INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
LISTENING TO SEE THE PATH FORWARD
RECOMMENDATIONS
The following chapters of the Oyate Omniciye Plan describe the existing conditions and recommend the big moves to accomplish these initiatives. Please bear in mind that these inititatives and their recommendations are simply a starting point to address some of the biggest challenges of our people and this framework must continue to live and grow in order to truly respond to our needs.
For efficiency and readability, initiatives are separated, however the opportunity for maximum impact is in the connections between initiatives and the energy created by the community when taking on this work. There can be isolated successes by working independently, but the potential is much greater if the work can be coordinated and accomplished together.
Regional Planning Office
A new regional planning office becomes the hub to coordinate decision-making and encourage sustainable development and research. This body will take responsibility for stewarding the plan and supporting integrated implementation projects/policy as well as track grants and funding opportunities.
This Plan outlines a bold vision for the future of the Oglala Lakota people. While this vision is shaped by the input, dialogue, determination, and hard work of many over the course of the past years, the completion of the plan is just the beginning. To be successful, this ambitious effort to create a healthy, prosperous, sustainable region needs an identifiable champion to sustain momentum and carry the recommendations of the plan forward. This initiative proposes the creation of a Regional Planning Office that would function as the “home of the plan” and proactively work to achieve our vision for a sustainable region and a better future by ensuring that the initiatives in this plan become reality.
As the structure and function of the Regional Planning Office is defined by committee, its relationship with county, state and federal entities will be clarified as will its relationship and accountability to tribal departments and districts.
A regional planning office can perform a variety of functions that together help to build knowledge, capacity, and collaboration for existing organizations and decisions-makers:
Today, many organizations and agencies on the Reservation lack quality information to inform good decision-making. A regional planning office can help to collect and create information in a “one stop shop” to aid decision makers, organizations, and private citizens seeking to contribute their time and talents to make a difference.
- Often, there is little coordination and integration between organizations and programs. A regional planning office can be a hub of knowledge and communication helping to facilitate dialogue and coordination between people and organizations.
- While, grants, funding requests, and other resources are many times secured independently by various groups, a regional planning office can potentially support a range of organizational missions in a coordinated way by working to leverage resources for greater impact.
- A regional planning office could also undertake a variety of specific planning efforts that have been identified as needs, but lack resources, capacity, or leadership to be completed.
- Finally, a regional planning office could increase outreach, education, and awareness about the many good things that are happening on the Reservation.
Benefits:
- Better decisions through informed decision making.
- Establishment of objective benchmarks to track progress.
- Information and technical assistance to support the mission of various agencies and programs.
- Greater coordination and collaboration between people and organizations.
- Increased efficiency and effectiveness programs and services.
- Increased awareness of good things happening on the Reservation.
- Opportunity to coordinate scarce resources and leverage for greater positive impact.
Governance
Look at ways Lakota leadership can inform us and promote greater stability through transparency and constitutional reforms. Focus on capacity & independent strength of the three branches of govenment - judicial, legislative and executive. Increase public involvement.
The treaties of 1851 and 1858 between the Oglala Lakota and the U.S. officially decided on a traditional form of Lakota governance. Lakota traditions provided highly effective parliamentary-type structures. In these structures leaders gathered in council, selected executives to carry out administrative functions and an independent society resolved disputes and provided law and order.
The U.S. treaties were grossly violated over the following 80 years and during the decade leading up to the Indian Reorganization Act federal authorities rejected multiple models of decentralized government offered by the Oglala Sioux Tribe, until the terms of the current form of government was established in 1934. This form is a poor match for Lakota standards of legitimacy and authority in governance. Like other tribal governments established under this act, it has three branches with the legislative branch, in the form of the Tribal Council, reigning supreme. The judicial branch is expressed in the Tribal Courts, and has recently been determined by the people of the Reservation to need to stand separately from Tribal Council’s influence. The executive branch contains the tribal administration and the Executive Committee and is subservient to the Tribal Council.
To no surprise, there has been a continual and considerable amount of dissatisfaction with the IRA government of the Tribe. This expresses itself in many ways, including: lack of involvement in politics and governance among a silent majority of Tribal members (especially those farther from Pine Ridge Agency), pushes for shifting more power to the District governments, and activism for constitutional reform. Efforts to promote unity at all levels continue.
Intergovernmental dynamics
While the County governments within the Reservation are relatively tolerant of Tribal interests, the State of South Dakota is historically aggressive in policies that would undermine the ability of the Tribe to govern itself or build its sovereignty. The State of Nebraska’s approach to the Tribe is typically ambivalent in returning lands to trust status or dealing with the jurisdiction of the town of White Clay, NE. The federal government is intertwined with the Tribal governance structure.
The federal presence is almost as strongly felt as that of the Tribal government. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (Department of Interior), the Indian Health Service (Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services), and the tribally designated Housing Authority (Department of Housing and Urban Development) are the primary federal agencies impacting the Reservation, but various other federal agencies are present and prominent as well. Indian Self-Determination Policy is currently the deciding factor of where the boundary lies between tribal and federal government.
Additionally, there are our District (local) governments and committees which struggle to find resources and stability alongside the larger centralized tribal (national) government. The Districts each have their own constitution and are closest to the grassroots community level. Each has the potential for making major local impacts if they have strong leadership and are given the proper respect, patience, support, and resources to continue to build capacity and effectiveness. This level of government is also prone to certain families (tiospaye) or individuals dominating and thus, great care must be taken to generate fairness.
Momentum for change
In the past few years momentum has been building around reforming government to better reflect our culture and needs. In 2007 the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly which set an important standard in combatting discrimination and marginalization. In 2008 the Oglala Sioux Tribe constitutional amendments that called for the separation of the judicial branch are evidence of this accelerating change. After this, the push towards actually empowering this decision through enforcement has taken place. In March 2011, the Tribe undertook a Government Analysis of Native Nations (GANN ) which highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the current government through a multi-stakeholder participatory process. This has fueled further steps towards reform. This plan is an opportunity to make our government work better for us and work towards self-sufficiency, while requiring the federal government to honor and maintain its treaty-based obligations.
HISTORY The Boss Farmer
Less than 125 years ago, our Reservation began to take shape. Most of our relatives had been forced to give up our nomadic hunter ways and took on the difficult, and often undesired, challenge of learning new skills and language. As the early Districts were laid out, a person was sent out to each one to coordinate the delivery of supplies and keep track of paperwork. Quite often a non-Indian, and nick-named the “Boss Farmer”, for being the one given the most authority, this person often knew the most about this new, agrarian way of life, although they weren’t always fair or friendly.
The role the Boss Farmer played was familiar amongst our people, who look to strong leadership figures for
guidance, but the values had been all crossed up and lost. It unintentionally created a legacy of dependency, when what could have been happening was adapting gradually while empowering our people.
Language
Revive common use of the Lakota language and infuse it in all aspects of planning for the future.
Within the beautiful Lakota language are the ingredients to become a stronger and healthier nation. The people of Pine Ridge Reservation have emphasized the revitalization of language as one of the most important and urgent issues to address in planning for a healthy and sustainable nation. There are numerous efforts currently underway to revitalize the Lakota language in school programs and in local non-profit organizations. However, there is no collective effort within our tribe - we are not working together to revitalize our language.
There is no secret formula, perfect strategy, or book that can revitalize our Lakota language. This collective effort must be pursued at multiple levels, including in the home with your family members, in schools, and in tiospayes/communities. We, as Oglala Lakota people, have endured genocide, assimilation, and other assaults to our culture and language. However, due to the strength of our ancestors and power of our culture and spirituality, we are still here and the language carries on!
Quotes from young people on importance of the Lakota language
- “In our ceremonies the spirits speak Lakota,” Todd Phelps said. He is a graduate of Little Wound High School and currently attends Stanford University. “So without the Lakota language there is a real disconnect with our own spirituality. We need to keep our language alive, it is the tie we haveto our ancestors.”
- “Without the Lakota language we cannot be fully immersed in our culture, songs and ceremonies,” added D.J. who is a student from East High School in Denver, CO. “I am taking it upon myself to learn the language. When the Lakota language starts to die, our culture will die. People have already tried to kill us but we are still here speaking our language.”
Quotes from Lakota people on Language learning
- “We have to share this responsibility of learning and teaching the Lakota language. We can’t just leave it to our Lakota language teachers to help our students learn because it is a responsibility we must all carry.”
- “I once went to a school where the only Lakota phrase I learned was wanuniye or I’m lost. If you learn the Lakota language you don’t have to say wanuniye because you will find yourself.” Tianna Spotted Thunder – Red Cloud Indian School
- “I think we need to find a lot of fun ways to learn because it shouldn’t be stressful to learn our language,” Sierra Yellow Boy said. She is also a student at Red Cloud Indian School.
Quotes from Peter Hill’s High School Students
- “The language is very important to us. But I am still learning it myself and maybe if I learn it, I can one day teach it to my children and grandchildren. Our generation is supposed to save the language, but a lot ofpeople don’t seem interested. We must step up as young leaders and save our language!”
- “All students need teachers who actually believe that we are capable of learning the language, and won’t give up on us even when we are slow to learn.”
- “Teachers shouldn’t be discouraging or mean to students if they make a mistake. That will onlydiscourage them more from speaking it. Plus, the best way to help learn is by kinesthetic and visual activities and some audio activities. It will help them learn faster and easier.”
While our language and culture have persevered through great adversity, use of the language is facing dramatic and urgent changes. From 1993 to 2013, the counts of fluent speakers went from 15% to 3% percent with the percentage of people speaking little or no Lakota rising from 60% to 90%. We are not teaching enough fluent speakers to replace those fluent speakers passing away.
Today the Lakota language does not carry the necessary “status” to be fully accepted in our daily lives. Peter Hill, Lakota language speaker and educator, explains, “Lakota language learning does not enjoy the high status that other youth activities (basketball, texting, etc.) do and so young people who are interested in learning the language often do not find much support within their peer group.” This barrier tends to discourage the younger generation from learning the Lakota language. This initiative identifies recommendations to promote generations of young, fluent Lakota speakers who can sustain the language as the older fluent-speaking generations are passing away. These recommendations describe the important first steps to highlighting the importance of using Lakota language in daily life and offer new ways for us to support each other in learning and using our language to express our culture and values to the fullest.
