Life on the Rez: a young person's perspective

[ithinkpigsarecool]

god this is sooo sad, this kid seems very, very smart, too! i really pray that he can get out of there and start his own life some place else

[bcelmore59]

What ever become of Richard Wolf guts?....He was expressing his own personal perspective on life on the rez...my heart goes out to him <3 I hope he is doing ok.

[androtaz01]

A shame...that is all i can say..

[saintmj57]

; (

[JourneyRocks81]

you know, the way i see it, its up to the individual native american to form his or her own future....the old way of thinking will not provide a future for you. I should know im a full blood sioux...and i live on my rez, but , i took the first step to grad from high school and then from college with a B.A. degree. So, i don't view the plight of the native american today as hopeless or helpless...One can better themselves if they truly want to..but its always excuses , excuses,, hoka

[akichita87]

@JourneyRocks81

You've got a point about looking out for your own future, Kola, however, doesn't this go against Lakota values? I am not saying that its bad to go and get a education, but the question at hand is, how are you going to use this to better your people? We need more native entreprenuers that know the needs of our communities. I know this life is hard, but can we really leave our people behind to suffer? This is a question I've been fighting with for years.

[kgaudry01050809]

OF COURSE THEY INTERVIEW THE DUMBY, LOL, DONT GET ME WRONG THERES LOTS OF DISSFUNCTION FROM ATTEMPTED ASSIMILATION BUT I BELIEVE FATE IS WHAT YOU MAKE AND WE HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESSFULL PEOPLE WHO SUFFERED JUST THE SAME,WE MUST PRAY FOR THE ONES STILL LOST & WHO HAVE NOT FOUND FORGIVNESS YET !

[billionjoints420]

Fucking Bastard Makes Us Sound Rough

i represent a rez in hip hop

and i say life is what you make it yo!

[skinnychef]

@billionjoints420 good for you man (woman?)! stay positive and do what you can to help those in need in your community!

[billionjoints420]

@skinnychef thanks buddy those words help me out way more then this f'n guy!

[MrIndigenous]

@billionjoints420 Sound ruff,....Well it is.You may have the gift of lyricle flows,..and using ur gift to benifit,..urself. But what are you doin for the people. what are you flowin bout> Look to HGS SAVAGE FAMILY

[elBighead208]

@billionjoints420 i dont think he meant it like that g hes jus sayin theres alot of negativity and this goverment aint doin anything to help and its true y isnt this goverment helpin the indian reservations y is there more poverty on the rez than anywhere else in this country im not not lakota im mexican aztec descent u should ask ur self one question y does this country make it hard for a brown man than any other color

[billionjoints420]

@elBighead208 yeah actually hes right i was just mad to see the truth like dat i actually know what he meaans when he says suiccide cuzz when was 14 i seen my homie shoot himself outsid my house with a shotty, and whensomeone gets hurt like that it hurts the whole communty, and it sucks my mom is a alcoholic bum living on the streets

fricken drug abuse , man i abuse drugs every day ! not the hard stuff

rez life pulls people under and makes it hard to get back up, life is about coices!TIR

[splendidoyster3]

The forgotten minority

[lainatom]

youre in our prayers pine ridge.....fr statimc nation.

[coyote1890]

Ignore the idiots who do not understand what life is like on the rez, they do not understand that there is a third world country in the middle of the richest nation on the planet. Living in a ghetto is easier than on any rez, I know I have taught on both. I commend you for posting this video to let people know what is occurring to the original inhabitants of this country.

[butkicker75]

45? that is Africa's poorest countries life expectancy. this breaks my heart.

[camaro02girl]

Im sorry for what these people go through. They do not deserve to live like that. Im pretty much ashame what America is. Me I have problem myself. No one should struggle in life.

[p00ner2010]

The cause of ALL the suffering for the first people's worldwide is due to the laws whites forced upon them. Examples are the Indian Act in Canada, apartheid in South Africa, etc (do your own research). These "laws" forbid them for practicing their traditions as well as allowed whites to forcefully take away children in order to "save" them.

To mess a people up you start with the children, this is something whites knew all along and were all too happy to practice. But, we're slowly recovering.

[badazzcronik]

shut the hell up, life is fucked up all over and besides u fucking indians cant even run the little land u were given, let alone run an entire country!

[lyndonb5]

@badazzcronik u shut the fuck up you dont know how it is to live on the REZ,REZ life is the hardest out of the whole U.S..You think its not as fucked up as the city ghetto but its much more then that.People dont even have water and food at times.I LIVED ON THE REZ EVER SINCE I WAS A BABY AND I'M PROUD 2 SAY THAT BECAUSE I MADE IT OUT OF THAT SHIT HOLE.

[fullredblood]

@badazzcronik smoked yourself stupid!! The land was not given to us. We were put here then the land was stolen out from under us. You can do one of two things. Go back to school or go back to sleep.

