Walking Together: Investing in Folklife in Communities of ColorGrant Awarded to Kevin Pourier

The Walking Together: Investing in Folklife in Communities of Color grant has been awarded to Lakota artist Kevin Pourier, recognizing and supporting his vital work in the preservation of Lakota buffalo horn artistry—a rare and endangered cultural tradition that carries generations of knowledge, identity, and history.

This funding represents more than support for an individual artist. It is an investment in cultural survival.

Preserving Knowledge That Exists Nowhere Else

Buffalo horn artistry is a deeply specialized traditional practice rooted in Lakota culture. The techniques, symbolism, and processes associated with this art form are not widely documented, taught in institutions, or preserved in written form. Instead, they have been passed down through lived experience, observation, and mentorship—often within families or close community circles.

As Kevin Pourier has shared, “Walking Together funding will catalyze preservation initiatives with impact extending far beyond my individual artistic practice. This support will enable the systematic documentation and transmission of buffalo horn artistry—knowledge that exists nowhere else and faces extinction with my generation.”

Without intentional preservation efforts, this irreplaceable cultural knowledge risks being lost forever.

Why This Grant Matters

The Walking Together grant prioritizes folklife traditions in communities of color—especially those that have been historically underfunded, underdocumented, and undervalued. By supporting artists like Kevin Pourier, the program helps ensure that cultural practices are not only remembered, but actively carried forward.

This grant will allow for:

• Systematic documentation of buffalo horn techniques and processes

• Educational transmission to future artists and community members

• Long-term preservation of a living cultural tradition

• Expanded community impact beyond a single artist’s practice

The ripple effects of this work extend into education, cultural identity, and intergenerational connection.

Walking Together Toward Cultural Continuity

At its heart, Walking Together is about shared responsibility—recognizing that cultural preservation is a collective effort. Supporting folklife traditions strengthens communities, affirms identity, and honors the resilience of cultures that have endured despite systemic barriers.

Kevin Pourier’s work exemplifies the spirit of this grant: honoring ancestral knowledge while creating pathways for future generations to learn, practice, and carry these traditions forward.

Looking Ahead

With this support, buffalo horn artistry will not only survive—it will be documented, taught, and sustained. The Walking Together grant ensures that this powerful expression of Lakota culture remains a living, breathing tradition rather than a forgotten chapter of history.

This investment affirms a simple but profound truth: when we walk together, we protect what matters most.