Barriers
- Discouragement of people trying to learn the language:
- Learning the Lakota Language on our reservation is breaking a societal norm because English is the popular language and is widely spoken throughout all the communities on the reservation. The pressure put on people that attempt to learn or speak the language is a huge barrier that has to be addressed. Efforts such like Tusweca Tiospaye’s Language Summit are slowly breaking down barriers like these by allowing a safe environment to learn and speak the Lakota Language.
- Our children and non-speakers are immersed in a world that is not Lakota. For example, the people our children idolize are usually non-speakers of Lakota (such as their parents, sport stars, and celebrities). A few efforts that address this are the Oglala Lakota Immersion School, Lakota Waldorf School, and spiritual/cultural gatherings.
- A growing number of parents are not teaching their children the Lakota language:
- According to the Lakota Language Consortium, the language stopped being transferred inter-generationally during the mid 1950’s. Since that time the number of Lakota language speakers has slowly declined.
- For the year 2013, the average speaker age is projected to be 70 years old. The typical age of the youngest speaker is projected to be 55 years old.
- Lakota language teachers:
- Generally, our fluent Lakota speakers have been the primary teachers of the language. With the average age of a fluent speaker on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation at 65-70 years of age, meaning our teachers of the language are leaving us. It is also important to offer training and assistance to those who are willing to teach. As Wilhelm Meya, director of Lakota Language Consortium conveys, “Not all fluent speakers are teachers.”
90%
Ninety percent of Tribal Members speak little or no Lakota .
70
The average Lakota Speaker is seventy years old.
3%
Three percent of tribal members are fluent in Lakota . This is down from fifteen percent two decades ago.
Youth and Young Ones
Youth and young ones are the future and the very sacred. There must be a basis of youth leadership in all facets of Lakota life in order to plan for a vibrant, healthy and prosperous future founded in deeply held cultural values passed along by the older generations.
There is an unusual phenomenon going on in our remotely located, largely rural Region – due to a steadily growing population under the age of 25, we are bucking the trend of decline that is otherwise changing the face of rural South Dakota, and much of rural America. This has a lot to do with our young Native Americans - our most precious, yet most fragile gifts.
Young adults (ages 20-24), youth (ages 5-19) and young ones (ages 0-5) represent just over half of the overall population of our growing region that includes Shannon, Jackson, and Bennett counties. Although it is often difficult to get an accurate count on the total number of the population of the region due to frequent movement of families and known limitations of existing data sources (Tribal enrollment doesn’t reflect non-Oglala populations and the U.S. Census traditionally significantly undercounts the actual population for a variety of reasons), by looking at the various sources side by side, reveals a clear
pattern as illustrated in Table 4.1 below.
One of the most difficult legacies our people repeatedly face is the damage done in the boarding school or “mission” era. The loss, hurt, shame, pain, isolation, and angry feelings that infected the spirits of so many of our ancestors is only 2-3 generations removed from today’s youth. The consequences of these policies of
separating children from parents and community manifest themselves in many ways, although the origins have become nearly invisible. Past policies of child removal have damaged our culture, language fluency, family ties, and modeling of parental and cultural roles. This is often referred to as “historical trauma” and plays a huge role in the presence of persistent inter-generational poverty. Poverty is also a crucial factor associated with family breakdown, child neglect, and child removal. Too many of our children and youth are in crisis and often at a severe disadvantage, sometimes even at birth.
Violence, substance abuse, suicides, and other destructive behavior patterns plague our communities, suggesting that the present generation enacts the traumatic feelings of past experiences passed down through the generations.
Ghosts from past oppression and abuse still haunt us. Those who had been victimized victimize others in turn. This is a vicious cycle in which many of our relatives are caught. The prevalence of gangs, drugs, and destruction of property is on the rise in some of our communities. Many of our kids make the wrong choices and end up leaving the schools only to end up in juvenile detention, jail or dead. Many others attempt or commit suicide. There are also positive things happening for our younger segment of the population. We see smart graduates, creative artists, skilled horsemen, capable powwow dancers/singers and talented athletes. In many communities there are very culturally and spiritually engaged young men and women learning how to cope with life’s ups and down through the practice of traditional Lakota ceremonies and rights of passage. The sense of pride in being Lakota is growing, but needs support, care
and focused attention.
Focusing on ways to heal from past traumas, creating safe places for youth in every community, and increasing the number and types of opportunities for our youth to be involved in healthy, stimulating activities are the first recommendations that can start to change the future for our children.
Barriers
- Lack of parental involvement or having parents with very poor parenting skills as a result of past intergenerational traumatic experiences
- Poor levels of cultural knowledge as a result of past attempts to assimilate our people and now exacerbated by less interest and respect for local customs and traditions in the larger villages and towns
- Influences of widespread television, music, websites, and other media that do not reflect the values and customs of our traditional beliefs and language • Limited access to the Lakota Language, which teaches social values and ways of thinking
- Schools are geared toward state regulations that promote the English language. There is a big difference between learning the Lakota language immersed in the sounds and words from a very young age and taking a 40 person minimum class with limited exposure or direct relevance to daily life
- Deep insecurities for youth about their future and the future of their families
- Gangs and influence of older adults that fuel animosity between families
- Drug trafficking pressures by adults who prey on the youth
- Substance abuse and peer pressure
- Domestic violence (verbal, physical and/or sexual abuse)
- Suicide, cutting, and other self-destructive signs of emotional distress
- Truancy and drop-outs
- Unplanned pregnancies and/or unhealthy behaviors while pregnant
- Limited promotion of seat belt use by parents & guardians
- Lack of reliable funding sources for the programs that serve youth and young ones
If you know all the gifts of Creator, especially the wakanjeya (litt le ones), the great est gift , you will know
how special everything is.”
John DuBray, One Spirit
(10/26/2011)
50%
of Pine ridge indian reservati on populati on is younger than 25
Model Communities
Create sustainable and interconnected communities that provide better housing, places for businesses to thrive, and a healthy and supportive environment for youth, elderly, and families. Use model communities as living laboratories to build skills, knowledge, and capacity for residents. Explore and refine new ways of living that build on traditional Lakota values to develop innovative, homegrown Native solutions to a variety of challenges.
While many other rural areas in the Great Plains are facing stagnant growth, the population at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is growing significantly. Even though Census figures are widely understood to undercount population on the Reservation, they still show a growth rate of more than 21% between
2000 and 2010 - nearly three times the growth rate of South Dakota. More than half of Pine Ridge residents are under the age of 251. This population growth underpins an existing and growing demand for housing and services on the Reservation.
However, the construction of new housing has not kept pace with the increasing need. Land fractionation, complicated property ownership, lack of available land, and limited access to financing all present barriers to the construction of new housing. In addition to financial and regulatory obstacles, affordability is a factor that limits access to quality housing for many. The median household income on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is $27,065, compared to the state median income of $46,3691. About 48% of residents on the Reservation live below the poverty line1. These low incomes severely limit the availability and quality of housing for Pine Ridge residents. Out of approximately 4,700 total households, 3,300 (70%) are eligible for Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing services, which estimates that there are unmet housing needs for more than 1,600 low-income families.2
Lack of supply and low incomes contribute to overcrowding, low quality construction, and poor housing conditions. The average household size on the reservation is between 6.7 and 9.2 persons, compared to a national average of 2.6 persons per household3. While this reflects to some degree differences in Native family structures, it is also an indication of overcrowding. Homes without adequate plumbing or kitchen facilities are often used as an indicator of inadequate housing conditions. On the Reservation, 9% of units lack adequate plumbing and 8% lack kitchen facilities; the national average for these condition are .5% and .8% respectively1. Beyond physical housing conditions, many families face difficult home environments (suicide rates that are five times the national average highlight the severity of these challenges). Compounding challenges from a lack of housing and poor housing conditions, the scattered pattenrs of housing developments make it difficult to provide basic infrastructure to many homes. Through transportation costs, water quality, air quality, and more, current housing development patters reduce the health , freedom, and prospoerty of our people. Too often, existing housing clusters have become sources of crime and violence.
The Model Communities initiative outlines strategies to begin addressing these community needs by providing more housing that is high quality and affordable, exploring creative approaches to overcome financial and regulatory barriers, and creating healthy, supportive living environments. However, the Model Community initiative is also about more than housing. The development of model communities provides an opportunity to create sustainable and interconnected communities where there are education and workforce development opportunities, places for businesses to thrive, and places for youth to participate in healthy, safe activities. Model communities can also function as “living laboratories” that explore and refine new ways of living and replicable models to address a variety of needs throughout the Reservation. While model communities are not the entirety of the solution for housing needs on the Reservation, they can simultaneously provide housing and services, while building skills, knowledge, and capacity to tackle housing challenges on a wider scale.
The following recommendations describe the elements of a model community that together can create sustainable lifeways, improved well-being, growth opportunities, increased prosperity, and pride in ourselves. However, the Model Communities initiative is not intended as “one size fits all” approach. This initiative is based on the understanding that successful communities must reflect and respond to the needs and aspirations of the people who live, work, and play in them. As “living laboratories”, model communities provide an opportunity to explore a wide range of living environments, supportive services, amenities, financial structures, cooperative roles and responsibilities, and sustainable, replicable systems. Model communities should reflect strong community engagement and participation both in the design and development process, as well as ongoing operation and management. Model communities should also continue to evolve over time as new needs emerge, new skills are developed, and new lessons are learned.
The success of model communities depends as much on the commitment of people and organizations as it does on improving the physical environment. While this presents challenges in a place where organizations are chronically understaffed, model communities provide a method to sustain momentum by continuing to build knowledge, capacity, and success over time.
