Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Case Study

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation:
Where Despair Meets Hope

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (P.R.I.R.), established in 1889

and set in the southeastern corner of South Dakota, is the home of the

Oglala Sioux Nation. The Sioux are a Native American tribe and First

Nations band government in North America. The Nation is on 2,000,000

acres, and the population is about 40,000 people. As a large area, the

needs of the residents are immense, commensurate with grinding poverty.

The Native Americans face challenging economic, health, and social

conditions. Despite the challenges that the Pine Ridge faces, its history,

heritage, and culture continues to persevere.

The history of the Pine Ridge is an example of survival. Since the

arrival of

It involved the Sioux

and Northern Cheyenne against the U.S. As gold was discovered in the

area, settlers began to encroach onto Native American lands. The

Agreement of 1877 annexed Sioux land and permanently established

Indian reservations. No regard was given to the effects the agreement

would have on the cultures of the Native American people.

The Oglala Lakota is an example of a native community still dealing

with this legacy. One of the six bands of the Lakota branch of the Sioux

Nation live on the reservation. They are affected by homelessness,

joblessness, and poverty. Photojournalist Aaron Huey stated, "People there

were telling me the most epic stories I'd ever heard, and people were

talking about a history of genocide. I knew that word would never be used

in the mainstream press. I knew right away I wasn't' OK with that, that I

wanted a bigger piece of the truth than just more statistics and more

pictures of poverty." Huey's experience with the Lakota was more than

taking pictures and telling about their lives because he became an

advocate for them. Although the Lakota have survived, their plight is life