Maya Charlesworth

My Pine Ridge Experience

For my senior trip to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota,  through the non religious Corporation Re-member. For a week we volunteered Re-member and made bunk beds, outhouses and ramps for the native people on the reservation. We went to Re-member for our senior project but also so much more. I learned so much about the American history I had never been told also, about the rich culture spirituality Lakota people. We also went there to help them. The Pine Ridge Reservation is the second poorest community in the country.
While we were at Re-member, we went to the Wounded Knee massacre and were informed on real story and what really happened to the Lakota people which I find really interesting because from the things I've learned, and from what I've heard, nothing like what really happened. We also to the badlands. Also, we made the parts bunk beds for the people. Cutting, sanding, and staining them together in the people's homes.
I think the Lakota people are in the situation that they are in because of us, the white people. And also the "town" White clay that is located on the border of Nebraska and Pine Ridge. In white clay there are only liquor stores, then you cross the border to Pine Ridge, South Dakota where alcohol is illegal but it is found everywhere. When the unemployment rate is at 98% there is not much to do. Also, there is little too few stores on the reservation and no grocery stores for miles with fresh produce, meaning diabetes is of control. The health system joke, I think personally. There is a Medical Center on the res, but the necessary resources and up to date medical supplies, are not handy. Many people are born on the rez and die and the res. The closest Hospital is about 2 hours away.
I feel like I have learned a lot from the Pine Ridge trip. On the trip I was super sick the whole time and the nearest hospital was 2 hours away and the few stores that are located on the reservation have little to no medicine. I can only imagine how did people feel about this situation. And going firsthand into some of the people houses was extremely disturbing. Everyone is so poverty stricken, like the circumstances that the Lakota people live in day to day is so devastating. I was really humbled through sing what the people have gone through and are still going through is just amazing and to have that kind of strength just leaves me speechless. They've lived through genocide and they're still so strong. It just amazes me.