Benefits
Housing
- More housing at a higher quality and lower cost for construction, maintenance, and utilities
- More housing choices to accommodate a variety of family structures and social interactions
- Homeownership opportunities
- Meets the basic need of shelter so that other needs can flourish
Economic Opportunity
- Supports job creation
- Serves residents and supports local economy with convenient local retail and services
- Creates physical development and infrastructure for businesses to thrive
- Increases knowledge, skills, and job opportunities through workforce development
Natural Environment
- Improves health and well-being of the people and the environment
- Preserves habitat and promotes biodiversity
- Economic opportunities through renewable energy and agriculture initiatives
- Maximizes use of limited water resources
- Supports more comfortable, healthy, efficient homes and businesses
Supportive Environment
- Educates and empowers youth, elders, and families
- Support multi-generational community that honors history and provides a foundation for a better future
- Places where youth can participate in healthy, safe activities
- Range of amenities and services: community gardens, parks, recreational opportunities, community facilities, health and wellness services, cultural and social venues
- Supports health and well-being of residents
- Enhances public safety
New Models of Living
- Explores new ways to live while honoring tradition
- Provides models that can be applied throughout the Reservation
- Helps to establish self-sufficient communities through food sovereignty, renewable energy production, and workforce development
Population growth with an expanding number of youth underpins the existing and future demand for
housing and services on the reservation
48%
of residents on the reservation live below the poverty line
Out of approximately 4,700 total households, 70% are eligible for Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing services, which estimates that there are unmet housing needs for more than 1,600 low-income families.
Health and Wellness
Strengthen programs improving physical, mental, and spiritual health for overall societal wellness.
The Oyate Omniciye | Oglala Lakota Plan seeks to identify a healthier future, where our people have energy and clarity to unify their path forward. This includes strengthened programs that integrate/compliment Lakota culture and spirituality with Western medicine for physical health, mental health, spiritual health, and ultimately overall societal wellness.
With the few number of officers we have on the ground (49 for 3,159 square miles), public safety for our people is often the difference between life and death. Social service providers for women and children indicate that many incidents of domestic violence and sexual abuse go unreported, because there
is no one available to respond and care for them. Of all crimes against people, drunk driving is the crime that assumes the most time of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.
The current state of health and well-being for the Oyate is facing substantial challenges. Life expectancy is one of the lowest in the western hemisphere – 48 for men and 52 for women. Mortality rates for infants are two and a half times higher than the United States, and death rates for adults are astronomically higher than US averages in alcohol/drug related deaths, suicides, diabetes, SIDs, tuberculosis, and cervical cancer. According to data published by Red Cloud Indian School (2009), obesity, diabetes, and heart disease occur in epidemic proportions on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The South Dakota Cancer Report of 2003 records that during 1999-2003, cancer death rates decreased for white people in South Dakota but increased for American Indians and was, in fact, 30% higher than that of white people in South Dakota. The overall health and well-being of the nation lies at the root of many other initiatives and is a crucial factor in the success of the people’s ability to make progress and thrive.
These many challenges have their beginnings in the time of transition from the traditional nomadic life of tight-knit families practicing thousands of year old traditions, with well-defined social order, and speaking only Lakota to the time of “Kill the Indian. Save the Man” assimilation tactics employed at the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. There have been many big changes to our way of life in a short period of time, and we didn’t always know if we were going to make it.
It has really only been in the last 40 years we were allowed to fully express ourselves again. We have a lot of healing to do in order to acknowledge the hurt from the past, be proud of ourselves and each other, and move towards a happier, healthier future. This time of healing has come, and with so many young people on our reservation, this is more important now than ever. In order to do this, we know it starts within, but
we need as much outside patience and support as possible. Many of the severe physical heath problems on our Pine Ridge Reservation are directly related to the food system on the Pine Ridge reservation. Distance from a food market and the availability and cost of healthy options are barriers to food access for all of us. Many of us travel to Rapid City, or other surrounding towns for goods and services that are unavailable on the reservation. Two key barriers to the local production of livestock and edible crops on the reservation are related to land use. Fractionation of land makes it difficult for our tribal members to identify and use their individual share for agricultural purposes. Agricultural land management practices also impact the health of natural resources on the reservation such as soil erosion, pesticides and water pollution, loss of native species, and over grazing. Ongoing efforts in permaculture on Pine Ridge address these issues and seek solutions as well as educational models. Coordination and collaboration between these efforts and tribal offices such as Land Use, Economic Development, Health Administration and Transportation can help us create a healthier and more self-reliant food system.
Barriers
Lack of access to healthy foods, lack of access to clean water in some remote areas as well as access to preventative health care and education are major contributing factors to the current state of health.
Cultural health also plays a major role as the connector between physical and behavioral health. Past studies have asked community members to identify the four major barriers to achieving their goals. Communities identified: 1) Undeveloped Cultural Foundation, 2) Unresponsive Centralized Government, 3) Unsupported Individual Initiative, and 4) No Community Bond. At first items 1, 3 and 4 seem most closely relate to the cultural health of a community; however the unresponsiveness of the Lakota governmental structure can also lie in the cultural disconnection and dissatisfaction with the current system of governance. Consistently the dissatisfaction expresses itself as a lack of participation in tribal governance by a “silent majority” of the people, especially the people living more removed from the hub of Pine Ridge. Congress routinely underfunds Indian Health Service programs by up to 70% of the funds requested and promised based on population and need. Political will of the people is required to enact change to the current system.
Education, Training, and Outreach
Teach culture, build capacity, and share information on current activities and programs. Expand ways to teach, involve, inform, engage, and grow through trainings, media, and community events for all who live in the region as well as visitors.
Our reservation has the power to use education as a way to create a sustainable way of life. Educational systems range from school systems such as the Shannon County Schools, Red Cloud Indian School, Oglala Lakota College and others but also includes our homes, communities, towns, and in essence our entire reservation. With the constant rapid growth of our Oglala Lakota Nation, we are in need of doctors, teachers, lawyers, hard-workers, and other professionals to provide care and help for each other. The Education, Training, and Outreach initiative addresses curricular and extracurricular strategies that
schools and communities may use to teach language and culture, build capacity, share information, and continue to involve people in the implementation of the Oyate Omniciye | Oglala Lakota Plan.
This initiative addresses a broad range of existing and potential strategies that multiple organizations are using to equip youth and adults for a deeper experience of the Oglala Lakota culture and to build the capacity to develop sustainable communities. The existing conditions described here address the needs for education as well as current efforts to meet those needs that can be harnessed through initiative recommendations. The descriptions are organized by the focal topics of the Oyate Omniciye | Oglala Lakota Plan.
Existing Programs and Opportunities
The following topic headings relate current programs or the current state to recommendations for increasing needed education and outreach opportunities.
Language
The educational efforts aimed towards creating new active speakers on Pine Ridge Reservation are very minimal. Creating collaboration and increasing awareness of this situation will only positively benefit all of us. For more background information on the state of the Lakota language and recommendations for its revitalization, see the Language Initiative, page 76.
Food Sovereignty
There are many ongoing educational efforts on the reservation that address the barriers to healthy food
access including economic development for increasing local food-related businesses, land use knowledge for small scale agricultural development, and permaculture endeavors to establish best practices for farming and thriving agriculture-based communities. Coordination and collaboration amongst these efforts, as well as policy solutions and legislation that address connections such as farms to schools programs, can help us create a healthier and more self-reliant food system.
Health and Wellness
Diet-related disease problems on our reservation can be addressed through multi-faceted educational efforts in nutrition, gardening, and active living. Many of the food system educational efforts listed above can be targeted toward health education.
Youth
The OST Health Administration Office has started school-based mental health services in Little Wound, Pine
Ridge, Wolf Creek, and Allen schools that are focused on intensive reduction of symptoms related to suicidal behavior among the high risk students. These services are provided through collaborative education processes between psychiatrists and counselors, teachers, and school administrators.
Model Community Development
Sustainable housing efforts on the reservation can serve as educational opportunities both for workforce training and for individuals and families who would like to construct their own homes. Workforce training combined with education in financing and business development may serve as a strategy to increase the tribe’s capacity to develop a stock of affordable, sustainable housing on the reservations.
Governance
Education about our history and governance system can help us restructure how we govern ourselves. In 2008, we passed several amendments to the constitution, including a measure that would separate the judicial system, but these amendments have not been implemented yet. There is a significant resource shortage that hinders the administrative adoption of these changes. The Constitution has a number of shortcomings that have hindered the economic development and advancement of our Oglala Lakota people. An educational endeavor that is currently underway by the government is the Oglala Sioux Tribe
Youth Council. This endeavor models positions of leadership and decision making that youth can learn from and creatively debate in order to make the processes better for their future.
Land Use
A need for consistent decision making tools is evident in the area of Land Use to streamline ownership issues, identify sensitive area, coordinate roads, and institute healthy and consistent codes. Education and training for governing bodies and tribal agencies can help develop effective, sustainable land use policies. Educating those who work with developers and individual landowners on fractionation policies (for example, education on the Indian Land Consolidation Act and new federal probate code) will equip developers and landowners to navigate the land development process.
The existing programs and needs for education are harnessed through initiative recommendations. The following recommendations connect existing efforts and inspire new efforts to improve education, training, and outreach.
Economy
Dramatically increase access to funds and financing needed to build homes and businesses. Encourage entrepreneurship, workforce capacity, and responsible tourism. Seek out public and private partners.
We seek to jumpstart a sustainable economy on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation that is based in our culture and traditions. This means empowering people to create businesses that meet local needs and reflect Lakota values.
Keys to Economic Development:
- Support entrepreneurship and private sector businesses
- Increase access to financing
- Provide needed goods and services locally; stop economic leakage
- Increase efficiency of government and court system
Past studies on economic development in Indian country in general and Pine Ridge in particular suggest that a strategy focused on private employment, increasing opportunities for financing, reforming government to match the culture, and increasing efficiency of tribal programs and enterprises is the
most effective strategy for increasing economic well-being. Such a strategy will increase the amount of needed goods and services that are available on the reservation and will prevent dollars from leaving the reservation.