[devmapaul]

i think its time to cut off the first nations pay offs and things they get from the government, because it is not helping the first nations. Its only making the situation worst , no one takes full advantage of the help but rather to just sit around do drugs, life of government cheqs not work

[Tippy2forU]

@devmapaul: Are you kidding me? 

[nomadicCree]

NOT ALL FIRST NATIONS RESERVES R NOT THIS POOR...but wow u guys only portray the negative n never the positive...but u urselves shud have the ability to better urselves...

[tortugo389]

@nomadicCree first of all this is not canada. and your right, some are not as poor as others. but a lot of them are. but the reason nobody talks about the positive is because if you said life on the rez was all positive, it would be a lie. i was raised on the rez and you see all kinds of poverty. no ones trying to portray anything, this is the kids talking about what they see.

[nomadicCree]

@tortugo389 understood, its sad that so many young ppl take their own lives thinkin that theres no other way to deal with life...ppl say its the leaders fault but then its not bcuz its the government that has to open its eyes to see wats happenin instead of tryna hide it...the us president wud rather help over seas n immigrants then its own 1st Nations ppl...

[Crazyman1212]

you have no one to blame but yourselfs, the cheifs and council should be ashmed of themselfs, the drugs, violence and teen suicide is the fault of the cheifs and council.

[bocaboy12]

i dont get it? native americans r 1 of the most proud & greatest peoples in the history of mankind, 4 sure here in the western hemisphere. every 1 that belongs to the extensive tribe of american indians should be so damn proud of what they were & who they are. its not too late. u get things going on the rez, i bet within 1 generation things will b back 2 good. family support, health care, and education r the 3 key factors. it takes a village 2 raise a child. stay strong when things fall apart!!

[murderous315]

there will neva b peace period

[AmandaSimm]

There are many of us who have pursued our education and are going back to empower our youth and strive for a better future. There are many of us who don't drink, smoke or do drugs. It's time to end the anger and hurt, it's time to heal. We are strong people, sometimes all I hear are the ugly things and nobody ever talks about the beautiful things. There are beautiful things to talk about too.

[wunnamurra]

@AmandaSimm True spiritual power comes through the women who then empower their men. The emancipation of women in all cultures is imperative for the survival of all nations. It's the women who will save the men from their desperation

[micmoable]

Pretty much down and outer outlook---sad stuff---and naturally drugs are in the area--meth is nothing but the plan of satan to bring more folks to hell

[bigkittysmile]

i never been on the pine ridge rez but i been to wall and the badlands many times -

in america any people "the people" should not be treated like this. PR and Rosebud

are both bad. wish we the people could make it better. peace.

[WanbdiTanka]

WE ARE STILL ALIVE

[xECHOx123]

@WanbdiTanka yea boi

[littleismail]

Ghetto is a Germany word, used to describle the housing of the Jews in Poland.Now, we use to the describle the minorities of this Country. I hope for the best, when it comes to my Native brothers and sisters. Use that little land you have left wisely, leave the Alcohol alone, adjust your diet, protect your women and children, perserve what little culture you have left, and hopefully, things will improve with time,determination, and patients. Salaam

[DaRedBomber]

Whoever is bringing or producing the meth on the rez shouldn't be sent to jail. They should be shot and left in the fuckin ditch. Send a message.

[n8tivguitar]

i know how to fix the youth do what the crazy whiteman does create a militia do it on every rez. as a sovereign nation we have that right.

[LaetinKay]

omg you guys r like arguing Lol...funny

[ckhafagiuk]

for the first time in my life i have no comment !!!! SHAME SHAME SHAME on that little president of yours that allows such shame to exist. God, $3000 per year is not even in Africa anymore !!! I just hope that one day you, my brave brothers and sisters will overcome all this mess.

[chocolytesprynkles]

@ckhafagiuk i know right. no one of them wants to step up take responsibility for what they did and try to fix it.

[watershipdown2008]

The best way to rise above despair is to embrace education. We need the old spirit of the First Nations in this world.

[watershipdown2008]

I definitely agree that white settlers and the government were wrong and cruel and the crimes are so horrendous that for many years people just couldn't face the ownership of those crimes. Those acts of violence and betrayal are shocking and shameful.

[KUTFO588]

the white eye screwed us then they r screwing us now...USA can never repay us for what they have done..the US is built by forefathers of rapists murderers and liars...history books tell a different tale but WE all know the truth..now our warriors go to war to fight for what? To keep the rich rich..anything the US does anything for now is for the money...our freedom my ASS!!!

[charmed6057]

I agree with you in this, but blame the British. They were the settlers, and caused influence to New Settlers during those times.

[chocolytesprynkles]

@KUTFO588 america is driven by greed

[N8V2NV]

Rez life baby...can't change it just live it!

[Dealz1988]

This guy seems like he wants to improve. Just by him being willing to speak says a world about him. Be strong by brother. Look toward your anscestor for strength and Gudience thats the reason why your people are still here today.

Just remeber when things seem like they can't get any lower or worse than they are now remeber that its a good Oppunity because you have NOTHING to lose but everything to Gain.

[OneSpot71]

duuude your grammar sucks...but i get it...

[hopichick13]

my tribal government is fucked up. and the cops r assholes. lol ghetto. duh drinkin is allowed on the rez as long as u dont get caught . dang i want to make a video of my rez and catch all the bootleggers on camera lol jk

[ann2shoes]

I don't think drink is allowed on the Reservation, but they can go just over the border to Nebraska and buy it. The Red Cloud School appears to be giving their students a good start though.

[mrsonyman]

every time i see this vid, it makes me want to down a bottle of mouth wash and pass out under a bridge in downtown rapid city

[akichita87]

It is a shame that so many people are ignorant of the troubles that go on in reservations like Pine Ridge. It is very difficult to get a job on reservations because there is almost no industry on the rez, surrounding communities are prejudice, schools on the rez are substandard, the rez has poor infrastructure so transportation and transaction costs are high, etc...

People talk big on their comments, but they wouldn't last long without guidance and with as few opportunities on the rez.

[74drolbo44]

fuk u u wanna die

[WarrenWestonEagle]

Geez, why don't people interview tribal leaders? They always pull to the side all the drunks and poor people.

Now, i've been to a lot of poor areas in the cities throughout the U.S. There are far worse conditions in the cities than there are here in Pine Ridge. It all goes back to education. Just go to school and learn to limit what you drink.

[vivaloriflamme]

@WarrenWestonEagle

Words of wisdom.

[2canoe]

stay strong and speak the truth

health happiness and understanding

to you and your relations :)

[tippyloc]

these niggas aint like blacks LOL fuckin idiot must have never been around black folks....they aint nothin like no niggas ill tell u that right now...niggas got more respect and dont turn on family

[LeonardoDelToro]

youre an idiot he didnt say families fight within each other he said families fighting other families unlike america our last names mean sumthin we will kill for our own families motherfucker respect within the family is one of the most important things to the lakota culture and tradition bitch

[cjfl1962]

@tippyloc What you are saying is not good. If you research, you will find that most Blacks in the U.S. life's just about mirror that of Native Americans. The Getto or Black communities are just another Reservation for the unwanted in society.

[kgaudry01050809]

@cjfl1962 u got that right

[copacetic79]

Thank you for making this vid and sharing it with us all. Don't mind the idiots; they jump onto computers when the villagers aren't looking. ;)

[dooline]

well get a job and get your shit togather iam native american and its not that hard fuk!!!!

[maple742]

go to school. drag all your friends with you. You can do it!

[DukeNUnc]

"Wolf Guts"!!! LOL

[brianalee69]

This man spoke nothing but the truth!! Good job BRO!

[jfergusonphotos]

Thanks for posting this, it tells a lot about life on the rez.

[gripley607]

Don't listen to abusive people! I know the American Indian once had happiness that few understood. I think it is sad and not cool that American people don't know the truth about what life is like for those who suffer. It makes me mad & sad ... I believe the Creator knows the truth and it is not okay and never has been ... I hope for you to seek some thing positive for yourself no matter how hard it is to find ... the world forgot how to love their brothers and sisters ...

[skinnychef]

what the hell are you talking about?

U wingnut.

[wakingupkk]

Fema trailers? I was there 2 weeks ago and I saw no fema trailers. Thank you fo making this video. It's so right on.

[truesunn]

@1xTripl3x1 You ever seen a FEMA trailer??? These people were stripped of everything they had, they were forced into what are basically concentration camps and sent to "Christian Schools" to become "unsavage"... What is life without freedom?

[micmoable]

@truesunn life ain't much without freedom but christian schools weren't bad for them--we all need to know about christ and his sacrifices for us---the video is sad though---and drugs are ruining our country's family values----drugs are one of satan's ways to take this country and the world down---thanl God I ain't on drugs---but so many fall to these deadly things---and it's a shame!

[kawenniio]

@micmoable if you don't think christian schools were bad for "them" then you need to do some research on the christian residential schools that native americans were forced into. The last residential schools were closed in the 80's, 1980's, and there are well documented instances of abuse and neglect that went on in those schools! The impact that residential schools have made on Native Americans has been passed on through generations and will continue to do so.

[fullredblood]

@micmoable what about the true love of christ you as a "good christian" should be practicing. Your words have no love in it, just self praise. Keep reading your bible and learn about how christ was a servant sent to save the souls of man....otherwise...unlearn and walk with love, Cuz you don't stand a chance...against our prayers.

[cherokee145]

@1xTripl3x1 , shut the hell up, no one want's to hear you'r flour ass

[skimaskready]

@1xTripl3x1 were the trailers good for the people in new orleans moron huh? stupid douchebag

[skinnychef]

thanks for checking it out!

solidarity

skinnychef