Marie Brush Breaker Randall, Oyate Akitapi Win - Nation Woman, is Oglala from the Pine Ridge Reservation and lives in Wanblee, South Dakota. A respected elder and herbalist, she has ten children, five boys and five girls. Her mother was Eliza Bear Shield, or Anawiz - Jealous of Her. Her dad’s name, Jeffery Brush Breaker means “breaking of brush limb to save his people.” Her Grandmother’s name was “Takes the Bull Away” and her grandfather was Bear Shield.

Marie is a traditional storyteller. She recalls learning teachings from her traditional elders, especially her Unci, which means grandmother in the Lakota language. She tells how Unci used to take her out to gather herbs for making and using medicines in the old ways; share advice for women with child; and how the people use water to pray for healing. She shares topics that include why the people have vision quest, how you earn your name, and how the identity of the people is tied with their language.

Marie decided that she wanted to teach Lakota to her grandchildren in their schools, in order to insure the preservation of the language. She was initially denied due to a lack of a teaching degree, and so she went back to school in order to earn her degree, so she could teach her native tongue, to children. She was eventually presented with a teaching degree by the state.