The majority of employment (65%) in Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is in government and government enterprises. 30% of employment is in the private sector. In the private sector, gas stations provide the most jobs (22.8% of private sector jobs), followed by education and health services and leisure and hospitality jobs (see Figure 11.2). The construction industry is also an important part of the economy; Lakota Funds make the bulk of their loans to construction related businesses. The informal sector is also robust. One study found that 83% of all households on the reservation operated some kind of informal business, such as hunting, trapping, drumming, singing at ceremonies and events, beading, quilting, and flutemaking. Boosting private sector employment and educating people in the informal economy about the benefits of registering their businesses will help the economy by creating more stability and accountability on the Reservation. Concurrent education in saving, smart choices, and asset building will also help people succeed in moving from the informal sector into the mainstream economy.
Focus on people as the greatest asset : Workforce training As Lakota people, we have great ideas and are willing to take risks and work hard to see our dreams come true. Entrepreneurship has a real potential to
jumpstart the economy on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. If we are successful in clearing the financial and regulatory hurdles that have limited us in the past, we will be able to unleash our potential to create thriving, sustainable businesses of the future.
Educational attainment and health are critical to the economy because they increase human potential.
Currently, educational attainment in Pine Ridge Reservation is below the national average. There are
not enough educated individuals to start businesses and fill needed positions both in the private sector and in the government. Prevalent health problems are also hindering people from reaching their full potential. This situation is slowing economic development, creating additional urgency and importance for the health, wellness, and education initiatives identified in this Plan.
Develop the local economy to keeping the dollars on the Reservation: Streamline policy - Create a entrepreneurship center and business incubator - Boost tourism Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is within the economic influence of Rapid City. Residents often travel to Rapid City or Chadron for goods and services that are unavailable in the reservation. This leads to economic leakage, where dollars spent off the reservation do not benefit the local economy. Rapid City also draws young people seeking
economic opportunity and employment. Providing goods and services in the Reservation will stop this leakage and provide more jobs and opportunities for residents. Improved infrastructure and access to financing will enable the Pine Ridge economy to develop.
Remove barriers to financing : Increase access to financing Regulatory hurdles prevent financing and development of housing, office and retail space, and infrastructure. The physical space and infrastructure to run a business is often not present. Traditional lending institutions do not lend to businesses that are based on the reservation because these businesses do not have sufficient collateral. Businesses in other parts of the United States are able finance their activities through land and existing business equipment. In Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, much of the land is held in trust. Businesses cannot use this land as collateral for loans because banks cannot foreclose on it. Increasing access to loans and financing will be an important step in improving the economy.
Streamline government processes to better support economic activity: Improve ability of courts to handle
business cases - Create a business council - Support the efforts to create a Lakota/Nakota/Dakota economic region The structure and condition of the courts is another barrier holding back the economy. The judicial branch is subordinate to the tribal council under the IRA constitution. This hinders investment because there is uncertainty about whether the courts would uphold business contracts. The courts are overburdened with cases, and settling business disputes can be timely and costly. These factors create more risk for financial organizations wanting to invest in native businesses. In 2008 the people passed a measure that would separate the judicial branch. Implementing this measure is an important first step toward strengthening the courts. Educating lawyers and police about these issues is another important
component.
The courts are a symbol of the competence and power of the government. Investing in the courts to ensure
daily activities run smoothly and people have a positive experience when interacting with the courts can strengthen confidence in government for both the residents and outside investors. The courts should be efficient and professional and the physical appearance of the courts should be stately.
65%
of employment on the pine ridge reservation is in government and government enterprises.
30%
of employment is in the private sector. 28% of employment in this sector is provided by gas stations.
83%
of all households on the reservations operate some kind of informal business, such as hunting, trapping, drumming, beading, and flutemaking.
Land Use
Continue to untangle regulations and increase the land base of the Tribe. Sustain a balance between the development of homes and businesses, agriculture and preserving habitats and beautiful landscapes for all of our relatives - human, plant, or animal.
This land was given to us by Tunkasila (Creator). How we use it is a reflection of us as a People. Since the times we once held our lands in common, much has occurred that has redefined how we live as tribal people on tribal homelands. In the present day, there are several forms of land ownership on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation that greatly affect the ability of the tribe, individuals, and organizations to use and develop land.
Tribal trust land is land that is held in trust by the federal government for the tribe. This land is within the jurisdiction of the tribe in terms of land regulation, building permits, and civil and criminal law (with the exception of major criminal crimes). A variety of government entities must give approval for before building and installing infrastructure to ensure the development does not have negative environmental or cultural impacts. Over 80% of tribal land is used for agriculture.
Allotted trust land is land that is held in trust for individual tribal members. This land often has multiple trustees that each own a small part of the land because of generations of splitting the land equally between family members, making it much harder to develop. Typically, the developer must receive permission from all interests, although recent regulation has eased this burden in cases where there are many interests. Development on allotted trust land follows the same regulation and development process as tribal trust land, except that all infrastructure service is cleared through IHS instead of the Tribe for all lands “tribal.”
Reclaimed trust land is land returned to trust status. This can happen in various ways. Land can be bought by the Tribe, received through donation or gift, or inherited through someone’s last will and testament and then a petition is made to return the land to tribal trust status. Additionally, all retired, abandoned or
out-of-use federal lands can be reclaimed by the Native peoples from whom it was acquired. The process for returning these types of land varies by who the land came from and the level of state/federal cooperation at the time the process is undertaken.
Fee-Simple land is land with a deed that is free to be bought and sold. Tribal members or nontribal members can own this land. Regionally, this is land that is subject to County or State regulations, but is not necessarily or completely under Tribal oversight. It is much easier to access financing on fee simple land
because the bank can have a claim on the land. However, development on fee simple land may erode sovereignty because the tribe has limited control and jurisdiction over what happens on that land. To this point Village Earth reports:
“The historical legacy of forcefully alienating people from their allotted lands has contributed to the unequal land-use patterns on Pine Ridge today, where 20 people control nearly 46% of the land base. It has also had a significant economic impact for tribal members. According to the USDA 2007 Census of Agriculture for American Indian Reservations, the market value of agriculture commodities produced on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 2007 totaled $54,541,000. Yet, less than 1/3 ($17,835,000)
of that income went to Native American producers on the Reservation.
Currently nearly 60% of the Pine Ridge Reservation is being leased out by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), often times to non-tribal members, with the tribal land owners only receiving 50 cents to $3.00 an acre per year. These rents are far below current market values. According to the South Dakota State University Farm Real Estate Survey, the average rental rates in this region of South Dakota for non-irrigated cropland is $23.10 and $10.00 an acre for rangeland. Despite the fact that their lands have
been in the federal leasing system for several generations, over 70% of families on the reservation would like to live on and utilize their allotted lands. This situation is the result of a long history of discriminatory land policies enacted by the United States Government. Policies designed to open up reservation lands and resources to outside interests rather than local self-reliance.”
Shrinking Lands
The history of the extent and jurisdiction of the lands of the Lakota dates back in time through various treaties and Acts of Congress. Starting with the Great Sioux Reservation established in 1868 , until present day, our lands have been increasingly eroded and ownership diminished.
“The men who created the reservation system believed that if Indians could be confined to one particular
geographical place reserved for them, they could become ‘civilized” and assimilated into American life. They could be encouraged to stop being Indians and to become like white men. Thus, the reservations were to make sure the remaining tribes were converted to Christianity; taught English, sewing, and small-scale farming; and ultimately, to be Americanized. ”
We have mostly been on the receiving end of paternalistic laws and rules established by the non-Indian people who immigrated to our homelands on the North American Continent so many years ago. Additionally, the laws affecting our relatives were always subject to the approval of the United States first, as if we were children, with the advantage mostly going to those who write the laws. The following images illustrate how our land base has been reduced. (see Figure 9.2 and Figure 9.3) Our present-day Reservation is approximately 90 miles east-west by about 50 miles north-south. You will notice this larger rectangle is divided into one big square to the west (Shannon County), and two smaller rectangles stacked on top of one another to the East (to the north is the southern half of Jackson County and to the south is Bennett County). We represent a very small number of tribal nations with a history of treaties that retain a somewhat large land base. We often have a hard time reminding our friends in South Dakota and at the United States Congress that this status carries with it special requirements and considerations when it comes to support for widespread development and funding formulas. We are by no means a small place, although we once had the freedom to roam a much bigger part of our original homelands.
Three Counties – Three Fates
Since the Oglala Indian Reservation was established in 1889, the distribution and use of lands have been an intriguing illustration of the attempt to destroy a Nation. Back in 1892, our Reservation looked like Figure 9.5.
Shannon County
Established in 1875, the largest of the three counties associated with the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the only one entirely within Reservation boundaries, Shannon County has the bulk of the regional population (14,000+) and is predominantly Native American (94%). It consists primarily of rangelands with very little suitable farmlands and contains the South Unit of the Badlands National Park. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county; taxes on alcohol consumed within the county go to other counties. Shannon County is one of two counties in South Dakota that does not have its own county seat. Hot Springs in neighboring Fall River County serves as its administrative center. It is also one of five South Dakota counties that are entirely on an Indian reservation.
Jackson County
Established in 1914, Jackson County, South Dakota, was the last unorganized county in the United States (see Figure 9.6). Although it was organized and received a home rule charter that year, Shannon, as noted above, contracts with Fall River County for its Auditor, Treasurer, Director of Equalization, State’s Attorney and Registrar of Deeds. Bennett County Bennett County was established in 1912, and Martin was selected as the county seat in that same year.
Naming
We have had great leaders with memorable names such as Ta’sunke Witko (Crazy Horse), Mahkpiya Luta (Red Cloud), Wasicu Tasunke (American Horse) and many others. Unfortunately, not enough of our place names reflect our wonderful language and heritage. Many times, the people who arranged for the taking of our lands were the ones whose names were attached to what little we had left. For example, Granville G. Bennett was a Dakota Territory Supreme Court justice and Frank Washabaugh was a prominent South Dakota politician. J.R. Jackson was a territorial legislator alongside Peter C. Shannon, who was also one of the Congressionally appointed commissioners who approved the dissolution of the Great Sioux Reservation in 1882.
