Many at Pine Ridge tired of booze talk
BY KRISTI EATON
PINE RIDGE — The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota has for years attracted journalists and activists eager to tell the stories and share the plight of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.
The allure for journalists, community activists and gawkers is simple: The Connecticut-sized reservation is home to some of the poorest counties in America, one in four children born on the reservation suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and the average life expectancy for tribal members is estimated between 45 and 52 years — the shortest in North America except for Haiti.
The statistics on Pine Ridge make for powerful, heart-wrenching stories, but some Oglala Sioux tribal members both on and off the reservation think it’s exploitative, with too little emphasis on the people who are working every day to try to make a difference.
“For more than 30 years I have greeted reporters from around the world who came to Pine Ridge to do the ultimate story on ‘Indians,’ and I cringe when I see some of the articles after they have been published,” said Tim Giago, a tribal member and longtime journalist who has founded several Native American newspapers.
Jodi Rave Spotted Bear
(Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation)Founder & Editor in Chief
Spoken Languages: English
Topic Expertise: Federal trust relationship with American Indians; Indigenous issues ranging from spirituality and environment to education and land rights
Sharing Is Caring
This article is not included in our Story Share & Care selection.
The content may only be reproduced with permission from the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance. Please see our content sharing guidelines.
© Buffalo's Fire. All rights reserved.
Respect The Fire
At Buffalo's Fire, we value constructive dialogue that builds an informed Indian Country. To keep this space healthy, moderators will remove:
- Personal attacks, harassment, or hate speech
- Spam, misinformation, or unsolicited promotion
- Off-topic rants and excessive shouting (All Caps)
Let’s keep the fire burning with respect.