Lakota Alarmed By Native Non-Profit's Plan for Massive 'Data Campus' Collecting Genetic Samples of Cheyenne River Lakota
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| A Native non-profit's controversial plans for a "data campus" during a forum on Cheyenne River in South Dakota erupts in volatile controversy as Lakota elders warn of the theft of Lakota land and water. (Photo screenshot of Lakota 2KC Media. |
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Oct. 5, 2026
EAGLE BUTTE, Cheyenne River Lakota Nation -- Lakota here are alarmed that a Native non-profit is planning to build a massive data center on its land. While most of Indian country is fighting water and land guzzling data centers, Native BioData Consortium is planning a massive new "data campus."
An information session about the proposed Data Campus turned volatile when Lakota elders were threatened, after they expressed concern over the loss of land and water.
While claiming to be sovereign, Native BioData Consortium received millions from the U.S. government's National Institutes of Health. It also received funds from Johns Hopkins, which carried out secretive vaccine experiments on Navajo and White Mountain Apache children at IHS hospitals for more than 40 years. Silicon Valley also funds Native BioData.
Lakota are alarmed by the fact that their samples are being collected and used in an arthritis study, and genetic samples, including DNA, are stored by Native BioData.
They point out that non-profits cannot ensure safety for genetic samples, such as blood and DNA. The most respected non-profits in Indian country have been taken over by non-Indian frauds who forced out the Native founders using bullying and threats to gain control in hostile takeovers.
The tax records reveal more concerns. The Native BioData tax records are flagged for "conflict of interest" because of funds flowing to an executive and also to a company where another executive's wife works. (See below.)
Tatanka Oyate Press reports more concerns.
"A Little-Known "Data Campus" Is Planned on Cheyenne River. Is AI Being Built Under the Guise of Data Sovereignty?
"These nonprofits collect research data and medical tests from tribal members. Now they openly talk about AI as a health and research tool. We don't know if our data is already being used this way. Tribal members should be wary and ask."
"The hosts have partnered with two other Native nonprofits, one in Minnesota and one in Pine Ridge."
"This isn't new. This spring, an IRA-recognized treaty council toured South Dakota tribes pushing the same message, until the public realized the carbon footprint of generative AI."
"That treaty council had funders backing AI and large language models. Is this the same pitch? Are grants and funding driving quiet AI infrastructure builds on tribal lands?" Read more at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573462203195
Lakota's 2KC Media Reports Controversy
"Non-profit hosts Ai "RezTech" event, panelist threatened Elder to go "fight outside".
On October 3, a non-profit - NativeBio Data Consortium held an informational event discussing the use of AI and data centers in Tribal Communities. Plans for a proposed data 'Campus' on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe is described on NativeBio Data's website."
"Towards the end of the 4 hour event 2 Lakota Elders spoke up about some concerns they have regarding tribal water and land and were responded to with hostility by one of the panelists for the event."
When Lakota elder Vivian HighElk questioned the land loss for the data campus, she met with this response.
"Let's go! Come on. You want to take it outside. You want to fight outside?"
"After the event ended Vivian HighElk and Joseph Lafferty gave a recap of what happened and Lakota advocates Joseph White Eyes and Waniya Locke shared a lot of important information about the many serious concerns regarding AI and Data Centers within Tribal Nations and the negative impacts on the Earth, water and Traditional Lakota way of Life." Read more and watch the video at https://www.facebook.com/2KCMedia
Native BioData Consortium says, "Native BioData provides secure and high-tech storage facilities for social and biological data samples containing DNA."
Native BioData Consortium's 'Conflicts of Interests' in Tax Records
The tax records for Native BioData Consortium show the conflicts of interest, involving Board President Guthrie Ducheneaux and the executive directors spouse's work at Tribal Ventures, in 2021 and 2022.
The conflict of interest money increased in 2022, as shown on the tax documents at ProPulbica Explorer. There are no IRS tax filings shown after 2022.
Screenshots by Censored News
Native BioData Consortium's Plans for Data Campus
Image from Native BioData Consortium website
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