'We Live to Survive': One Week with Lakota (part 1)

Part 2 http://on.rt.com/vswcw8

"We live to survive." That is what many of them say. In the 19th century, the Lakota people were among the most successful fighters for freedom in the USA. But their land was eventually stolen, their language for years was forbidden to be taught in schools, and their freedom existed only on paper. This story was filmed during the first week of August in 2011 on the territory of Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. This is official land of the Oglala Lakota Nation nowadays.

Every year in August, Lakota people come to Pine Ridge from all over the world to celebrate their culture and traditions at the annual powwow. On the contrary of joy and happiness even during holiday there is a place for grief and misery. Many people have alcohol problems, there are no jobs or good housing. Lakota people are still fighting for their rights. But that gets harder to do every year.

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• Category

  News & Politics

[ITSbigwillystyle]

Stupid fucking missionaries, get out of there. They're already suffering enough.

[89cz3ko]

How is it not. its a slow extermination of a people, that has gone on long before 1939.

[rea1001]

the people of the US will soon learn what its like, when the same government takes everything from you as well.

[Shaara1]

nagging isn't the way to motivate sad and angry people. good example might.if you stand by what you believe, others can see that it can be done,can work for them too when they are ready to build themselves up again.

[INY79]

shutup jew

[sjouas09]

I'll never understand how any Native peoples could adopt the religion of the colonialist regime. It is more understandable, to me, for a People to incorporate certain parts of the colonizing religion, as with Santeria or Voodoo and such.

[1athletics]

Im sorry if i offended people, i just got done reading books Last Stand plus Custer and sitting bull made me a bit upset. All do respect Sarah Horsman you are a beatiful squaw i would totally date you!!

[Sarah Horsman]

If you think they lived like cavemen then you know absolutely nothing about them. You are either completely and utterly stupid or you are just a trol deliberately trying to upset people. Either way you need to get a life.

[1athletics]

Indians slaughtered plenty of inncoent white people " sioux uprising 1862" The land now belongs to us the American People, You can give your house land that you own back to what ever tribe that lived on your current land 200 yrs ago. Stop having so much sympathy to a people that lived like cavemen savages, harsh but grim reality of the indians

[1athletics]

Lazy dum indians blaming the white man for the current misfortune!! Get a job go to college join the army and better yourself!! Your living like the whiteman and not like your savage ancestors

[ACMDevils]

it's the US but it looks like a town nowhere in Guatemala ( dirty kids sitting on the streets )

the us gives the laws, wants taxes but allows this ?