Ivan Looking Horse

Ivan Looking Horse is a respected Lakota spiritual leader and elder from the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. A member of the family of the Keepers of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe, Ivan has devoted much of his life to carrying forward Lakota prayer, ceremony, songs, language, and traditional ways of life.

His work extends throughout the Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation), where he has traveled among Lakota communities offering traditional prayers and ceremonies and supporting the continuation of ancestral teachings for future generations. He has also participated in treaty gatherings and efforts to uphold Lakota sovereignty, cultural traditions, and responsibilities to the land.

At the heart of Ivan’s message is the sacred relationship between human beings, Grandmother Earth, and all of creation. He has spoken publicly about the responsibility to protect the Earth and water, preserve Indigenous spiritual and cultural traditions, and ensure that coming generations inherit both a living culture and a healthy world.

Through ceremony, prayer, and service to his people, Ivan continues the work of his ancestors while helping younger generations reconnect with the spiritual and cultural foundations of Lakota life.