Checkerboard Land and Fractionation
In the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, tribal trust land, allotted trust land, and fee-simple land are distributed throughout the reservation in a pattern that resembles a checkerboard (see Figure 9.8). This is a barrier to development, because the development process is different for each type of land, making it difficult to consolidate land and build infrastructure.
Fractionation refers to the division of interests that occurs on allotted trust land when the original interest holder dies. Historically, if this person lacks a will, the interest in the land is divided equality among his or her heirs. This continues as people continue to die, and the land is eventually fractionated into potentially hundreds of interests. Traditionally, a developer would need to secure the permission of every single person with an interest in the land, no matter how small, before doing anything with the land. This left most of the allotted land in Indian Country virtually undevelopable. However, recent regulation is easing this burden and preventing the further fractionation of land.
Land Use Regulation and Building Codes
The tribe has a very limited set of tools to regulate land uses. Development on tribal land is required to perform an environmental assessment to identify any environmentally or culturally sensitive areas. Development is not allowed in the 100 year flood plain. Development must also secure road access from the BIA and infrastructure from the Tribe (for tribal land) or the BIA (for allotted land).
There are no building codes on the reservation. Typically funding sources require builders to build to state code. BIA usually requires buildings to be built to LEED silver specifications. This plan is an opportunity to implement a consistent building code across the reservation to streamline the development process.
If you don’t have land, you don’t have culture. You don’t own your destiny.
-Bill Tovey, Economic Development Director of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
1,000,000
the number of acres of land taken from Oglala Lakota control on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation after the
year US Congress enacted the General Allotment Act
3,000,000
the amount of revenue for agricultural uses on 160,368 acr es of trust land that went to the OST - 16 dollars / acre
Environment and Ecosystems
Ensure quality of the natural environment: water, air, and earth. Be prepared for and adapt to future climate changes. Map ecosystems and restore them.
We vow to ensure the quality of the natural environment for our current and future generations, including water, air, and habitat, in harmony with the beliefs and teachings of our current and past generations. In the past, when climate changed, people and animals migrated. Now bound to the reservation, we must be prepared to adapt to climate changes. In order to best accomplish this we must integrate the traditional teachings of Mitakuye Oyasin back into our way of thinking and making decisions - all things are related to one another. We must reestablish understanding and respect between our people and the planet by listening to the spirit of the place.
In Lakota culture, symbols and meanings often appear in groups of four. During an Inipi ceremony one experiences four rounds of the purification ritual. Similarly, during certain rituals at Sundance the sacred pipe is offered four times before being received. The Lakota consider fire, water, air, and earth to be the primary elements of life relating to the four cardinal directions and four seasons. The careful use and protection of resources associated with these elements figure prominently in community culture.
The Tribal Council established a Land Committee which monitors environmental activities on the reservation including the Badlands Bombing Range, environmental protection, the land office, natural resources, pesticide enforcement, the safety of dams, solid waste, and water resources. The committee meets biweekly and pursues a mission to “protect manage and develop the natural resources on the Pine Ridge Reservation.”
FIRE | ENERGY
South Dakota ranks fourth in the nation for potential wind power generation and has optimal conditions to promote solar energy collection. Additionally, this region holds great promise for geothermal energy and climate conditioning which have been identified through recent studies. Our nation has made a clear statement of commitment to stewardship of natural resources and environmental protection through recent successful renewable energy feasibility studies. By creating greater opportunities to generate renewable energy, not only will our nation increase its economic prosperity (for example, every megawatt of installed wind power creates between 15 and 19 jobs), but it will also provide clean energy for many surrounding communities, thereby decreasing their carbon footprint.
The energy profile of the Pine Ridge Reservation is fairly unique compared to its regional and national counterparts. On average, Tribal households pay significantly more for household energy services than their U.S. counterparts. Most utilities are solely owned and operated by non-Tribal entities, so the money paid to energy providers immediately leaves tribal communities. More than 14 percent of American Indian households on reservations have no access to electricity, compared to 1.2 percent of all U.S. households.
However, tribal lands, which cover almost 5 percent of the total area of the United States, hold an estimated 10 percent of the country’s renewable energy resources, including enough solar energy potential to generate 4.5 times the national total energy consumption in 2004.
Infrastructure and revenue streams created by tribal renewable energy and energy efficiency projects could help achieve economic growth and energy independence, and strengthen tribal sovereignty. These projects would help keep utility revenue within tribal communities and create worker training opportunities in clean energy jobs, such as installation, maintenance, weatherization, and construction. While such projects must carefully consider the potential impacts on land, wildlife, and habitat, they
could help our tribe meet our people’s energy demands and sustain our natural resources for future generations.
Oglala Lakota College Agricultural Extension and South Dakota State University obtained grant funding in 2010 for a three year study of switchgrass for use as a biomass fuel. If crops are determined to be viable, and studies provide a positive return on costs, producers can begin to plant switchgrass as a cash crop, potentially growing the tribal economy.
WATER
Every drop of water is a precious resource, and intrinsically related to the health of people in a community. Our community will increase clean water sources by adopting strategies embedded in streets, home, and businesses to collect and use rainwater productively. Attention to daily habits as well as new development practices will help to clean the water that enters lakes and streams. This clean water will renew habitat and offer fresh drinking sources as well as replenish the aquifers deep below the ground.
Scientific studies cited by the U.S. Permaculture Guild predict that the High Plains/Oglala Aquifer, which begins underneath the Pine Ridge Reservation, will likely run dry within the next thirty years due to commercial use and dryland farming in states south of the Reservation. This critical North American underground water resource is not renewable at the present consumption rate. Recent years of drought have accelerated the problem. Federal support is available to develop an emergency drought management plan. Water on the reservation has been tainted by Uranium mining; tests have shown the presence of Arsenic and Barium among other radioactive elements. The lagoon and water treatment systems around the reservation have exceeded capacity and are not functioning well; untreated waste water is overflowing into streams and groundwater. Existing systems were not designed for current population loads and will need to be expanded with future development.
Mni Wiconi, which means “water is life” in the Lakota language, is a large scale water infrastructure project that will carry water to the reservation through pipelines from the Missouri River. The Mni Wiconi Water Treatment Plant and Coreline project will replace contaminated water sources and bring safe drinking water to communities throughout the reservation. The project is currently under construction of its main distribution lines and is scheduled for completion in 2013. The overall project has been managed by the OST Rural Water Supply System in partnership with the Bureau of Reclamations. Beyond 2013, the ongoing funding sources for operations and maintenance as well as future expansion of the pipeline are in great doubt; citizens do not feel they should have to pay for water if it was a treaty obligation, and the remainder of O&M funds are at the mercy of Congress.
AIR
Connection to the sky and constellations is an important part of many religious ceremonies in Lakota culture; our Lakota tribe created a vibrant system of astrology many generations ago. This is an important factor to maintain as the community develops and achieves greater economic sustainability. Some planning implications could include efficient transportation options, ensuring development of environmentally compatible industry, renewable energy generation, and increased ability to maintain clear skies through greater health of native landscapes and careful lighting applications. As development increases, ordinances such as New Mexico’s Night Sky Protection Act can regulate outdoor lighting fixtures to preserve the reservation’s dark night sky while conserving energy and preserving the environment for Lakota astrology.
According to the EPA Air Quality Index, outdoor air quality on the Pine Ridge Reservation is generally
labeled “Good”, meaning that “air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.” A lack of dense population, traffic and industrial sectors on the reservation indicate few pollution sources relative to most of the United States. It is important that as we stimulate new development opportunities we protect this air quality with responsible decision-making.
EARTH
Careful and responsible management of the land’s highest potential has far-reaching impacts on the circle of natural resources. Through centralized and cooperative development of housing, workplaces, community services, amenities, and transportation options, habitat for native species of flora and fauna may be preserved and further proliferation of rich biodiversity will positively impact the health of the region. Preserving and protecting the land will also create new opportunities for prosperity through programs tied to agriculture, eco-tourism and food production.
For generations, the plains were sustainably managed by tribal members who used controlled burns and buffalo to manage the ongoing health of the fertile prairie grass system. Crop and livestock farms have significantly affected the condition of soil throughout the reservation.
The 2007 Agriculture Census counted 1.9 million acres of farmland on the reservation, 70 percent of the 2.7 million acres the reservation encompasses. 270,000 acres of farmland was counted as cropland, ten percent of the total reservation. The land has been heavily damaged by overgrazing and loss of soil through tilling of harvested crops. According to the U.S. Permaculture Guild, the clay-silt soils on the reservation “are so impacted that succession has not moved beyond pioneer stage in many areas, and only short, tough buffalo grass survives in clumps – in contrast to the tall, diverse prairie grasses that grew thick and rich as far as one could see” when it was solely managed by pre-colonization tribal culture. The Guild also notes that “erosion is a huge problem, with dams blowing out regularly from the heavy force of water and canyons being cut deeper and deeper.”
An understanding of Physiographic regions provides a historical perspective on reservation land, and helps to understand how the tribe and the land may support each other through a symbiotic relationship. Physiographic regions consist of recurring landform patterns that reflect regional geology and weathering forces of past and present climates. The soils in each physiographic region reflect geologic history, the parent material which created the soil, duration of soil formation, topography of the land, and long-term averages of vegetation and climate. There are 13 physiographic regions in South Dakota, three of which are
present on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
The Western edge of the reservation is in the Missouri Coteau region (9), an area formed by glacial advances over the eastern margin of a preglacial plateau. Glacial till is the parent material in this area. The Southern Plateaus (11) make up most of the reservation. These highlands are composed of benches and buttes underlain by sandstone and mudstone. Loams and silt loams are the primary soil type in this area. The Southern boundary of the reservation is in the Sand Hills region, where topography is sparsely vegetated dunes of sands. Soils are mostly sands and sandy loams.
Plants and animals
Ecoregions are areas of land which have generally similar ecosystems. They are designated to act as a spatial framework of research, assessment, management, and monitoring of ecosystems and ecosystems components. Within each ecoregion are similar types of geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology. Figure 10.4 is a map of the ecoregions of South Dakota. Various ecoregion levels describe regional characteristics in detail relative the scale of the region. The five major level 4 ecoregions of the Pine Ridge Reservation are the Semi-arid Pierre Shale Plains, White River Badlands, the Pine Ridge Escarpment, the Keya Paha Tablelands, and the Nebraska Sand Hills. More
detailed information about ecoregions is available in reference information, available upon request.
