Little Wound's Warriors
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
It’s freezing, the wind blows and the snow is coming down hard in the Badlands of South Dakota, in a little town in the middle of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. At Little Wound High School, the kids and the staff have had a hard year. It’s January 2016 and last winter the cost of generations of trauma against the Lakota Sioux tribe was paid: a teenage suicide epidemic. It didn’t happen exactly by surprise and the documentary LITTLE WOUND’S WARRIORS lets the teenagers and community members speak for themselves. They recount the history of the genocide of their ancestors and how that violence echoes into today through the effects of alcoholism, poverty and the frustrations between generations.
But most importantly, through these interviews, we don’t just hear the problems. We listen as these young people recount their hopes for the future and how as they retrieve their heritage it invigorates and brings hope to the community. With stunning aerial footage of the wintry Badlands and intimate, personal interviews we learn that their story is one not of sorrow and victimization but instead a journey of rising up in hope and strength, determined to save themselves and their people through hard work and concrete action. This hour-long documentary was created with extensive feedback from the community and interview subjects to ensure it is representative not just of the challenges on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, but also the tremendous sense of community and connection with an ancient Lakota tradition that inspires us all.
Citation
Main credits
McClellan, Seth (film director)
McClellan, Seth (film producer)
Hetzel, Mark (film producer)
Distributor subjects
Native American Studies; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation; Lakota Sioux; Trauma of Genocide; Youth Voices; Teen Suicide EpidemicKeywords
00:00:01.584 --> 00:00:03.435
(Wind howling)
00:00:03.459 --> 00:00:07.250
(Boys singing
in Lakota language)
00:00:42.751 --> 00:00:46.584
(Woman speaking
in Lakota language)
00:01:03.417 --> 00:01:07.209
(Boys singing
in Lakota language)
00:01:19.167 --> 00:01:24.643
"Beyond this page is
my story completely told by me.
00:01:24.667 --> 00:01:28.894
I'm not completely amazing
or horrible entirely.
00:01:28.918 --> 00:01:30.143
I am me.
00:01:30.167 --> 00:01:32.975
More importantly, I've been me."
00:01:32.999 --> 00:01:36.709
(Men singing in Lakota language)
00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:46.768 line:20%
Oh yeah, I grew up here though,
my whole life 16 years.
00:01:46.792 --> 00:01:48.560 line:20%
Yeah, I've been living
in the reservation
00:01:48.584 --> 00:01:50.643 line:20%
all 18 years of my life.
00:01:50.667 --> 00:01:55.560 position:20% line:20%
I like the nature
and the people around you.
00:01:55.584 --> 00:01:58.810 line:20%
We're all close together.
00:01:58.834 --> 00:02:03.393 line:20%
And it's-- it's easier for me
to grow up here,
00:02:03.417 --> 00:02:06.602 line:20%
because I have
my family close to me.
00:02:06.626 --> 00:02:07.975 line:20%
Because we're
so family oriented
00:02:07.999 --> 00:02:10.685 line:20%
Like we grow up, we're always--
our family's is always there.
00:02:10.709 --> 00:02:12.018 line:20%
We're always doing things
with our family.
00:02:12.042 --> 00:02:14.476 line:20%
Well, I guess I'd like to say
like my brothers, dude.
00:02:14.500 --> 00:02:15.602 line:20%
You-- they're
not like my brothers
00:02:15.626 --> 00:02:17.768 line:20%
but you know,
they're like my brothers, man.
00:02:17.792 --> 00:02:20.518 line:20%
Like I have so many
like in Pine Ridge you know,
00:02:20.542 --> 00:02:21.975
all my skate brothers.
00:02:21.999 --> 00:02:23.643
I have brothers here, you know?
00:02:23.667 --> 00:02:24.975
You know like--
and it's like it's good.
00:02:24.999 --> 00:02:27.518
It's like a brothersh-- it's
like a brotherhood, you know?
00:02:27.542 --> 00:02:28.975
And it's like we're all together
00:02:28.999 --> 00:02:30.351
and we all do things
we love together
00:02:30.375 --> 00:02:33.185
or we find common interest
and we become you know,
00:02:33.209 --> 00:02:34.643
like this, man.
00:02:34.667 --> 00:02:37.226
And it's-- it's just good
and it brings up your spirit.
00:02:37.250 --> 00:02:39.393 line:20%
I think that it's really cool
that we have
00:02:39.417 --> 00:02:42.101 line:20%
like what I really love
about living here is
00:02:42.125 --> 00:02:46.975 line:20%
that like we have
a story behind everything
00:02:46.999 --> 00:02:52.351 line:20%
and we have a history
behind all of our land,
00:02:52.375 --> 00:02:54.268 position:20% line:20%
and our people, and stuff.
00:02:54.292 --> 00:02:56.018 line:20%
Living around here,
it's peaceful.
00:02:56.042 --> 00:02:58.476 line:20%
it's a small town
and there ain't nothing much
00:02:58.500 --> 00:03:02.143 line:20%
that really happens except for
you come to school and--
00:03:02.167 --> 00:03:03.894 position:20% line:20%
That's--
I mean they come to school
00:03:03.918 --> 00:03:05.268 line:20%
and see family, that's about it.
00:03:05.292 --> 00:03:06.975 line:20%
I think what was fun
that growing up here was
00:03:06.999 --> 00:03:08.852 line:20%
pretty much just living
you know, in the country
00:03:08.876 --> 00:03:12.768 line:20%
and pretty much exploring
into the creeks,
00:03:12.792 --> 00:03:15.226 line:20%
and to the Badlands, and stuff.
00:03:15.250 --> 00:03:18.310 line:20%
Me and my friends we're--
we horseback ride
00:03:18.334 --> 00:03:23.185 line:20%
like we break horses,
go on rides,
00:03:23.209 --> 00:03:25.976 line:20%
horseback rides,
really long ones.
00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:26.476 line:20%
Yeah.
00:03:26.500 --> 00:03:29.975 line:20%
Where we live is really close
to the Badlands.
00:03:29.999 --> 00:03:32.643 line:20%
We live like on the outskirts
of it.
00:03:32.667 --> 00:03:35.975 line:20%
And we live right next
to the cedar view,
00:03:35.999 --> 00:03:40.435 line:20%
so it's always soothing to look
at cedar view
00:03:40.459 --> 00:03:46.542 position:20% line:20%
and all the beautiful
twilight colors at sunset.
00:03:46.959 --> 00:03:49.226
I like how it's
a really small place,
00:03:49.250 --> 00:03:52.351
so you can get
to your friend's house faster
00:03:52.375 --> 00:03:54.852
or just like by walking.
00:03:54.876 --> 00:04:00.918 line:20%
For fun, I hang out
with my friends and I...
00:04:01.375 --> 00:04:04.393 line:20%
And after school activities
like sports.
00:04:04.417 --> 00:04:06.727
Hmm, I like how empty it is.
