boathouse knew about you or your culture?

I wish people knew that it's okay to ask questions about my tribes or what my culture does. I would rather they ask than go off of what they heard or assume that all [tribes] are the same. I want people to know that Indigenous peoples are still here! After all of the forced assimilation, genocide, and horrible things that have happened and are still happening, we are still here. We are thriving and doing amazing things every day. We don't just exist for a month. I also want people to know that I, Lakota Longhorn, am and always will be a proud Native American woman -- whether you like it or not.

The theme for Native American Heritage Month 2023 is celebrating tribal sovereignty and Identity. How would you encourage the rowing community to become involved in continuous celebrations of Native American culture and the waters they row on?

I encourage the rowing community to do your research and be respectful about it. When you go to a regatta somewhere, take the time to see whose land you are going to compete on and get to know the history. For celebrations like powwows, if you go on Facebook, there will probably be one near you. I think that's the best place to get a feel for (almost) every tribe -- see how they dress, dance, and the music, of course, is my favorite part. It's an amazing thing to experience.

What is the next goal for your rowing career?

Introducing more indigenous people to this sport is one of my dream goals. It would be amazing to see many more people who look like me doing the sport that I love and that has taught me many things and changed my life for the better.

Browse the official USRowing Native American Heritage Month Resource Guide.