GLOBAL PEACE TRAIN

Ghost Dance is an interactive educational program designed for theaters, art venues, film festivals, schools, universities, and museums. The world is at risk of losing the connection to precious Indigenous wisdom as tribal elders leave us. We are building a digital library of such content before it is too late. The Ghost Dance project includes a SAG-AFTRA film (98% complete), a behind-the-scenes documentary about making the film (20% shot), and a multi part virtual reality (VR) experience (early production) that allows people to step inside the story and visit the Pine Ridge Reservation from a VR headset. Being a SAG production allowed us to select high quality actors from the Screen Actors Guild and hold the production to a professional standard overall. We gathered a professional team, made our way through thousands of auditions to secure a fantastic cast, and shot the film across Colorado, Nebraska, and South Dakota for 22 days during 2022-2024. The expedition involved a dedicated group of volunteers, crew, and cast members ranging from 16 to 40 individuals each day. In autumn 2023, we finalized a rough cut of the narrative film, which currently stands at a 60-minute runtime. We hosted 4 community previews of the initial edits of the film to gather feedback about the gaps in the story and how we can make the film stronger. Still to be completed are additional pickup shots and the anticipated large opening scene which will require several additional shoot days. The resulting feature-length production will delve deeper into the rich tapestry of the narrative, reaching a wider audience and making an even greater impact in preserving and promoting American Indian culture. The production provides professional filmmaking opportunities for over 50 locals from Pine Ridge Reservation and more than 20 volunteers from outside the reservation. This program fosters cross-cultural education by introducing the crew to Lakota culture and traditions, while offering the Lakota participants hands-on experience in professional filmmaking.

Tribal Traditions is GPT's ecommerce website dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship among the Lakota people of the Pine Ridge Reservation and celebrating the Native tradition of hand-sewn, unique quilts incorporating star designs. Symbolizing the morning star, these quilts honor Lakota ancestors and remember eternal ties to Lakota people and the earth. The finest quilters and artists from Pine Ridge handcraft these quilts while training a new generation of quilters to carry on this cherished tradition. Tribal Traditions is a vehicle to share this beauty with the larger, non-Native world and to financially empower Lakota Grandmothers and artists on the Reservation. Supported by Tribal Traditions, Native leaders have the opportunity to develop, organize and run a business that helps educate the world about Lakota wisdom and simultaneously preserve their culture. Tribal Traditions has orchestrated the production of more than 130 quilts that were hand made in the homes of women on Pine Ridge Reservation and used to share the Lakota tradition of honor that the star quilts represent. Additionally, we offer direct family support for Lakota families on Pine Ridge Reservation to pay for heating, medical, electrical, communications, travel, etc.