Semi-arid Pierre Shale Plains:
The western border of the reservation lies in this ecoregion which has a mixed-grass prairie with mostly shortgrass species. Overgrazing or tilling the soft shales of this ecoregion risks wind and water erosion.
White River Badlands:
The northern half of Shannon County sits within this ecoregion. The badlands formed through the erosion of the soft Burle and Chadron clays and siltstones. Topography ranges from sheer, highly dissected “Walls” to pastel-hued toeslopes laden with fossils. Barren areas are broken by grasscovered “sod tables” that are grazed or tilled. Vegetation in this area includes sand sagebrush, silver sagebrush, western wheatgrass, grama grass and buffalograss.
The Pine Ridge Escarpment:
This ecoregion, mostly in the center of the reservation, forms the boundary between the Missouri Plateau to the north and the High Plains to the south. Ponderosa pine cover the northern face and the ridge crest outcrops of sandstone. The savannah also holds easter red cedar, western snowberry, skunkbush sumac, chokecherry and rose. The rolling grasslands in this area are used for grazing. Mixedgrass prairie is the dominant form of vegetation in the grassland.
The Keya Paha Tablelands:
This ecoregion that runs through the eastern and southern part of the reservation consists of rolling and level sandy plains surrounding the steeper dune topography of the Nebraska Sand hills. Ponderosa pines grow in drainage areas in the hilly area east of the Pine Ridge Escarpment. Vegetation includes Blue grama, sideoats grama, western wheatgrass, little bluestem, and needleandthread.
The Nebraska Sand Hills Ecoregion:
The northern edge of this ecoregion enters the southern border of the reservation. It is the largest grass-stablized wave-like dune region in the Western Hemisphere. The region is mostly treeless with porous sandy soil which recharge groundwater during rains. This results in interdune areas of wetland, lakes, and streams. They are an important recharge area for the Ogallala aquifer. Sand associated grasses include Sand bluestem, little bluestem, prairie sandreed, and Big bluestem and switchgrass in wetter interdune areas.
The River Breaks Ecoregion:
The northeastern tip of the reservation is within the River Breaks ecoregion. Broken terraces and uplands descend toward the Missouri river, containing wooded draws and uncultivated areas that are critical wildlife habitat. Vegetation in this region may include riparian forests along Missouri river tributaries such as the Cheyenne river.
The Oglala Sioux Parks and Recreation Authority (OSPRA) cares for the tribe’s buffalo herd. The herd
ranges between 600 and 1000 animals that live in four separate pastures with 50,000 acres of land and natural water resources. There has not been a comprehensive study of species and habitat across the reservation due to lack of funds and staff. However, the biology staff has identified a protection need in the Swift Fox and Mountain Lion populations and is working to track and reintroduce greater numbers of these species as well as some species of fish. OSPRA will soon take control of the South Unit of Badlands national park, enhancing our tribe’s ability to honor and care for the original homelands. Preservation of historical assets, such as fossils, is an important factor to consider in future land management efforts.
Waste
Open dumping and open burning of trash has been a problem on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for several decades. In 2002 the Tribe built Buffalo Gap landfill and installed baler to handle the trash. The landfill is located 48 miles north of Pine Ridge near Red Shirt. Residents were required to haul their own trash to one of the ten transfer stations distributed across the reservation. The Tribe then hauled the trash from the transfer stations to the landfill. This system did not work for many reasons including the
following:
- Residents were not bringing trash to the transfer stationsbecause of burden to haul own trash, the transfer sites were not providing safe and reliable solid waste disposal, and road conditions often hindered waste transport by residents. Also, the transfer stations where only monitored between 8:00am and 5:00pm.
- Commercial haulers often drop their waste off at the transfer stations at no or minimal charge.
- The tribe did not have enough revenue to run the system.
Not having enough revenue makes it difficult to keep equipment in repair. Proprietary equipment must be repaired off the reservation, which is expensive. In 2009 the tribe proposed an individualized weekly waste pickup system. Residents will pay a fee to have their trash picked up and taken directly to the landfill at Red Shirt. Businesses will contract with one of the two private haulers, and the haulers will pay a fee to dump at Red Shirt.
In June 2011, the Buffalo Gap landfill caught fire and on October 17, 2011 the EPA issued a letter to the Tribe stating that it is out of compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulations. The tribe is currently taking steps to restore compliance.
(For more information on the Tribe’s solid waste history, current status, and future plans see the Oglala Sioux Tribe Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan, approved by Tribal Council.)
Communication
We want to COMMUNICATE better! Answers to “Where?”, “How do I?” and “Who do I ask?” are built on a well-connected network of people in addition to a well-managed high-speed network of data transmission.
This chapter is about increasing communication potential within the reservation. This includes increasing
communication between government offices and programs, between the government and the people, and
increasing communication among ourselves and with the world. To accomplish this, the recommendations focus on both communication infrastructure and strategies to increase communication.
The availability of wired and wireless internet connections is fairly high in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, but internet connection speeds are far below the national average. 93.7% of the population in the reservation has access to DSL internet and 97.2% of the population has access to wireless internet. There is no access to cable internet. 4.4% of the population has access to fiber optics lines. Only 10% of the population has access to “broadband” internet speeds exceeding 3 mbps, whereas 97% of people nationwide have access to internet speeds above 3mbps.
Access to broadband and wireless internet is important for social and economic reasons. High speed connections to the internet allow people to communicate with each other and access products and services over the internet. Internet access can lead to economic development. Many businesses are able to sell goods and services over the internet. Other businesses, such as data centers, may be drawn to PRIR because of access to high speed fiber optic cables.
The FCC is currently engaged in programs that enhance telecommunications on tribal lands and is exploring additional programs that would increase access to broadband internet and wireless service. The enhanced lifeline and enhanced linkup programs provide up to $35/month for individuals to acquire wired or wireless phone service. Potential policy changes include opening up radio spectrum for tribes to provide wireless internet service directly to their members and policies to incentivize service provision by current telecommunications companies.
The Oglala Lakota Tribe is also leading initiatives to increase access to broadband internet. The Native
American Telecommunications Initiative is one example. It was started as a way to bring greater connectivity and communication to the Tribe and the community as well as to increase the number of choices consumers have when selecting a telecommunications provider. The initial phase of this initiative is to create the requisite technical capacity and infrastructure to provide internet service to the
Reservation. The OST Office of Economic Development has oversight over Native American Telecommunications to ensure the process proceeds in a manner beneficial to the
tribe. Currently, the Office is piloting the internet program. The OST Utilities Program is also currently applying for a two-million dollar grant for a Broadband Wireless Internet System and computer software for low-income families or homes that can afford it.
Transportation
Provide better connections to communities, education, food, and job opportunities. Move beyond thinking of transportation as roads and consider multimodal transportation (buses, cars, horses, bicycles, and more). Build and maintain infrastructure that supports this goal and seek to align with wider reservation systems of growth and preservation. Redefine policy and funding formulas associated with transportation related activities.
What it means to us
We have always been known for our inventiveness in getting from one place to another. From the time of using highly mobile tipis and dog-powered travois to the mastery of horsemanship during the 1800’s, we Lakota have been ready adopters of new transportation technology. True to the days of our people following the sacred buffalo across the Great Plains, we modern day descendants still seem to enjoy the freedom to move about whenever we wish.
Any given day, you will find our relatives walking or bicycling on the side of the roads, jogging across the hills, riding horses, riding ATV’s and dirtbikes, taking the bus, hitching a ride, or cruising around in anything from your standard junked out “rez ride” to a brand new 4-wheel drive truck. Our communities are distant from one another and when we need to do some shopping in Chadron or Rapid City then the mode of travel is a vehicle packed full of relatives who all need to get something in the big city.
We have become a transportation dependent region here on the PRIR. Almost 90% of the food that you see at the commodities warehouse, our stores, our restaurants and our schools is transported here on trucks. As a result we pay a lot more for basic necessities on the reservation than in the surrounding bigger cities. Most people would rather make trips to Walmart in Rapid City for a day than shop locally. In Rapid City, you can also see a movie or throw a birthday party at a facility with plenty of fun and safe places for kids to play. All of these hard earned dollars are being spent off of the reservation and our economy languishes.
Many of our people have left PRIR because of the amenities they find in the largely non-Indian cities that lie just beyond our region’s borders. Historically, the transportation system set up on what remains of our ancestral homelands was never intended to support a sustainable regional economy. When the United States set up the reservation and attempted to fulfill its treaty rights with us, they established the major routes (which are the ones that became paved in more modern times) here to run north-south. These mostly served to bring supplies in to the reservation and to take cultural artifacts or locally made goods off of the reservation. Unfortunately, there is not much understanding or sympathy outside our region’s borders that strengthening our local connections to one another is a good idea that could bring benefits to our socio-economic well-being. Recently, when presented with this idea, a Secretary of the Interior told our Tribal President: “You don’t need new east-west roads. What’s wrong with just continuing to drive to Rapid City?” He didn’t understand our desire to strengthen our Nation.
In the face of many challenges, we have continued to adapt and change as our communities take new directions and look at self-determination and self-sufficiency in a new light. If we are to continue this path towards “wicozani” (a strong life) we need to strengthen the interconnections between our communities. Also, we must continue to create systems of transportation that are safer, more reliable and invite visitors to come learn, share and contribute to our local economy. The following pages will outline what is needed
to accomplish a more sustainable future for transportation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Barriers
- The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is a remote location. Thus the costs of fuels and road maintenance supplies can be much more expensive than in more developed regions.
- Federal funding formulas do not reflect a good understanding of the special needs and interests of large, land-based tribes such as the Oglala Lakota. Thus, small tribes can end up with the same amount of funding for less roads.
