For the Ho-Chunk, the new year doesn’t begin on January 1st.

It begins when the Wakąja, the Thunderbirds return.

Like many Indigenous nations, we traditionally follow the moons and the natural cycles of the earth, not the Gregorian calendar. The return of the Wakąja marks the renewal of life. When the earth awakens, storms return, and a new cycle begins.

Winter is a sacred time for rest, reflection, and renewal, preparing us for the new year ahead.

As the Thunderbirds returns, so does life.

Mą̄ Cēk Gipįesge / Happy New Year.

- Hisgexjį Horak