A three-day summit begins today in Rapid City on efforts to retain the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota language.

The conference, "Uniting the Seven Council Fires to Save the Language," will open at 9 a.m. at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel on north LaCrosse Street.

In spite of last week's blizzard, organizer Mike Carlow of Tusweca Tiospaye said people were registering for sessions being led by more than two dozen fluent speakers.

Today's opening ceremonies features a prayer by Arvol Looking Horse of Green Grass, the 19th-generation keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe.

For information or to participate, call 867-6193, e-mail: mike@tuswecatiospaye.org or go to www.tuswecatiospaye.org.