Rez Life=Culture of Death

The year 2013 will mark the 34th year I have lived on the Pine Ridge Reservation, I will turn 48 this year.  You can do the math, and I will continue with my position paper that I thought should be shared.  I have been living on the Rez since 1979 and it was a very dark place, full of death and despair.  The Civil Rights Movements were coming to an end with the African Americans, Mexicans Americans, and the American Indians all fighting to for the same liberties of White Americans.  

As I share my book, (Rez Ramblings) with others I find myself coming to a point and sharing, This country I have come to love is not the country I was born into...  First of all the country was segregated and in the south you could not drink from the same fountain or even marry outside of your race in some states.  1968 the Supreme Court ruled you could marry outside of your race, after all are we not the human race of different hues. 

Pine Ridge was started in 1889 and was a concentration camp so they could systematically destroy our people.  America set out with the idea they would full conquer all of the lands.  Poor health care, education, economic structures have been the plan of the United States of America.  They killed many families and the people of this country have their heads in the sands.  It really is sad because I share the message to the people who will listen, they cannot believe what took place. America has been involved in Human Rights Issues for Centuries as well as fight American Indians.  My reason for writing this blog today is to right the wrong.  I want people to understand what is taking place in 2013 and we are battling the conditions of a system that started out with the idea to kill Indians.

The Rez Life is a Culture of Death that was dreamed up by men who had very little compassion and understanding the Indigenous people of this land are a great people and were environment friendly and could teach the world a few things about extended family.  Today we have in our midst a dependency that creates hopelessness.  People want things for free and are not walking in balance.  Our youth are giving up hope because they no longer dream dreams and seek visions for their lives.  People seem to be waiting for others to do something for them because that is what is expected from a people who were not allowed to live free.  The government set out to destroy the food source of the Great Plains and succeeded as they brought the American Bison to point of extinction. 

Our young people are fighting for their lives living in a place of hopelessness and when someone seeks to help them, they are criticized or ridiculed for their wanting to empower the youth.  I say support all that are seeking to bring hope across the Reservation.  We are a great people on the Pine Ridge, and we are the people of Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, and Black Elk who once led their people are were successful.  We need to understand the spiritual darkness of hopelessness and deal with these issues from a balanced viewpoint.  We are a people of great fortitude and strength.

I have completed a book about the Pine Ridge Reservation and it is a great introduction to our people and how we live our lives.  Jackie Siers Rowland a council woman on the Oglala Sioux Tribe just purchased a book and I hope you will also help me live my dream of developing my books and dreams.  https://www.createspace.com/3941671