- Federal allocation for maintaining roads systems has been the same amount of money since the 1960’s and has not increased for inflation or population growth
- OST Department of Transportation has few resources for its responsibilities. OST-DOT is in charge of roads construction & maintenance, motor fuels, the newly formed bus transit system, occasional snow removal, miscellaneous improvements (culverts, signage, etc.), and maintaining the local airport landing sites. They wish they could spend a lot more time pushing policy reform, staying visible locally as well as at the state & federal levels, but do not have the adequate amount of time and staff that would be needed to do so.
- The Indian Reservation Roads program is not a good fit for the PRIR. It often pits the interests of the counties (within reservation boundaries), often dominated by non-Native interests, against the goals and interests of the Oglala Lakota tribal programs. As a result, monies that should be going specifically to tribal projects, do not in their entirety.
- Lack of east-west roads cut off communities from each other. For example, driving on reliable paved roads from Manderson south through Wounded Knee, then on to the village of Pine Ridge and then back north up to Red Cloud High School takes 45 minutes. If the dirt cut-off road (which turns into impassable mud bogs during rainy seasons) that connects the same two places were properly developed and paved, the trip would only take 20 minutes.
- Lack of inter-jurisdictional agreements or understandings as well as up-to-date technologies and adequate numbers of trained staff to promote ease of information sharing and logistics. This applies to ease of information sharing across the tribal, county, state and federal programs – all of whom have various stakeholder interests across the region. On the technological front, much of the roads information is not integrated with other important data sets (like land use, developments, etc.)
- School buses from various schools (tribal, county, private) seem to duplicate routes. Lack of coordination is a barrier.
- Lack of understanding and education about transportation as more than just roads and driveways. This applies to principles embodied in concepts such as “complete streets” and the livability principles.
- Historical lack of respect and paternalistic treatment by state and federal transportation programs. Movement towards understanding and respecting sovereignty rights of the Oglalas at the state/federal level has begun, but takes constant efforts (and valuable time) by the tribe to continue this awareness-building. It is important to remember that transportation as a program or a system in our region is a fairly new concept that has received little support over the years. It is important for state and federal officials to remember this and continue to be patient and supportive as the local/tribal program grows in strength and capacity to take care of its own transportation systems.
- Lack of reliable employees, especially at the “on the ground” levels of transportation work such as
equipment operators, flagmen, etc. It is very hard to find workers that show up consistently, have a determined work ethic, or can pass a drug test. There is a virtual “revolving door” of workers at this level.
Key Players
The history of region’s transportation systems is marked by a complex web of rules, regulations, and players from the counties, state and federal transportation departments. Our tribal DOT has an existing funding agreement with the Department of the Interior which means direct access to funding from the FHWA, and our tribal roads maintenance funding exists as a 638 contract. However, all streams of federal funding are controlled by a politically based allocation committee and formulas that utilize the same budget as established in the 1960’s and divide monies equally between all reservations, whether they are 50 square miles or 350 square miles.
The State of South Dakota controls their highways, the BIA manage the BIA jurisdiction IRR roads (490 miles), paved IRR roads (256 miles), and bridges (20) that run throughout the reservation, counties manage their own county roads (100 miles of Shannon Co.) and the tribe manages their roads (1265 miles). With all of these different responsible parties, coordination of level of service is challenging and if roads are abandoned by one party, who takes them over?
The approach for the following recommendations is ultimately to support the sovereignty of our Oglala Lakota Nation. Leading the charge for transportation considerations is the OST Department of Transportation working to comply with the guidelines of the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 25, Part 170: Indian Reservation Roads Program and the Federal DOT guidelines.
Under the OST Department of Transportation is the Oglala Sioux Transit System which operates diesel-powered buses across the Reservation. The service started in 2009 with a schedule serving many ages and needs, including people who need to get to work, school, the hospital, dialysis clinics, and college students taking night classes. The town bus runs every hour, helping people make it to work on
Alternatives to Consider
Aside from the services offered by the local transportation and transit systems, there is a strong presence of ridesharing, car-sharing, horse riding, and hitchhiking throughout our Region. Many families and friends share what they have in an effort to save scarce resources. This has resulted in a variety of positive outcomes from a severely depressed economic state, including deeply interconnected families and feelings of kinship, and the continuing legacy of horse culture. Our people believe in helping one another and take pride in our cultural heritage. Opportunities for solutions lie in building upon these commonly held values.
Transportation options impact our ability to live a fulfilling life that allows us to access other communities,
employment opportunity, health care, schools and other things we need for a balanced life. Currently, too many of our relatives struggle to maintain reliable transportation and end up missing work and losing jobs. This constant struggle wears upon our spirit. We must build upon the better parts of what we have and strengthen this system to work for us.
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VISIONING SESSIONS
Pine Ridge, 2nd Grade
Pine Ridge, 5th Grade
Porcupine, 2nd Grade
Porcupine, 8th Grade
IMAGE REFERENCES
Cover photo: Huey, Aaron. 2007. PRNT_Pine_Ridge_Jun2007_36_1_Edit.jpg. Digital photograph.
Part I:
Figure i:1: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2006. Thunder Valley Rainbow. Digital photograph.
Figure i.2:
Figure i.3: Huey, Aaron. 2007. NEG_Pine_Ridge_Jun2007_5795_Edit.Digital photograph.
Figure i.4: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_2632. Digital photograph.
Figure i.5: “Crazy.” 2007. Photograph by flickr user Seth W. Accessed April 30,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/sethw/595801430/.
Figure i.6: Huey, Aaron. 2006. PRNT_Pine_Ridge_July2006_44. Digital photograph.
Figure i.7:
Figure i.8: Huey, Aaron. 2006. NEG_Pine_Ridge_Aug2006_2583.Digital photograph.
Part II:
Figure ii.1: Huey, Aaron. 2006. PRNT_Pine_Ridge_Aug2006_.jpg. Digital photograph.
Figure ii.2: Wordle.net
Figure ii.3: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_8714. Digital photograph.
Figure ii.4: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_8799. Digital photograph.
Ch. 1: Regional Planning Office
Figure 1.1: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_264. Digital photograph.
Figure 1.2: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_8767. Digital photograph.
Ch. 2: Governance
Figure 2.1: Hoxie, Christina. 2011. Treaty Art.jpg. Digital photograph taken at Oglala Lakota College
Figure 2.2: Yellowhawk, Jim. 2009. Photographing Sioux Delegates in 1867. Mixed media.
Figure 2.3: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2012. IMG_6393. Digital photograph.
Figure 2.4: “Supreme Court of the Navajo Nation Visits Stanford Law School.” 2010. Photograph by L.A. Cicero. Courtesy of Stanford University. Accessed April 16, 2012. Reproduced from “Stanford University News,” http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/may/navajosupreme-court-051010.html.
Figure 2.5: From the Salt River – Red Mountain set. 2009. Photograph by flickr user G_man_IX9. Accessed May 18,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/32403018@N06/3301586903/sizes/z/in/photostream/.
Figure 2.6:
Figure 2.7:
Ch. 3: Language
Figure 3.1: “Wówaȟwala.” 2009. Courtesy of Oyate Omniciyé Oglala Lakota Plan. Accessed March 2, 2012. Reproduced from
Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=140442542697019&set=a.138992819508658.35003.114146288659978&type=3&theater.
Figure 3.2: Untitled. 2011. Courtesy of Tuswéċa Tióṡpaye. Accessed
February 29, 2012. Reproduced from “Tuswéċa Tióṡpaye: 2011 Oceti Sakowin Wacipi,” http://tuswecatiospaye.org/node/176.
Figure 3.3: Untitled. 2011. Courtesy of Tuswéċa Tióṡpaye. Accessed
February 29, 2012. Reproduced from “Tuswéċa Tióṡpaye: 2011 Oceti Sakowin Wacipi,” http://tuswecatiospaye.org/node/176.
Figure 3.4: Lakota Language Consortium. 2011.Courtesy of Indian Country Today Media Network. Accessed February 29, 2012.
Reproduced from “Indian Country Today,” http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/08/28/lakota-summer-institute-arms-attendees-to-fight-the-loss-of-native-american-language-49297.
Figure 3.5: “Have we mentioned how proud we are of the class of 2011? Share your congrats on our Facebook wall!” 2011. Courtesy of Red Cloud Indian School. Accessed February 29, 2012. Reproduced from Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150261343341675&set=a.155896641674.152827.9495986674&type=3&thea
ter.
Figure 3.6: Untitled. 2009. Photograph by Dick Winchell. Courtesy of Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transporation. Accessed March 5, 2012. Reproduced from “Federal Highway Administration,” http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/09novdec/03.cfm.
Figure 3.7: Untitled. 2011. Courtesy of Tuswéċa Tióṡpaye. Accessed February 29, 2012. Reproduced from “Tuswéċa Tióṡpaye: 2011 Oceti Sakowin Wacipi,” http://tuswecatiospaye.org/node/176.
Figure 3.8: Untitled. 2010. Courtesy of Lakota Language Consortium. Accessed February 29, 2012. Reproduced from “Lakota Language Consortium,” http://www.lakhota.org/html/contact.html.
Figure 3.9: “Go look like you’re teaching.” 2010. Photograph by flickr user Quinn.anya. Accessed April 17,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/4699223995/.
Ch. 4: Youth
Figure 4.1: Huey, Aaron. 2006. PRNT_Pine_Ridge_Feb2006_1. Digital photograph.
Figure 4.2: Christina – are you facebook friends with Lakota Oyate on facebook? I can’t access their pictures unless I am a facebook friend. But that is where this picture is from!
Figure 4.3: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2012. IMG_6044. Digital photograph.
Figure 4.4: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2009. DSC00393. Digital photograph.
Figure 4.5: “Lord Tennyson Spring Fling 2010.” 2010. Photograph by flickr user RON SOMBILON MEDIA, ART, and PHOTOGRAPHY. Accessed April 4,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronsombilongallery/4533443810/.
Figure 4.6: “Packed house!” 2011. Courtesy of Oyate Omniciyé | Oglala Lakota Plan. Accessed February 29, 2012. Reproduced from Facebook,http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=259258950815377&set=a.259257817482157.59657.114146288659978&type=3&theater.
