I wanted to get out and sell beadwork today, but Friday is a better day for all involved. So when I do I will take you to where I go, who I sell to and crap like that.
Today is parent teacher thingys and I am just going to continue to bead like the wind. I will however re-post a hometown challenge I entered last year.
I called mine
"Where The Streets Have No Name"
Because our streets really don't have names.
A little bit of history, Pine Ridge is the main town on the reservation, kind of like the capitol. Long time ago it is where the people gathered and camped when they were handed out rations, since they were not supposed to hunt. Back then, it was called "Wakpamni" which means handouts. Now there are 9 districts on the over two million acres. Most of this land in not suitable for farming and there is also an old bombing range from World War II in which unexploded bombs are still being removed and have contaminated the soil and ground water.
I promise better pictures when I get out and about on Friday. I am too anti-social right now.
Where the streets have no names-360 repost
Well I correctly titled this, because in my hometown....not one street has a name. County Road 18 or Hwy 18 whatever, runs through it. Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
Despite the fact that some people still ask....no, we don't live in Tipi's anymore. I never really been in one except at museums or my dad's for a ceremony. When most of us camp, we use tents. Although I guess this is my hometown....way back, when first forced on reservations. Isn't that cool, it was sooo clean!
There is "cluster housing" which have names like Northridge housing (my ol' stompin grounds,) Eastridge Housing, Old Crazy Horse Housing, and New Crazy Horse Housing. Then there is the hospital housing and old hospital housing. This is the housing set aside for doctor's, nurse's, and other hospital employee's. Which is run by the government. Truly the best housing in town. We also have Baker's Hill and CC yards, which are mostly inhabited by BIA employees. The school, (which is a government school) has housing for it's employee's. So because there are no places to rent, I am on the waiting list for "cluster housing." (Just read that, am here now in good ol Northridge, my ol and current stomping grounds.)Which I don't care where it is at this point but I have my finger's crossed for any of the Crazy Horse housing projects. The other 2 neighborhoods have gotten bad over the years. I have no pics of the housing, but I guess you can see them if you watch the movie "Skins" which is based on a novel by Adrian Louis, who live 4 houses from my mama. (When she lived in Po Dunk)
Now let me show you around. Forgive my photo's they are from the Web. Here is our post office which also houses a couple of tribal offices, the cable company and the unemployment office. In the back is the town hall I spoke of in a previous blog called Billy Mills Hall. He was a gold medal winner from my hometown in the 60's. This is where we had the celebration of our state champ game. Mostly all that happens here are funerals or wakes. Next to this is Taco John's and behind that is the only grocery store, which is owned by some company from California. You can actually buy 2 12 packs of soda there for $11.00. They jack all the prices up.
Right directly across from there is the Catholic Church, Sacred Heart. Been there for funerals and wakes and to church once. When I was a kid they used to let you rollerskate there for a quarter. FUN!
Here is the high school I went to, they tore it down...after finding asbestos in it. NICE! and built the one below. Lucky Bastages!
This is our new hospital, which I don't know when it was built. I came home one year and it was there. There is some wonderful artwork there. But honestly even for an appointment expect to wait for 4 hours or more. Everyone and their mama is there at any time of the month. Which is why I try to only go for emergencies...like childbirth. Although none of my kid's were born here. So that won't be happening anytime soon!
You can find scenes like this.....and this. At any given time on the rez. When cars die, they just stay where they are....and the beauty is everywhere if you look. Won't be too hard, it is the second largest rez in America. You may be approached in your car and asked for spare change, or to buy bead or quillwork. You can see the vendors set up tents and sell their goods from other towns. Like gypsy's (Jeff that part of the book reminded me of my hometown.) Either way you will leave learning about a part of America that you thought didn't exist anymore. And you will leave knowing we are still a proud people. Other movies including my stompin grounds include "Incident at Oglala", "Lakota Woman", and "Thunderheart."
Bye now...you are now leaving where the streets have no names....I love that song btw.
No comments:
Post a Comment