00:04:06.751 --> 00:04:10.435
Like there is big long fields
where you can just see
00:04:10.459 --> 00:04:11.226
to like the end,
00:04:11.250 --> 00:04:13.727
like till where your eyes can't
see any more,
00:04:13.751 --> 00:04:17.792
you just see blue,
and it's like-- it's great!
00:04:17.999 --> 00:04:21.310 line:20%
Going to powwows,
playing hand games.
00:04:21.334 --> 00:04:22.018 line:20%
(Chuckles)
00:04:22.042 --> 00:04:24.935 line:20%
And learning
my traditional ways,
00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:27.518 line:20%
going to Sun Dances,
and Inipis,
00:04:27.542 --> 00:04:29.393 line:20%
and learning
the old traditional ways.
00:04:29.417 --> 00:04:33.167
(Boy singing
in Lakota language)
00:04:45.751 --> 00:04:48.185
(Laughing)
00:04:48.209 --> 00:04:51.999
(Singing in Lakota language)
00:05:01.999 --> 00:05:03.268
Oh!
00:05:03.292 --> 00:05:04.768
(Laughing)
00:05:04.792 --> 00:05:08.768
When I imagine like the future,
like the Reserve-- 'cause I,
00:05:08.792 --> 00:05:11.226
I do wanna raise my kids here
on the reservation.
00:05:11.250 --> 00:05:14.310
I don't-- a lot of the times
you see people
00:05:14.334 --> 00:05:15.435 position:20%
moving their families away
00:05:15.459 --> 00:05:18.935
you know,
for better opportunities,
00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:20.685
but this is what has shaped me
00:05:20.709 --> 00:05:24.852
and this what has made me
everything that I am today.
00:05:24.876 --> 00:05:29.975
And I do wanna have a family
and a home here,
00:05:29.999 --> 00:05:32.101
but first there are
a lot of changes
00:05:32.125 --> 00:05:35.852
that we have to make
as you know, communities,
00:05:35.876 --> 00:05:38.018
and as families, and as people.
00:05:38.042 --> 00:05:41.975
The stigma around here is
this constant feel
00:05:41.999 --> 00:05:44.018 position:20%
of negativity around here.
00:05:44.042 --> 00:05:49.185 line:50%
You know, I'm only 17,
but I've seen so many things
00:05:49.209 --> 00:05:51.935
that really should
not even be here.
00:05:51.959 --> 00:05:53.435
We were thrown on
to reservations
00:05:53.459 --> 00:05:59.709
or placed on to reservations
and it sort of stuck around.
00:06:00.542 --> 00:06:03.310 position:20%
We sort of parted
from our traditional ways,
00:06:03.334 --> 00:06:07.975
and some of us even forgot
about them,
00:06:07.999 --> 00:06:08.935
and it's kind of sad.
00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:11.975
"Oh boohoo, it happened
to you guys, big deal.
00:06:11.999 --> 00:06:12.975
That's all you guys talk about."
00:06:12.999 --> 00:06:15.226
It's like--
because no one gets it, man.
00:06:15.250 --> 00:06:15.976
I mean we teach about history,
00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.602
so that way history
doesn't repeat itself, right?
00:06:19.626 --> 00:06:20.101 line:20%
Sitting Bull,
00:06:20.125 --> 00:06:23.975 line:20%
who was just killed
about two weeks before that,
00:06:23.999 --> 00:06:27.435 line:20%
and my grandfathers had
moved down from Standing Rock
00:06:27.459 --> 00:06:32.185 line:20%
to a place called "Bridger"
at Cherry Creek.
00:06:32.209 --> 00:06:37.226
And Big Foot was on his way down
to help negotiate a truce
00:06:37.250 --> 00:06:42.975
between the US Cavalry
and the Red Cloud, the Oglala.
00:06:42.999 --> 00:06:45.727
he was a peacemaker.
00:06:45.751 --> 00:06:48.727
He never reached Pine Ridge.
00:06:48.751 --> 00:06:53.268
He and his families,
and most of his people were
00:06:53.292 --> 00:06:56.810 position:20%
wiped out at Wounded Knee.
00:06:56.834 --> 00:06:57.976 position:20%
There were a few survivors.
00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:01.975 line:20%
So you know,
the US government's purpose
00:07:01.999 --> 00:07:04.727 line:20%
in the beginning was
"Kill the Buffalo,
00:07:04.751 --> 00:07:08.560 line:20%
kill their food supply,
their culture."
00:07:08.584 --> 00:07:11.975 position:20%
There was a retaliation
for Custer being wiped out
00:07:11.999 --> 00:07:16.018
14 years before
at the Little Bighorn
00:07:16.042 --> 00:07:20.602
when Custer, and Benteen,
and Reno,
00:07:20.626 --> 00:07:26.143
and all the major heavies
of the Civil War came down--
00:07:26.167 --> 00:07:31.810
came here and started the wars
against the Indians.
00:07:31.834 --> 00:07:33.476
And they were defeated.
00:07:33.500 --> 00:07:35.393
Our tribe was
one of the last ones
00:07:35.417 --> 00:07:36.685
to be caught by the government,
00:07:36.709 --> 00:07:39.810
so we're like a--
I wouldn't say really fierce,
00:07:39.834 --> 00:07:40.975
but we're like a strong tribe.
00:07:40.999 --> 00:07:45.518
In the evening, they camped
at Wounded Knee Creek.
00:07:45.542 --> 00:07:49.143
And the next morning,
for no reason at all,
00:07:49.167 --> 00:07:53.727
the US Cavalry just open fire
on the Indians.
00:07:53.751 --> 00:07:55.975
The woman and children were
mowed down.
00:07:55.999 --> 00:08:02.125
It was told by my auntie
and my dad that "wasícu" means
00:08:03.751 --> 00:08:05.975
"takers of the slaves".
00:08:05.999 --> 00:08:10.351
Now there's other people
who will say "washi'chu" means
00:08:10.375 --> 00:08:12.226
"to take the fat".
00:08:12.250 --> 00:08:13.226
Now why to take the fat?
00:08:13.250 --> 00:08:17.602
The taking of the slaves
kinda obvious that one there.
00:08:17.626 --> 00:08:21.685
But to take the fat
that the references I think
00:08:21.709 --> 00:08:23.310 position:20%
to the society, to the race
00:08:23.334 --> 00:08:24.975
that will take everything
you own
00:08:24.999 --> 00:08:30.999
and the fat that on the--
on your steak, you know.
00:08:31.125 --> 00:08:33.560
They'll take everything
that you own,
00:08:33.584 --> 00:08:35.852
and the fat on your dog.
00:08:35.876 --> 00:08:36.768
(Chuckles)
00:08:36.792 --> 00:08:41.101 position:20% line:20%
Hitler got the idea to--
00:08:41.125 --> 00:08:43.935 line:20%
to genocide the Jews
00:08:43.959 --> 00:08:46.810 line:50%
and he took it from--
he took a note
00:08:46.834 --> 00:08:51.310
from the best killers ever,
the United States government.
00:08:51.334 --> 00:08:54.143
I mean they're
still bombing places, you know?
