Rapid City Council takes a bus trip to Pine Ridge

Rapid City Council takes a bus trip to Pine Ridge

By Joseph Budd

 Native Sun News Today Staff Writer

In light of the events regarding the Grand Gateway Hotel, a bus trip that had been in the works for 3 months, was slated to visit Pine Ridge. On this trip, would be a number of City Council members, representatives from major businesses and committees, as well members of the media to learn, absorb and detail the trip.

Leaving Rapid City before 8 a.m., the Bus, dealing with the high winds, would head south, and turn off at Hermosa, going via the Red Shirt Table Road. For the sports fans, this is the normal drive direction to go see Red Cloud and Pine Ridge contests, and with the new high school, will probably be seen more. One of the folks who was narrating this trip, Jennifer Irving, started laying out general information about the tribe, the county, how the council and committees work, and how folks would settle in certain areas. A lot, deals with how allotments were made and from there, families would have homes. In turn, those same homes would pass on to another generation. From that end, Jennifer would say, you can tell by the last name, where some families originate. A few of these names, she explained, would show her having family in Kyle and Pine Ridge. She also joked, while she lives in Whiteclay, Nebraska, she can “see the Rez from her front door.” Also of notice, was that Irving works at the Red Cloud Indian School, which as we would soon learn, has been doing a number of things these last few years.

As we passed the small community of Red Shirt, located in the far northwest corner of the reservation, a few asked about issues regarding housing and business on the reservation. Housing, as told, is critically short. For illustration, she said you might have a 3 bedroom house, on a location, but then the entire family has to live in it. So you might have 3-4 grandkids, 3 kids, the parents, a couple grandparents or elders all under one roof at one time. From there, when the pandemic hit, college students would be forced to return home, that would add in another couple students, so one house, might see 21- 29 people. With a family living inside one room, space was limited, but also underlines the major problem with housing. Estimating from there the county could stand to use 4000-8000 houses, to level out housing properly. The county, Irving did also note, for size is the second largest reservation in the United States. Land isn’t the issue, although some of the land isn’t habitable…but getting housing in good condition is hard to come by.

As far as businesses go, setting up a brick and mortar store, is a time-consuming effort, not only because you have to plan a lot of things to start with, but then you also need to go through the council to get permission to set it up. From that end, the tribe is set up into districts, with each one represented in council. There’s also committees, which handle a variety of issues, ranging from Healthcare to Land, who can also input regarding the business. The Council, can then also either vote it, or send it to another committee for further consideration. She would later say, in Pine Ridge, “You see these businesses, it took them a long time to get built, because the people who wanted to establish, went through those steps to finally see it to the end.”

On the trip south, there was mentions of the schools, and how the school system has no actual districts. If a student living in Kyle wanted to attend Red Cloud, the only issue is getting him to the school proper. The bus, does go out and picks up students at Sharpe’s Corner, and the student may wait on the bus for an hours, each day to attend. But they make the trip. Same factor goes to other smaller towns. Wanblee, which has the Crazy Horse School, might see students that want to go to Little Wound, or you might see students from Pine Ridge, want to attend elsewhere. Busing does happen for some students. So students, who might feel it better to attend schools off reservation might be in for a shock when they have to attend this school or that. Overcrowding does happen in Rapid City. On the Reservation, they just built a new High School 2 years back…and Lakota Tech is thriving.

At Oglala, the small housing area off Red Shirt Table Rd, we learned that there was a tornado that had passed through a few years ago. It destroyed a number of trees, but FEMA would send in trailers to help. After it was determined the trailers did serve a good purpose, they remained on site, and makes up a part of the community in Oglala. Closer to Red Cloud, we learned a bit about that at the early settling times of the reservation, originally the episcopal church was chosen to bring faith to the people of Pine Ridge, but Chief Red Cloud, for several years, worked to bring the Jesuit faith, to the people. His efforts were rewarded, first with the building of the Drexel Hall, a large brick building that also had dormitory space good for 100 beds, and the Holy Rosary Church was established. Dating back to 1888, other structures would soon grow, and a variety of trades would be taught to the young. On visiting the campus, Red Cloud School now has regular schools plus a satellite school in Porcupine, for k-8^th students. Things started phasing out from the Jesuit formula on boarding school would be ended. However a new project involving immersion schooling in Lakota, started 3 years ago. Spearheaded by Matt Rama, who wanted to see his own daughter learn the language. By the time she was ready for grade school, Rama was already a key member of Red Cloud’s teaching system. And they were able to incorporate the language systems, starting with a kindergarten class. Now three years later, we were able to see 2^nd graders, using Lakota not only in a spoken format, but on tablets these children had on their desks. Also to help, an elder who is fluent in Lakota, is with the class, so if the teacher runs into trouble, there’s help for her as well.

Red Cloud, the school is run almost completely off donations. The President of the School, Dr Raymond Nadolny, spoke at length about how the people at Pine Ridge, reiterated the message Irving had passed on, that folks at Pine Ridge, and not just from the town, but all over the reservation, have business to do in Rapid City, be it groceries, flights out to other parts of the country, mini vacations, any number of other actions. And he even shared the story that highlighted another issue affecting Pine Ridge that we take for granted: Internet accessibility. His wife and family live in Seattle and were hoping to move here. However, his wife’s current job would need solid, reliable internet, to work remotely. Out where Red Cloud is, it fluctuates between 1 and 3 bars of service. While the state is working to improve service all over South Dakota, Tribal lands, in this southern edge of the state, seems to be missing for the most part.