Figure 4.7: “Blanket_Toss-7.” 2012. Photograph by flickr user Michael_swan. Accessed April 4,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmmswan/6798086956/.
Ch. 5: Model Community
Figure 5.1: Assasi digital photograph. Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center.
Figure 5.2: “IMG_9609.” 2007. Photograph by flickr user Carnotzet. Accessed March 1,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajcb/559497877/.
Figure 5.3:
Figure 5.4:
Figure 5.5:
Figure 5.6: BNIM. Ross, Aaron. 2012. Plan and Aerial-Model Community. Ink and colored pencil.
Figure 5.7: BNIM. Ross, Aaron. 2012. Plan and Aerial-Model Community. Ink and colored pencil.
Figure 5.8: BNIM. Ross, Aaron. 2012. Plan and Aerial-Model Community. Ink and colored pencil.
Figure 5.9: BNIM. Ross, Aaron. 2012. Plan and Aerial-Model Community. Ink and colored pencil.
Figure 5.10:
Figure 5.11: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2009. tessndusty. Digital photograph.
Figure 5.12: Huey, Aaron. 2011. MM8064_110616_0157. Digital photograph.
Figure 5.13: BNIM. Ross, Aaron. 2012. Plan and Aerial-Model Community. Ink and colored pencil.
Figure 5.14:
Figure 5.15:
Figure 5.16:
Figure 5.17: Dockside Green. 2012. Courtesy of Dockside Green. Accessed April 4, 2012. Reproduced from “Dockside Green
| Sustainability | Ecology,” http://www.docksidegreen.com/ Sustainability/Ecology.aspx.
Ch. 6: Health and Wellness
Figure 6.1: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2009. DSC00305. Digital photograph.
Figure 6.2: “Healthy Schools Awareness Day.” 2008. Photograph by flickr user fotologic. Accessed March 1,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotologic/2685895491/.
Figure 6.3: Huey, Aaron. 2006. NEG_Pine_Ridge_Aug2006_3482_Edit. Digital photograph.
Figure 6.4: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2009. DSC00478. Digital photograph.
Figure 6.5: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2009. DSC01537. Digital photograph.
Figure 6.6: “PRGC – planting.” 2011. Photograph by flickr user timlewisnm. Accessed April 16,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/gozalewis/5804358604/.
Figure 6.7: “This has seeds that taste like walnuts.” 2010. Photograph by flickr user Justin and Elise. Accessed April
16,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/justinandelise/5065410203/.
Ch. 7: Education
Figure 7.1: “Red Cloud Elementary School teacher Fred Stands helps third-graders learn Lakota.” 2009. Courtesy of South Dakota Magazine. Accessed March 2, 2012. Reproduced from “SouthDakotaMagazine.com,” http://southdakotamagazine.com/lakota-saving-their-language.
Figure 7.2: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2011. IMG_2058. Digital photograph.
Figure 7.3: “Chef Nio Working with the Kids.” 2010. Photograph by flickr user kaiscapes. Accessed March 1,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaiscapesllc/4516364139/.
Figure 7.4: OLCERI.org. 36263_1545534270766_1007298541_31244085_3379279_n.jpg. Accessed March 3, 2012. Digital photograph.
Figure 7.5: “Ted Van Alst, assistant dean at Yale University hosting an info session tonight for Red Cloud High School students!” 2011. Courtesy of Red Cloud Indian School. Accessed March 1, 2012. Reproduced from Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150445828911675&set=a.155896641674.152827.9495986674&type=3&theater.
Figure 7.6: 163267 1545530750678 1007298541 31244056 5402934 n. n.d. Courtesy of Oglala Lakota Cultural & Economic Revitalization Initiative. Accessed March 2, 2012. Reproduced from “ Oglala Lakota Cultural & Economic Revitalization Initiative,” http://www.olceri.org/gallery/index.php/163267_1545530750678_1007298541_31244056_5
402934_n.
Figure 7.7: “About 30 supporters of green jobs marched to the tribal coalition meeting Tuesday wearing green t-shirts to show their support for the creation of the Green Economy Commission.” 2009. Photograph by Kelvin Long. Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times. Accessed March 2, 2012. Reproduced from “Los Angeles Times | Environment,” http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2009/07/navajo-indians-green-jobs-.html.
Ch. 8: Economy
Figure 8.1: “Grazing Buffalo.” 2009. Photograph by flickr user Edgar Zuniga Jr. Accessed April 30,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/edgarzuniga/3790093489/.
Figure 8.2: “Employment in Economic Sector, Shannon County, 2008” Data from 2008 Economic Census
Figure 8.3: Real Per Capita Income 1969-2008.” Data from US Census.
Figure 8.4: Housing Testimony before Congress.
Figure 8.5: Thunder Valley Community Development Coordination. 2009. NDN_079. Digital photograph.
Figure 8.6:
Figure 8.7: “DSC_0079.” 2009. Photograph by flickr user weary as water. Accessed February 29,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/wearyaswater/4105848331/.
Ch. 9: Land Use
Figure 9.1:
Figure 9.2:
Figure 9.3:
Figure 9.4:
Figure 9.5: “Map of South Dakota highlighting Jackson County.” 2012. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_South_ Dakota_highlighting_Jackson_County.svg
Figure 9.6: “Map of South Dakota highlighting Bennett County.” 2012. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_South_Dakota_highlighting_Bennett_County.svg
Figure 9.7: “Map of South Dakota highlighting Shannon County.” 2012. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_South_Dakota_highlighting_Shannon_County.svg
Figure 9.8:
Figure 9.9: “Volunteer on a build site for Habitat for Humanity.” 2011. Photograph by Habitat for Humanity. Courtesy of GiftTRAP Enterprises. Accessed March 2, 2012. Reproduced from “GiftTRAP Enterprises,” http://www.gifttrap.com/gallery-main/image_full/1076/.
Figure 9.10:
Ch. 10: Environment
Figure 10.1: Thunder Valley Community Development Coordination. 2006. Thunder Valley Rainbow. Digital photograph.
Figure 10.2: “lakota 954 copy.” 2007. Photograph by flickr user neali0o. Accessed March 2,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/neali0o/519468002/.
Figure 10.3: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_2632. Digital photograph.
Figure 10.4: Name of drawing. Source data: Source data. “Layer name,” “layer name,” “layer name.” URL referenced. Accessed [date].
Figure 10.5: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_0946. Digital photograph.
Figure 10.6: Hubbard, Elise. 2012. Name of drawing. Source data: Source data. “Layer name,” “layer name,” “layer name.” URL referenced. Accessed [date].
Figure 10.7: “84 Pipestone County Wind Turbines.” 2010. Photograph by flickr user cariliv. Accessed March 5,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/cliving/4775410067/.
Figure 10.8: “Social Carbon Biomass in the Amazon Forest.” 2011. Photograph by flickr user Land Rover Our Planet. Accessed March 5,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/
our-planet/5371958093/.
Figure 10.9: “Pondering the Panels.” 2011. Photograph by flickr user Lester Public Library. Accessed March 5,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesterpubliclibrary/6493183109/.
Figure 10.10: BNIM. 2011. iStock_000000742106_Hand_Water. Digital photograph.
Figure 10.11:
Figure 10.12: “Responsible water management policies.” 2010. Photograph by flickr user quinn.anya. Accessed April 13,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/4699294788/.
Figure 10.13: “Climate Action Plan.” 2011. Diagram by flickr user Portland Afoot. Accessed March 5,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/portlandafoot/6306996628/.
Figure 10.14: BNIM. 2011. iStock_000005449073Large_Solar_Panel. Photo Courtesy of Alex Timaios Photography. Digital photograph.
Figure 10.15: BNIM. 2011. iStock_000005882130Medium_Energy_Meter. Digital photograph.
Figure 10.16: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_1836. Digital photograph.
Figure 10.17: “Balloons against the grey, great sky!” 2009. Photograph by flickr user Renato Ganoza. Accessed April
13,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/rzganoza/3977058622/.
Figure 10.18: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_8593. Digital photograph.
Figure 10.19: BNIM. 2011. wetlands1.jpg. Digital photograph.
Figure 10:20: Moore, Scott. 2012. IMG_OADC NE Corner. Digital photograph.
Figure 10:21: “Selling seed starts to gardeners in the community.” 2011. Photograph by flickr user USFS Region 5. Accessed April 13,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfsregion5/5809142928/.
Figure 10.22: “Treaty Rights.” 2011. Photograph by flickr user Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Accessed April 13,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/widnr/6589186103/.
Figure 10.23: “a bin for everything.” 2008. Photograph by flickr user andy_carter. Accessed April 13,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/salsaboy/2774900103/.
Figure 10.24: “Family Portrait Ciudad Saludable.” 2012. Photograph by flickr user Alex E. Proimos. Accessed April 13,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/proimos/6881044634/.
Ch. 11: Communication Figure 11.1: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2009. DSC01641. Digital photograph.
Figure 11.2: “Old meets New.” 2007. Photograph by flickr user 37 °C. Accessed March 5,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/37degrees/567542902/.
Figure 11.3: BNIM. 2011. iStock_000002948960Medium_Computer_Class. Digital photograph.
Figure 11.4: “connection.” 2010. Photograph by flickr user Manchester-Monkey. Accessed March 5,2012. Reproduced from
flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/manchester-monkey/4879930891/.
Figure 11.5: “Wifi!” 2009. Photograph by flickr user °Florian.
Accessed April 16,2012. Reproduced from flickr, http://www.flickr.
com/photos/manchester-monkey/4879930891/.
Figure 11.6: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2012. IMG_5226. Digital photograph.
Figure 11.7: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. 2012. IMG_4243. Digital photograph.
Ch. 12: Transportation
Figure 12.1: Yellowhawk, Jim. 2009. 1932 Indian. Mixed media.
Figure 12.2:
Figure 12.3:
Figure 12.4:
Figure 12.5: Organizational chart of the regional transportation system
Figure 12.6: Hardy, Stephen. 2011. IMG_8799. Digital photograph.
Figure 12.7:
Figure 12.8:
Figure 12.9:
Figure 12.10:
Figure 12.11:
Figure 12.12: