Oyate

Day two on the job began with a trip to the dedication and opening of the Johnson Holy Rock housing building.  I don't have a lot of details on this, but I gathered that it'll host the housing offices of the reservation.  I had to laugh though, because while this was only the beginning of my second full day on internship, I was curious why there were so many white people there.  Representatives from the different federal and state housing offices, as well as political representatives and such, were at the dedication.  I was struck by how some of the visitors spoke about the project, since there was a line of representatives on stage.  They asked their respective partners in the audience to stand up and praise them for the work done on the project.  I was uncomfortable by all of this praise for the outsiders without an acknowledgement for the people of Pine Ridge who visioned for this project.  One person did say, "We are here to work with you on your vision."  I wasn't the only one who felt this way about speeches, since the president of the tribe, John Yellowbird-Steele stood up, after he had already spoken, and reminded the audience that the US Government is not helping the nation out, but that they owe the nation after stealing the Black Hills and forcing the tribe to move to a reservation.  Here it is folks, the truth of what it means to work with the native population.  They WERE here first and we legally manipulated them into these positions of poverty.  We are now responsible for fixing those mistakes, in whatever way we can now.

End rant.

I was also fascinated by this housing office dedication, because they invited the Porcupine Singers, Porcupine being a town nearby, to play the drum and sing the memorial song.  There were three gentlemen, appearing to be a grandfather, father and son, or similar ages.  The youngest of the three sat with his smart phone and a cup of coffee, prior to the beginning of the ceremony.  He then began drumming on the traditional drum and singing an incredible song.  It was such a cross between cultures, witnessing the traditional drumming and singing, but seeing the things that would mark an average 20-something in the United States.

This event was also fascinating to hear the way that different speakers used the word "nation."  Native speakers referred to the nation, meaning Oglala Sioux. Non-Native speakers spoke of the "nation" meaning the USA.

The last man to speak said, "I was taught in the sweat lodge that there is one God, but it's all in how we pray to him."

I learned that there are signs all over town, including two right in front of the PRRC, that say, "X Marks the Spot!" and they mark every alcohol-related death; there are tons of them.

We went to the local coffee shop for lunch, which has a daily lunch special.  Fridays are "smothered burritos."  I asked politely if he could do it without meat or if he had any vegetarian options.  He yelled, "You can't come to Lakota country and not eat meat!  Go to Subway!"  He was saying it in a bit of jest, since he told me that I would need to call ahead if I wanted a vegetarian option.  I guess his response shows me how my weird vegetarian ways might be received!

During Sanctuary tonight, which is just playtime, I noticed that some of the youth were wearing TOMS shoes.  If you don't have experience with TOMS, this is a company that advertises that for every purchase of a pair of TOMS, another pair goes to a child in need.  I've been getting into what I call "ethical purchases" lately in my life.  I buy fair-trade coffee and organic/fair-trade items whenever financially possible.  I bought a pair of TOMS on sale last year, because they advertised that in addition to the extra pair of shoes, my shoe purchase would donate money towards the water wells in Ethiopia.  The average pair of TOMS shoes runs from $45-$55 for simple canvas flats.  When I noticed some of the kids wearing the shoes, I asked the diaconal minister about it and she said that the company had come to one of the Pow-Wows this summer to drop off a truckload of shoes for the community.  I own a pair of $50 shoes that matches shoes given to the children "in need."  I can talk about ethical purchasing all I want, but there was an eerily close feeling in this exchange.

"Oyate" means "people in Lakota.  Today was a day of watching the oyate react to the power and oppression from the Euro-American culture, but also charity.  Seeing representatives from DC show up and thank the people that they work in an office with, every day, then to see shoes on the feet of children, my children, "in need" sent a chill through my body.  I am thankful for the oyate to share their stories, but more thankful for the moments where they are bold and challenge the pre-conceived notions that I, and other white people, come with in this place.