On the approach to Pine Ridge, Irving told us about the old hospital that used to side just outside of town to the north. It’s no longer there, replaced with a water tower, but there is another hospital for folks within town.   As we got closer to the “stop light” she also explained that Pine Ridge, the entire County, has no zoning codes, which explained why sometimes you’d find a business between two houses. The main part of the downtown, is lined with houses, some have been repurposed into businesses, while others await renovation. As we stopped at the City Hall, the folks from Rapid were able to walk up and around the building, which in itself is a unique structure. In the front, there is a large, round brick depression, with the doors to the left. On entering, everyone had to sign in, and the tour would begin.

Visiting several offices, we’d learn that the OST President, Kevin Killer was out, presently in DC on business, as well the Vice President. Their staffs were both in, though, handling business duties for their respective people, and then we would go and have a seat during a finance meeting. At the meeting, several of the seating members of the council were present, and took their turns addressing the Rapid City leaders. Garfield Steele, who would speak about North Rapid as part of his district, told of a Delaney Apple wanting to set up a 4-day event in Lakota Homes, something similar he’d done in the past, for the Native Youth. Mason Big Crow, the Treasurer, gave some figures that don’t surprise a lot of folks. He said the Tribe spends about $1.5 million per year and this might be a low estimate. He also mentioned $1.7 million in vehicles. Steele would also state that many of the decisions the council makes affects the reservation, and decisions the tribal council makes, are made with Rapid City in mind.

As leaving, Irving also states that we were given a rare opportunity, as usually they don’t say as much, usually a hello and goodbye. Taking time out to speak, was rare for the council.

As we left the Council building, our schedule took an adjustment. Our effort to go to Bucho’s, the local grocery store, was scrapped, but it was highlighted that the reason, was to call into attention how much things cost here, vs what things cost in Rapid. A gallon of milk in Rapid, might be $3.20, while in Pine Ridge its 5 dollars. Other items, like eggs, toilet paper, even bread and bananas, all would tier out higher in Pine Ridge. Part of this problem, stems from a lack of choices. If you’re the only store in town, with no competition, prices are naturally higher. It explains why people will be inclined to travel to Rapid City. In Rapid City multiple stores are available for shopping.

On the way down the road, we were told we were heading to the Wounded Knee site, a place where two major events occurred in the tribal history. Making it past the dust cloud, the turn to go towards the north and you could almost sense it. The site, the cemetery and the history is well known, unless you have been living in denial. The first episode, Irving spoke on, dealt with the 1890 Massacre, and burial was a horrendous event in Indian country. The additional details that happened to Spotted Elk, and his purpose for traveling south, as well the nickname of Big Foot, helped paint a stronger picture of what was wrong, historically with the 7^th Calvary, from beginning to end. At that point, Tashina Banks-Rama, daughter of AIM Activist Dennis Banks, would help paint in the picture of the events leading up to the Wounded Knee takeover and eventual destruction. Once done, the bus would continue passing through the smaller communities on to Porcupine and Sharpe’s Corner before turning to travel down towards Kyle, when a newer structure would catch our attention.

The Lakota Arts Space, built back in 2019 and started to be occupied in 2020, would provide spaces for financial businesses such as the Lakota Fund, Lakota Federal Credit Union and First Peoples Fund, the Artspace also has a Rolling Arts Bus that visits communities to help young people learn about financial literacy, poetry, music and other outlets for creativity. While its grand opening was scrapped due to the pandemic, they do hope to have one this summer, pandemic-permitting. With time running short, a small change was made, as we stopped by the newly created Thunder Valley EDC. This is a small housing development just north of the Sharpe’s Corner, set up on 33 acres, with an eye towards addressing major issues facing the tribe today. Housing, food, traditions, the houses all have doors that face to the east, there a “Taj mahal” of chicken coops, that produce eggs, and hopefully in time, a restaurant and area for the young adults to meet and gather. The project, originally developed with the help of Nick Tilsen before he moved on to NDN Collective.

On the way home, via the Scenic road and Hwy 44, the question was asked. “From all you have heard, and learned today, now it’s up to you. Does what you’ve learned, stay with you, or do you pass it on to others, sharing what you’ve learned?”

It’s an interesting question, given that for a few folks had been surprised about how life was down at Pine Ridge. For businesses, there was some interaction with folks, maybe at a store, in a hotel, or at a meeting. And more than a few people were surprised, to see the marches the other week, first a downtown one, then the bigger one on Saturday, down a major street in Rapid. These folks, one time or another, used to live on the reservations. Some still do. But the important thing for the business leaders to take away, is that this is all, their homeland. Go deeper than that, they are your neighbors, your family. And you’d want to treat them the same as your own, wouldn’t you?

Look to the future with an open mind. Ideas of a transit system was discussed to make provide easier ways to travel. Likewise sending the youth council down to listen and gain insight was mentioned. Ideas, that could help Pine Ridge, on its own home field, would obviously be housing, and more of it, but also luring down more businesses. It was mentioned, that Chief Red Cloud sought out the Jesuits, as a way to prepare his people to live in both worlds. Some of what was seen, in Thunder Valley, shows it’s a process that can be done.

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