Graveside services for 48-year old Olowan Martinez are Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 2:00 at the Porcupine School Gym in Porcupine, SD, with traditional Lakota services by Doug Patton
Burial is at the Thunder Hawk Family Cemetery in Porcupine
A two-night wake service starts Friday, August 12, at noon at the Porcupine School Gym. It resumes there Saturday night at 7:00.
Olowan was born on February 14, 1974, to Angelo “Angel” Martinez and Victoria “Vicky” Thunder Hawk. She made her journey to the Spirit World on August 5, 2022 at the Monument Health Hospital in Rapid City, SD.
Olowan was Oglala Lakota of the Tituwan band of the Ocheti Sakowin and O’otham, the original people of the Valley of the Sun, she made her home in the Porcupine community, Oglala Lakota homelands in South Dakota.
Her Lakota name is Oyate Ikiya Najin Win.
Olowan’s father Angelo “Angel” Martinez came to Lakota country with the (West Coast) American Indian Movement. Tragically, he passed away when Olowan was only 7 months old. From that time on, she was raised by her father Steve Little Sky tiospaye and her mother’s Thunderhawk tiospaye.
She was the ina to Dre, Mahpiya, & Wanahca; the sister to Kathryn Thunder Hawk; grandmother to Skylar Dawn Red Feather, Amor Thomas Red Feather, Theodore Aaron red Feather, and Gabriel Red Feather; and a part of a large tiospaye of loved ones as well as an integral part of the American Indian Movement tiospaye (extended family).
Olowan was a fierce force of powerful love for the people. She embodied all the original teachings and hopes of the American Indian Movement and the love and hopes a mother has for her children.
She stood strong against all that would bring harm to the Ocheti Sakowin people as well as all people. You could always find her standing in resistance to the systems that fail our indigenous peoples as well as the tools of the colonizer’s such as alcohol and meth.
She was a strong voice of opposition to all that damages the Lakota people and the homes in our communities. She was also a teacher at Ama Freedom School.
Olowan was motivated by a fire that burned bright with love and hope for her children and her people. When Olowan stood up – she inspired those around her to do the same.
She was a beautiful and strong Lakota woman and mother who promoted healing of generational trauma and the end to the use of alcohol by all indigenous people.
She was kind, generous, fierce, loving, full of fire and light. Our world is a better place because of her.
Olowan was preceded in death by her parents, Angelo “Angel” Martinez and Victoria “Vicky” Thunder Hawk; sibling, Kwannah Thunder Hawk; and her grandparents on both sides Thunder Hawk and Martinez, Stephan “Steve” Little Skye, and Debra White Plume.
Pallbearers will be Nataani Means, Louie Brings Plenty, T.R. McKenzie, Robert Swimmer, Noah Morris, Mato White Plume, Red Dog, and Mashan Camp.
Women Warrior Guard – Davidica Little Spotted Horse, Alice Big Crow-Hunter, Rosebud White Plume, Rayette Provost, T.J. Afraid of Hawk, Wanbli Win Red Cloud, Darla Black, Dawn Dacora, Leta, Lee Ann Eastman, and Sasha Beaulieu.
Honorary pallbearers will be all AIM Family, All Sundancers, Water Protectors, Red Warriors, All Ocheti Sakowin Family, All Ohupe Tokalas, and all nephews, nieces, friends & relatives.
Arrangements entrusted with Sioux Funeral Home of Pine Ridge, SD