00:08:54.167 --> 00:08:56.351
They still-- they got
all this land
00:08:56.375 --> 00:08:58.143
and everything else,
they still want more.
00:08:58.167 --> 00:09:01.143
They're reaching out
for resources left and right.
00:09:01.167 --> 00:09:05.476
And I know some people will say
that it is derogatory
00:09:05.500 --> 00:09:06.810
and I don't know.
00:09:06.834 --> 00:09:07.351
You know, I grew up here.
00:09:07.375 --> 00:09:11.435
That's what
we call white people, "wasícu".
00:09:11.459 --> 00:09:13.018 position:80% line:20%
And I'm like-- (Chuckles)
00:09:13.042 --> 00:09:15.975
Not ashamed to say
that's what I was taught.
00:09:15.999 --> 00:09:16.518
(Chuckles)
00:09:16.542 --> 00:09:19.894
And like concentration camps
or reservations.
00:09:19.918 --> 00:09:22.602
Concentration camps,
they killed us, okay?
00:09:22.626 --> 00:09:24.602
But the Jews
still don't live there.
00:09:24.626 --> 00:09:25.975
You know what I mean?
00:09:25.999 --> 00:09:30.685
Li-- I mean we got forced
on this place because...
00:09:30.709 --> 00:09:33.810
Because we were different,
because we were savage,
00:09:33.834 --> 00:09:36.435
because we weren't--
because we didn't speak English,
00:09:36.459 --> 00:09:39.185
and we didn't do everything
the way they wanted us to do.
00:09:39.209 --> 00:09:41.602
So we got placed
on these little chunks of land
00:09:41.626 --> 00:09:44.018
and were forced to--
forced to live there.
00:09:44.042 --> 00:09:47.918
(Boy singing in Lakota language)
00:10:47.626 --> 00:10:52.101
"I learned in school that war is
when nations disagree.
00:10:52.125 --> 00:10:54.685
But what the textbooks
never told me is
00:10:54.709 --> 00:10:58.351
that war also happens
when parents disagree
00:10:58.375 --> 00:11:03.602
or a child throws insults harder
than they swing baseball bats.
00:11:03.626 --> 00:11:06.226
Or when I cannot force myself
out of bed,
00:11:06.250 --> 00:11:07.975
because there is a voice
that tells me
00:11:07.999 --> 00:11:11.059
I may win the battle,
but I will not win the war."
00:11:11.083 --> 00:11:14.894
They don't have-- their parents
don't watch 'em good enough,
00:11:14.918 --> 00:11:16.101
they don't show 'em
enough attention.
00:11:16.125 --> 00:11:18.602
They just--- they show 'em
that they don't care.
00:11:18.626 --> 00:11:20.351
and once they feel
like their parents don't care,
00:11:20.375 --> 00:11:23.602
they feel like no one cares
about 'em and they just--
00:11:23.626 --> 00:11:25.975
They go down the wrong path,
you know?
00:11:25.999 --> 00:11:26.476
Drug and gangs,
00:11:26.500 --> 00:11:29.975
that's the main thing probably
around here
00:11:29.999 --> 00:11:32.976
and you know, they vandalize,
break into houses,
00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:35.602
and I don't know what all,
and that's just--
00:11:35.626 --> 00:11:38.375
that's just all
their parents' fault I believe.
00:11:38.999 --> 00:11:42.894
"War takes places
when nations disagree.
00:11:42.918 --> 00:11:46.834
War also can take place
within people, too."
00:11:48.042 --> 00:11:49.975 line:20%
(Sighs)
00:11:49.999 --> 00:11:53.351 line:20%
Like parents being
around their kids more,
00:11:53.375 --> 00:11:58.476 line:20%
and being active
with their kids, and...
00:11:58.500 --> 00:12:00.852 line:20%
And they are not leaving 'em
so much.
00:12:00.876 --> 00:12:02.143
(Chuckles)
00:12:02.167 --> 00:12:02.768
I don't know.
00:12:02.792 --> 00:12:04.975
I don't know, I just wish that
like the adults would understand
00:12:04.999 --> 00:12:06.560
that these kids need guidance,
man.
00:12:06.584 --> 00:12:09.268 position:20%
Like these kids need, you know--
they can't be sitting here
00:12:09.292 --> 00:12:10.351
and just you know,
they grow up by themselves.
00:12:10.375 --> 00:12:13.975
I mean yeah, it's up to them
to lead their own lives,
00:12:13.999 --> 00:12:16.852
but they can't do
that when they're like 7, 8.
00:12:16.876 --> 00:12:17.975
You're like all they have
to look up to.
00:12:17.999 --> 00:12:20.894
And if you're sitting there
you know, doing stupid shit
00:12:20.918 --> 00:12:23.310
you know, being-- acting
like you're a fucking teenager
00:12:23.334 --> 00:12:24.685
whenever you kids.
00:12:24.709 --> 00:12:25.226
Like come on, man!
00:12:25.250 --> 00:12:26.810
No kid's gonna sit there
and look at you.
00:12:26.834 --> 00:12:28.143
And that's all
they're gonna see,
00:12:28.167 --> 00:12:30.310
so they're not gonna know
to do good in school
00:12:30.334 --> 00:12:31.810
and go to you know, college.
00:12:31.834 --> 00:12:33.351 line:20%
"Don't get me started
on my father
00:12:33.375 --> 00:12:35.852 line:20%
or the man who just helped
me be made,
00:12:35.876 --> 00:12:38.059 line:20%
who never was around at all.
00:12:38.083 --> 00:12:40.101 line:20%
Oh, how I wish
he would've stayed.
00:12:40.125 --> 00:12:41.810 line:20%
He knew me but did not want me,
00:12:41.834 --> 00:12:43.310 line:20%
someone who just didn't care.
00:12:43.334 --> 00:12:45.768 line:20%
Unlike my mom who somewhat did,
00:12:45.792 --> 00:12:47.351 position:20% line:20%
it was only DNA we shared."
00:12:47.375 --> 00:12:49.435
And there is
not a speck of hope.
00:12:49.459 --> 00:12:50.975
There's a large amount of hope.
00:12:50.999 --> 00:12:53.975
It's just that we're too blind
to see it.
00:12:53.999 --> 00:12:58.975
And we're too hypnotized
with our electronics.
00:12:58.999 --> 00:13:01.476
We're too hypnotized
with looking at a screen
00:13:01.500 --> 00:13:04.975
and believing everything
someone says to us.
00:13:04.999 --> 00:13:06.894
Everything they see
on social media,
00:13:06.918 --> 00:13:09.185
they think that's okay
and they think like--
00:13:09.209 --> 00:13:11.435 position:20%
They see other people
do all these things that--
00:13:11.459 --> 00:13:14.435
Everyone that's supposed
to be role models, do--
00:13:14.459 --> 00:13:18.018
Posting things on Facebook
about like all the negativity
00:13:18.042 --> 00:13:22.226
and everything, they watch that.
00:13:22.250 --> 00:13:23.351
And you know,
when I was middle school,
00:13:23.375 --> 00:13:26.935
I didn't have Facebook,
I didn't have Snapchat
00:13:26.959 --> 00:13:28.975
or Twitter, Instagram
00:13:28.999 --> 00:13:31.975
where all these bad examples are
set for younger kids.
00:13:31.999 --> 00:13:35.351
I think that the adults
should know
00:13:35.375 --> 00:13:37.975
what their kids' social media
is like,
00:13:37.999 --> 00:13:39.351
what they're doing
on social media.
00:13:39.375 --> 00:13:44.226
How looking at a screen can
ruin your life.
00:13:44.250 --> 00:13:46.976
How looking at a screen can
make you think different
00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:47.975
to somebody.
00:13:47.999 --> 00:13:52.935 position:20%
How looking at a screen can
inflict pain in your heart
00:13:52.959 --> 00:13:54.975
as well as in your mind.
00:13:54.999 --> 00:13:55.476
(Chuckles)
00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:57.143
How looking at a screen can
really just hurt you
00:13:57.167 --> 00:13:58.310
in particular.
00:13:58.334 --> 00:14:00.059
It just really hurts you.
00:14:00.083 --> 00:14:02.894
My parents are
alcohol and drug free,
00:14:02.918 --> 00:14:05.975
so we live in
an alcohol-and-drug-free home.
00:14:05.999 --> 00:14:07.894
And they both have jobs,
and they both go to work,
00:14:07.918 --> 00:14:10.268
and make money,
and take care of us basically.
00:14:10.292 --> 00:14:14.602
And I notice a lot around here
people are like kind of poor.
00:14:14.626 --> 00:14:16.518
No food,
barely even some--
00:14:16.542 --> 00:14:17.852
I know a friend.
00:14:17.876 --> 00:14:19.975
He has no flooring in his house.
00:14:19.999 --> 00:14:23.351
He has no running water,
so he has to go outside
00:14:23.375 --> 00:14:24.393
to use the bathroom.
00:14:24.417 --> 00:14:27.393
And it's-- he tells me
it's very cold out there
00:14:27.417 --> 00:14:29.975
and it's like you-- he has
to do that every day
00:14:29.999 --> 00:14:32.310
and he has to get a horse
to go to his--
00:14:32.334 --> 00:14:33.768
Like his grandpa's house,
and he--
00:14:33.792 --> 00:14:35.935
That's how he gets water
to go inside his house.
00:14:35.959 --> 00:14:39.810
Because there's
like four families in one house,
00:14:39.834 --> 00:14:41.351
and it's crammed,
00:14:41.375 --> 00:14:43.975
and some of the houses are
breaking down.
00:14:43.999 --> 00:14:48.810
They don't have heat,
the water don't work,
00:14:48.834 --> 00:14:53.101
and like when you--
they need a place to sleep,
00:14:53.125 --> 00:14:58.975
but you can just have blankets
and pillows on the floor.
00:14:58.999 --> 00:15:01.975
And it can get cold
in the winter for them,
00:15:01.999 --> 00:15:05.143
especially with babies
and young children.
00:15:05.167 --> 00:15:08.976
Most people just sell
like softwood and stuff.
00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:13.476 position:20%
I understand that they need
money and all that, but...
00:15:13.500 --> 00:15:19.334
Me growing up without--
without like heat at nights.
00:15:20.626 --> 00:15:22.351
And...
00:15:22.375 --> 00:15:26.018
And my uncle used
to come around a lot
00:15:26.042 --> 00:15:30.975
when he bring wood,
but not all the time.
00:15:30.999 --> 00:15:35.393
Used to just make me happy
whenever it's warm at night,
00:15:35.417 --> 00:15:37.560
sleep better.
00:15:37.584 --> 00:15:39.975
Used to stay up late
to keep the fire going,
00:15:39.999 --> 00:15:40.975
but...
00:15:40.999 --> 00:15:45.059
There's one thing I could change
if it was up to me,
00:15:45.083 --> 00:15:49.393
I would bring more business
to the reservation
00:15:49.417 --> 00:15:52.209
to help raise the quality
of life here.
00:15:52.709 --> 00:15:54.976
I used to go around--
I go around at my uncle a lot
00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:58.602
still today,
cutting wood and like--
00:15:58.626 --> 00:15:59.602
You know, loads of wood.
00:15:59.626 --> 00:16:04.018
I got a lot of grandmas
that have woodstoves and stuff,
00:16:04.042 --> 00:16:07.894
And they're
not physically capable
00:16:07.918 --> 00:16:11.185
of going out
and getting it theirself, so...
00:16:11.209 --> 00:16:13.351
I'm just thankful just
to have 'em here,
00:16:13.375 --> 00:16:18.727
so I try do what's right,
give 'em wood and stuff,
00:16:18.751 --> 00:16:24.185
so like they can live longer,
stay warm at night.
00:16:24.209 --> 00:16:28.975
It's like as younger um,
00:16:28.999 --> 00:16:32.643
there's people
that died during winters,
00:16:32.667 --> 00:16:36.310
because they got too cold,
they froze.
00:16:36.334 --> 00:16:38.810
And I don't want none of that
to happen
00:16:38.834 --> 00:16:42.810
to like any of our other elders,
'cause they know it's
00:16:42.834 --> 00:16:46.059
like in the old days,
they experienced how it was,
00:16:46.083 --> 00:16:47.518 position:20%
They--
they know all our stories.
00:16:47.542 --> 00:16:51.602
They did wholly
reserved our culture.
00:16:51.626 --> 00:16:54.727
They have all the stories
to tell their grandchildren
00:16:54.751 --> 00:16:56.435
and stuff.
00:16:56.459 --> 00:17:00.975
And I realize that,
so I try to give wood to them
00:17:00.999 --> 00:17:04.101
as much as I could if I go out
and get some.
00:17:04.125 --> 00:17:24.101
(♪♪♪)
00:17:24.125 --> 00:17:37.935
(♪♪♪)
00:17:37.959 --> 00:17:38.768
DAVE:
There's a lot of things
00:17:38.792 --> 00:17:39.727
that we can change
in our reservation,
00:17:39.751 --> 00:17:41.894
but the one thing
that I would like to change is
00:17:41.918 --> 00:17:45.310
alcoholism.
00:17:45.334 --> 00:17:46.185
It is really alcoholism.
00:17:46.209 --> 00:17:49.975 position:20%
That's the one thing I would
change on our reservation.
00:17:49.999 --> 00:17:51.685
If...
00:17:51.709 --> 00:17:55.560
If it wasn't for alcoholism,
if it wasn't for alcohol um,
00:17:55.584 --> 00:17:58.101
we would be contending
with the majorities.
00:17:58.125 --> 00:17:58.975
(Chuckles)
00:17:58.999 --> 00:17:59.894
We wouldn't be--
we wouldn't have
00:17:59.918 --> 00:18:01.975
all these stereotypes,
these labels,
00:18:01.999 --> 00:18:03.476
people being biased towards us.
00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:05.975
We would have all these
different things and these--,
00:18:05.999 --> 00:18:07.975
all these different
myopic understandings.
00:18:07.999 --> 00:18:11.975
I always tell them
that drinking's not good.
00:18:11.999 --> 00:18:18.083
All it does-- it just makes you
get into fighting.
00:18:18.834 --> 00:18:23.975
'Cause there is
so much young people that do it
00:18:23.999 --> 00:18:25.975
and it's just not right,
00:18:25.999 --> 00:18:28.560
because it's not healthy
for them.
00:18:28.584 --> 00:18:33.975
The downfall of that is
it ruins families,
00:18:33.999 --> 00:18:37.143
it ruins races.
00:18:37.167 --> 00:18:38.852 position:20%
It kinda ruins everything.
00:18:38.876 --> 00:18:44.393
It's not part of our um,
culture long time ago.
00:18:44.417 --> 00:18:46.226
Our ancestors
didn't really do any of that
00:18:46.250 --> 00:18:49.643
and I don't think we should be
doing any of that.
00:18:49.667 --> 00:18:51.727
I think it's disrespect.
00:18:51.751 --> 00:18:53.059
Now drink responsibly.
00:18:53.083 --> 00:18:54.143
We're all adults.
00:18:54.167 --> 00:18:59.351
But you know, Europeans had
hundreds of years to get used
00:18:59.375 --> 00:19:03.976
to the effects of alcohol,
whereas us you know--
00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:04.976
(Chuckles)
00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:08.059
We couldn't even get the flu
we died,
00:19:08.083 --> 00:19:10.727
because our immunities were
different.
00:19:10.751 --> 00:19:14.975
All Indians do drugs
and that's not really true,
00:19:14.999 --> 00:19:17.602
because me and myself,
and I know my family.
00:19:17.626 --> 00:19:19.975
My household family are
drug and alcohol free,
00:19:19.999 --> 00:19:24.727
and I really-- it really irks me
when people say,
00:19:24.751 --> 00:19:27.560
"Oh,
Native Americans are drunks."
00:19:27.584 --> 00:19:33.975
(♪♪♪)
00:19:33.999 --> 00:19:36.101
♪ Playing with fire ♪
00:19:36.125 --> 00:19:40.351
♪ 'Cause my hands are cold ♪
00:19:40.375 --> 00:19:47.185
♪ Alone is
where I found my own ♪
00:19:47.209 --> 00:19:49.768
♪ I'm walking ♪
00:19:49.792 --> 00:19:53.602
♪ Into the unknown ♪
00:19:53.626 --> 00:20:00.476
♪ Finally I could see
beyond my eyes ♪
00:20:00.500 --> 00:20:02.852
♪ Playing with fire ♪
00:20:02.876 --> 00:20:06.935
♪ 'Cause my hands are cold ♪
00:20:06.959 --> 00:20:13.768
♪ Alone is
where I found my own ♪
00:20:13.792 --> 00:20:16.101
♪ I'm walking ♪
00:20:16.125 --> 00:20:19.975
♪ Into the unknown ♪
00:20:19.999 --> 00:20:27.476
♪ Finally I could see
beyond my eyes ♪
00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:32.894
CATLIN:
The dysfunction is from losing
00:20:32.918 --> 00:20:36.393
our identity culturally.
00:20:36.417 --> 00:20:41.476
The Lakota way was taken away
by the non-- or the Christians
00:20:41.500 --> 00:20:43.685
or the non-Indian.
00:20:43.709 --> 00:20:47.101
You know, they came here,
they took our lifestyle away,
00:20:47.125 --> 00:20:48.476
they implemented theirs.
00:20:48.500 --> 00:20:53.727
I come
from a bad wrong evil society
00:20:53.751 --> 00:20:55.101 position:20%
and I must forget all that.
00:20:55.125 --> 00:20:57.976
Forget this language,
forget my culture,
00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:00.975
and become a brown white man.
00:21:00.999 --> 00:21:01.975
That's what I was taught.
00:21:01.999 --> 00:21:06.975
Be a good American, good citizen
and I'll be rewarded.
00:21:06.999 --> 00:21:08.976 position:20%
Yeah, by God at some point.
00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:11.393
That's all BS,
but that's what I was taught
00:21:11.417 --> 00:21:14.975
and that's what everyone of us,
children at that time,
00:21:14.999 --> 00:21:15.935
were taught.
00:21:15.959 --> 00:21:20.975
I no longer believe
in manmade law
00:21:20.999 --> 00:21:23.059
or manmade justice,
00:21:23.083 --> 00:21:26.435
'cause if we look
at what happened to our people,
00:21:26.459 --> 00:21:29.768
there is no justice in that.
00:21:29.792 --> 00:21:32.143
Because we were supposed
to be devil worshippers,
00:21:32.167 --> 00:21:34.602
they don't wanna talk
about spirituality.
00:21:34.626 --> 00:21:36.602
And that's the thing
that we couldn't understand
00:21:36.626 --> 00:21:41.685 position:20%
why my-- the God
that I believe in is evil.
00:21:41.709 --> 00:21:44.727
He was known as "the devil"
as well.
00:21:44.751 --> 00:21:47.768
Well,
that's not who I believed in.
00:21:47.792 --> 00:21:50.975
We believed
in the First Grandfather
00:21:50.999 --> 00:21:51.975
or the Creator,
00:21:51.999 --> 00:21:57.518
who is good, and who does good,
and he treats people,
00:21:57.542 --> 00:21:58.976 position:20%
and he treats people well.
00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:02.975
It's pretty much what
the Christian belief system is
00:22:02.999 --> 00:22:04.975 position:20%
is that's what we learned,
00:22:04.999 --> 00:22:09.435
except that what the churches
and the government had taught us
00:22:09.459 --> 00:22:13.226
as young people that we were
from an evil society.
00:22:13.250 --> 00:22:18.185
Now what do you do when you
experience something traumatic?
00:22:18.209 --> 00:22:21.643
You find a way to cope with it.
00:22:21.667 --> 00:22:22.310
How do you cope with it?
00:22:22.334 --> 00:22:26.560
Well, at that time alcohol was
introduced to us.
00:22:26.584 --> 00:22:30.643
That kinda numbs the pain
and I think that's a--
00:22:30.667 --> 00:22:32.727
Anyone might agree with that.
00:22:32.751 --> 00:22:33.975
It kinda numbs the pain.
00:22:33.999 --> 00:22:36.975
Now what other kinda things
happen with alcohol?
00:22:36.999 --> 00:22:39.975
Lots of bad stuff can happen
when you're drunk.
00:22:39.999 --> 00:22:42.226
I spoke Lakota
as a kindergarten.
00:22:42.250 --> 00:22:45.727
So a white teacher broke a ruler
on my head.
00:22:45.751 --> 00:22:48.975
That's at Little Wound, Kyle,
day school.
00:22:48.999 --> 00:22:52.268
So from that time on,
as a 5 or 6-year-old
00:22:52.292 --> 00:22:57.226
who had a stick,
was so long,
00:22:57.250 --> 00:22:58.476
broken on his head,
00:22:58.500 --> 00:23:02.976
I began to resent
what the white people are doing
00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:03.976
to me.
00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:07.768
Well, instead of machineguns,
there are some bottles.
00:23:07.792 --> 00:23:08.143
(Chuckles)
00:23:08.167 --> 00:23:11.935
Yeah, no, I--
the genocide has continued.
00:23:11.959 --> 00:23:13.975 position:20%
It's a continued genocide.
00:23:13.999 --> 00:23:16.268 position:20%
It's just smarter genocide.
00:23:16.292 --> 00:23:21.351
Instead of bullets and bombs,
it's sugar and alcohol.
00:23:21.375 --> 00:23:24.393
There's this car
full of white boys that went by
00:23:24.417 --> 00:23:27.476 position:20%
who kept saying,
"White power, white power"
00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:29.768
and so I got scared.
00:23:29.792 --> 00:23:32.975
And so my cousins put me
in the middle,
00:23:32.999 --> 00:23:36.602
and that car just turned around,
and kept saying, "White power",
00:23:36.626 --> 00:23:37.935
and kept going back and forth.
00:23:37.959 --> 00:23:39.975 position:20%
Because not only because
of the color of your skin,
00:23:39.999 --> 00:23:42.560
but because
they don't want you here.
00:23:42.584 --> 00:23:45.101
You should've
been dead years ago.
00:23:45.125 --> 00:23:47.351
Your people shouldn't even
exist anymore.
00:23:47.375 --> 00:23:49.602
I thought we got rid
of you people.
00:23:49.626 --> 00:23:54.709
Even our history, racism began
with my ancestors,
00:23:55.999 --> 00:24:01.500
and the whole 7th Cavalry,
and all the other--
00:24:02.417 --> 00:24:05.101
Whenever the first--
whenever Columbus first came
00:24:05.125 --> 00:24:06.709
to United States.
00:24:07.542 --> 00:24:11.685
Now how do we get the strength
to go on
00:24:11.709 --> 00:24:13.059
from those traumatic events?
00:24:13.083 --> 00:24:15.975
There is boys
that I coach on my team
00:24:15.999 --> 00:24:18.226
that sometimes can't come
to practice,
00:24:18.250 --> 00:24:20.560
because they're watching
their siblings at home,
00:24:20.584 --> 00:24:22.894
because mom and dad are
drinking all night
00:24:22.918 --> 00:24:27.185
or mom was drinking all night
and mom's passed out,
00:24:27.209 --> 00:24:30.643
and now there is just
you know, them
00:24:30.667 --> 00:24:32.476
to take care of their siblings.
00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:36.975 position:20%
So this is the type of stuff
and it didn't start from--
00:24:36.999 --> 00:24:39.935
From five years ago.
00:24:39.959 --> 00:24:41.310
Started 200 years ago.
00:24:41.334 --> 00:24:47.435
Ultimately, people wanna forget
about us, you know?
00:24:47.459 --> 00:24:52.768
They wanna forget their shame,
because if you do delve deeply
00:24:52.792 --> 00:24:54.894
into Native American history,
you realize
00:24:54.918 --> 00:24:56.975
that
the United States government was
00:24:56.999 --> 00:24:59.792
backhanded pirates.
00:24:59.959 --> 00:25:03.476
And you know, the way
that trauma occurs--
00:25:03.500 --> 00:25:05.059
Trauma has a spirit.
00:25:05.083 --> 00:25:07.518
So what happened
to my grandmas and grandpas,
00:25:07.542 --> 00:25:08.393
when they were killed,
00:25:08.417 --> 00:25:11.435
and they were
being chased around,
00:25:11.459 --> 00:25:14.393
and being slaughtered,
00:25:14.417 --> 00:25:16.435
and then eventually they were
put on reservations
00:25:16.459 --> 00:25:18.975
and not allowed
to practice our ceremonies.
00:25:18.999 --> 00:25:23.975
Alcohol and drugs is a medicator
for past trauma
00:25:23.999 --> 00:25:27.810
and past hurt, and it's
become generational now.
00:25:27.834 --> 00:25:32.226
But until we stop and connect,
that's the only way we can heal.
00:25:32.250 --> 00:25:37.268
Otherwise, that cycle of trauma
and hurt continues.
00:25:37.292 --> 00:25:41.185
We have different ceremonies
that deal with trauma
00:25:41.209 --> 00:25:43.852
and what we call "PTSD" today.
00:25:43.876 --> 00:25:47.435
But that-- spirit of that trauma
through these ceremonies is
00:25:47.459 --> 00:25:48.768
wiped off of us.
00:25:48.792 --> 00:25:49.976 position:20%
When we experience trauma,
00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:54.393
it like layers on us
a spiritual energy,
00:25:54.417 --> 00:25:55.768
and it's layered and layered.
00:25:55.792 --> 00:25:59.268
And now it's about 200 years
of layers on me,
00:25:59.292 --> 00:26:04.602
because my grandmas
and my grandpas weren't able
00:26:04.626 --> 00:26:06.976
to hold those ceremonies
and wipe it off.
00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:09.602
So it's getting passed down,
and passed down,
00:26:09.626 --> 00:26:10.268
and passed down,
00:26:10.292 --> 00:26:12.560
and they call it
"intergenerational trauma" now.
00:26:12.584 --> 00:26:16.375
(Girl singing
in Lakota language)
00:27:04.626 --> 00:27:07.685
"The day after I killed myself,
I cried.
00:27:07.709 --> 00:27:08.435
I ran to the morgue
00:27:08.459 --> 00:27:10.727
and tried talking some sense
into that girl,
00:27:10.751 --> 00:27:13.727
trying to tell her to wake up.
00:27:13.751 --> 00:27:14.894
She wouldn't.
00:27:14.918 --> 00:27:19.999
The day before I killed myself,
I fell in love with life.
00:27:20.999 --> 00:27:24.143
The minute
before I killed myself,
00:27:24.167 --> 00:27:26.792
I couldn't do it."
00:27:27.626 --> 00:27:29.975
"Why does it feel
like no one cares about her
00:27:29.999 --> 00:27:31.975
or no one loves her
or anything?
00:27:31.999 --> 00:27:35.351
Why bright sunny days turned
into dark stormy nights?
00:27:35.375 --> 00:27:37.976
She always asked herself,
'Why do I get picked on?
00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:40.935
Why am I the one that has
to go through the worse?
00:27:40.959 --> 00:27:42.810
Why this, why that?'"
00:27:42.834 --> 00:27:46.894
There's so many suicides
on the reservation that it's--
00:27:46.918 --> 00:27:48.143
It's not even funny.
00:27:48.167 --> 00:27:53.393
There was a suicide,
a mass suicide in January
00:27:53.417 --> 00:27:55.894
to March, last year.
00:27:55.918 --> 00:27:58.560
And one of my friends,
Alanie Martin,
00:27:58.584 --> 00:27:59.975
passed away in that.
00:27:59.999 --> 00:28:03.476
She was the first one
to commit suicide.
00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:05.643
And it was painful.
00:28:05.667 --> 00:28:10.018
I saw a lot of my friends hit
that extreme rock-bottom
00:28:10.042 --> 00:28:11.268
and they didn't know what to do
00:28:11.292 --> 00:28:13.975
after those mass suicides
happened and...
00:28:13.999 --> 00:28:14.560
Me honestly,
00:28:14.584 --> 00:28:15.768
I don't want anyone
to feel like that,
00:28:15.792 --> 00:28:19.975
because it's really sad,
and it's hurtful,
00:28:19.999 --> 00:28:23.101
and sometimes
I blame myself for it.
00:28:23.125 --> 00:28:25.975
Like I could've been there
for that person more
00:28:25.999 --> 00:28:29.975
or could have done more
to stop them do it.
00:28:29.999 --> 00:28:35.999
And me and my family were
really affected by um--
00:28:37.459 --> 00:28:41.918
Affected by when my cousin
committed suicide.
00:28:42.083 --> 00:28:44.894
"After doing all that,
she finally found herself
00:28:44.918 --> 00:28:46.310
after crying, screaming.
00:28:46.334 --> 00:28:49.435
She talked to the one person
that was always there for her.
00:28:49.459 --> 00:28:51.393 position:20%
She felt better after that.
00:28:51.417 --> 00:28:51.975
Until this day,
00:28:51.999 --> 00:28:54.852
after six long years
of fighting battles,
00:28:54.876 --> 00:28:56.602
she's still here.
00:28:56.626 --> 00:28:57.810
She's still standing strong,
00:28:57.834 --> 00:29:00.310
showing and proving
everyone wrong.
00:29:00.334 --> 00:29:01.393
Thank her for never leaving,
00:29:01.417 --> 00:29:03.310
thank her for still believing
in faith,
00:29:03.334 --> 00:29:06.975
because this young woman
you may ask of is me.
00:29:06.999 --> 00:29:08.584
I'm still here."
00:29:11.083 --> 00:29:15.059
There's a reason
that the kids today think
00:29:15.083 --> 00:29:17.643
that they have
to kill themselves
00:29:17.667 --> 00:29:19.810
and it's because
they don't think
00:29:19.834 --> 00:29:24.768
that they receive the love
that should be granted to them,
00:29:24.792 --> 00:29:28.975
because if you're gonna bring
somebody into this world,
00:29:28.999 --> 00:29:31.894
like the least you can do is
stay there
00:29:31.918 --> 00:29:34.975
and help them
through the early stages.
00:29:34.999 --> 00:29:38.975
People here who could have
taken their experiences
00:29:38.999 --> 00:29:39.935
and their challenges,
00:29:39.959 --> 00:29:42.518
and turned it into something
good for themselves,
00:29:42.542 --> 00:29:46.975
and I really wish that we could
learn from our mistakes.
00:29:46.999 --> 00:29:47.975
It's not cool, man.
00:29:47.999 --> 00:29:49.975 position:20%
You need to love yourself.
00:29:49.999 --> 00:29:51.935
I mean how far or-- I feel
like all these problems,
00:29:51.959 --> 00:29:53.975
that a lot of these kids have,
will go away
00:29:53.999 --> 00:29:55.310
if they learn
to love themselves.
00:29:55.334 --> 00:29:59.768
I know what it's like
to lose somebody to suicide
00:29:59.792 --> 00:30:02.602
and...
00:30:02.626 --> 00:30:04.935
And I just want people
to know that that's--
00:30:04.959 --> 00:30:09.975
that's not-- that's not--
it's not okay
00:30:09.999 --> 00:30:14.125
and that that shouldn't be
an option.
00:30:15.626 --> 00:30:17.101
Sometimes the adults
don't understand.
00:30:17.125 --> 00:30:19.143
They expect us to come out
and talk to us.
00:30:19.167 --> 00:30:22.268
Like some people like me,
it's easy to us,
00:30:22.292 --> 00:30:23.476
because we're comfortable
with it.
00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:26.476
But there are some kids
out there that use cutting,
00:30:26.500 --> 00:30:28.976
alcohol, and drugs
as their way of escape.
00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:30.975
I know, because I did it, too.
00:30:30.999 --> 00:30:33.476
But they just need to understand
00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:35.268
that it's the life that
they're stuck in
00:30:35.292 --> 00:30:37.476
that makes them wanna leave.
00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:42.975
The suicide is a high epidemic,
because of the sexual abuse,
00:30:42.999 --> 00:30:44.518
the drug abuse,
the physical abuse,
00:30:44.542 --> 00:30:48.709
and the emotional abuse
that's thrown around out here.
00:30:48.999 --> 00:30:52.999
(Woman speaking
in Lakota language)
00:31:54.292 --> 00:31:55.393
WOMAN 1:
The prayers for all the youth
00:31:55.417 --> 00:32:00.852
and in fact I was just gonna
you know, for our youth
00:32:00.876 --> 00:32:04.643
and here it came to the world.
00:32:04.667 --> 00:32:06.059
I don't know how that happened.
00:32:06.083 --> 00:32:09.894
So it's all the youth
in the world,
00:32:09.918 --> 00:32:12.560
so that they can have
the knowledge
00:32:12.584 --> 00:32:16.975
and to wipe out any thoughts
of leaving before their time,
00:32:16.999 --> 00:32:20.975
because they have something good
to offer.
00:32:20.999 --> 00:32:24.101
They still have a life ahead
of them
00:32:24.125 --> 00:32:26.643
and that people would need them.
00:32:26.667 --> 00:32:31.476
So any way to wipe out
the bad thoughts
00:32:31.500 --> 00:32:36.518
and the thoughts of leaving us
ahead of time,
00:32:36.542 --> 00:32:39.976
and then to give them
the understanding
00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:43.351
and the strength to carry on
00:32:43.375 --> 00:32:46.643
and do what it is
that they have to do.
00:32:46.667 --> 00:32:48.226
'Cause there are
so many possibilities
00:32:48.250 --> 00:32:51.685
and there's no like limitations
or boundaries
00:32:51.709 --> 00:32:56.975
as to what is out there
and what we can do.
00:32:56.999 --> 00:33:03.125
But I think that belief
and hope is one of the most
00:33:04.375 --> 00:33:08.518
like important
and necessary things to have.
00:33:08.542 --> 00:33:13.685
With the student council,
we are-- we are doing
00:33:13.709 --> 00:33:18.476
a couple of programs
where we're aiming
00:33:18.500 --> 00:33:21.518
to help the community around us.
00:33:21.542 --> 00:33:26.393
and one of the programs
that we plan on doing,
00:33:26.417 --> 00:33:31.351
we're still in the process of it
is we plan to provide
00:33:31.375 --> 00:33:36.768
and sponsor more outlets
for kids to express themselves.
00:33:36.792 --> 00:33:40.518
And when kids
express themselves,
00:33:40.542 --> 00:33:41.685
they feel better,
00:33:41.709 --> 00:33:46.602
and when you feel better,
you're more happy.
00:33:46.626 --> 00:33:47.226
(Chuckles)
00:33:47.250 --> 00:33:52.834
It's called "There is Hope"
and it is basically...
00:33:54.542 --> 00:33:56.143
...just...
00:33:56.167 --> 00:34:02.018
...um, trying to prevent suicide
as many ways as we can.
00:34:02.042 --> 00:34:05.476
What motivates me is
that you know, I won't--
00:34:05.500 --> 00:34:09.185
When I leave here, when I--
I'm graduating this year
00:34:09.209 --> 00:34:12.185
and when I leave I wanna be able
to say you know,
00:34:12.209 --> 00:34:13.976
"That was me that put
that vending machine there.
00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:15.935
Me and my student council,
we did that,
00:34:15.959 --> 00:34:16.975
we worked hard for that.
00:34:16.999 --> 00:34:21.268
And what really, really
motivates me is you know,
00:34:21.292 --> 00:34:23.810
the fact that
I'll make a change is
00:34:23.834 --> 00:34:25.976
that I can have
that under my belt.
00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:28.685
Like it may be hard
and it may be--
00:34:28.709 --> 00:34:30.894
I always think of things
as "It's hard right now,
00:34:30.918 --> 00:34:32.059
but if you get it done,
then it's easy."
00:34:32.083 --> 00:34:35.018
We're trying to become
that leader again
00:34:35.042 --> 00:34:36.894
to show
that we have leaders again,
00:34:36.918 --> 00:34:39.935
to show that there's leadership
in-- inflicting in our lives,
00:34:39.959 --> 00:34:43.393
and that we're gaining a lot
of leadership characteristics
00:34:43.417 --> 00:34:44.351
to help our people.
00:34:44.375 --> 00:34:46.393
I put on
a big basketball tournament
00:34:46.417 --> 00:34:48.975
for all the youth
to come together
00:34:48.999 --> 00:34:52.810
and um, be here, and hang out,
and have fun.
00:34:52.834 --> 00:34:55.975
Um, eat, because a lot--
around here there isn't
00:34:55.999 --> 00:34:59.975 position:20%
that many young kids that get
to eat a meal every night,
00:34:59.999 --> 00:35:01.185
so we fed.
00:35:01.209 --> 00:35:03.975
And not only was it
a tournament,
00:35:03.999 --> 00:35:07.975
we also had like booths
around the gym
00:35:07.999 --> 00:35:10.643
with like information
about suicide
00:35:10.667 --> 00:35:13.351
or who to talk to
and all that.
00:35:13.375 --> 00:35:16.810
And we also had people
00:35:16.834 --> 00:35:18.560
with their experiences
from suicide,
00:35:18.584 --> 00:35:20.975
so we had parents
that lost children
00:35:20.999 --> 00:35:25.310
to suicide here
talking to the participants
00:35:25.334 --> 00:35:25.975
of the tournament.
00:35:25.999 --> 00:35:29.602
When I look at my generation,
I see a lot of hope in them.
00:35:29.626 --> 00:35:32.059
I see a lot of people
that have every characteristic
00:35:32.083 --> 00:35:32.975
to excel to greatness
00:35:32.999 --> 00:35:34.975
and to achieve
what they wanna achieve.
00:35:34.999 --> 00:35:35.975
Yeah, there's a lot of people
00:35:35.999 --> 00:35:39.852
that probably can't find
the strength
00:35:39.876 --> 00:35:42.185
to make 'em achieve
what they wanna achieve,
00:35:42.209 --> 00:35:43.185
but it's there, it's within 'em.
00:35:43.209 --> 00:35:45.768
All they need is a little push,
a little nudge.
00:35:45.792 --> 00:35:48.685
And it turned out
to be a really big success,
00:35:48.709 --> 00:35:52.975
because all I seen was smiles,
and smiles, and smiles.
00:35:52.999 --> 00:35:54.685
And that's what I really enjoyed
00:35:54.709 --> 00:35:56.975
and that's what we need is
more positive.
00:35:56.999 --> 00:36:00.059
TARRIAH:
Personally, I found a lot
of my strength from my roots,
00:36:00.083 --> 00:36:03.975
and from my ancestors,
and from you know,
00:36:03.999 --> 00:36:05.727
the very blood
that runs through my veins,
00:36:05.751 --> 00:36:08.975
and that's what inspires me
and it gives me hope,
00:36:08.999 --> 00:36:13.560
because I know
that as an indigenous person,
00:36:13.584 --> 00:36:17.560
there-- you know, every year--
like with every generation,
00:36:17.584 --> 00:36:22.518
we're losing our ways,
and we're losing our traditions,
00:36:22.542 --> 00:36:23.602
and our teachings.
00:36:23.626 --> 00:36:24.518
And so that gives me hope
00:36:24.542 --> 00:36:29.935
and it gives me-- a spark
within me to continue
00:36:29.959 --> 00:36:32.143
to fight for like what we have
00:36:32.167 --> 00:36:34.975
and what my ancestors have
fight for.
00:36:34.999 --> 00:36:41.000
DELORES:
I want my children to go back
into their traditional ways.
00:36:41.584 --> 00:36:42.310
WARREN:
Waunsila,
00:36:42.334 --> 00:36:45.975
and that's caring and compassion
for one another and--
00:36:45.999 --> 00:36:50.101
But if we look at the values,
each one of the values is--
00:36:50.125 --> 00:36:51.976
That's what
our ancestors gave us.
00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:55.518
That was the-- to me
the treasure that they gave us.
00:36:55.542 --> 00:36:58.975
If we practice those values,
it's a way to live.
00:36:58.999 --> 00:37:02.975
It's a way to live life
and how to treat each other.
00:37:02.999 --> 00:37:06.101
BIRGIL:
There's many stories
00:37:06.125 --> 00:37:09.435
why the people live as they do,
00:37:09.459 --> 00:37:11.975
why the animals who they are,
00:37:11.999 --> 00:37:15.643
what kinda spirit they have,
and why they're here for.
00:37:15.667 --> 00:37:20.560
And even the fish have
their own stories.
00:37:20.584 --> 00:37:22.852
The birds have
their own stories.
00:37:22.876 --> 00:37:25.975
The eagle is the most--
the paramount
00:37:25.999 --> 00:37:29.975
of all the flying creatures.
00:37:29.999 --> 00:37:34.975
He, the eagle, communicates
to the First Creator,
00:37:34.999 --> 00:37:36.935
the First Grandfather,
because he's--
00:37:36.959 --> 00:37:40.226
He can fly the highest
and go into the heaven
00:37:40.250 --> 00:37:41.310
to talk to him.
00:37:41.334 --> 00:37:44.435
He used to take care
of the grandchildren
00:37:44.459 --> 00:37:46.999
and the children.
00:37:47.459 --> 00:37:53.459
And he said he was gonna
come back as an eagle.
00:37:54.042 --> 00:37:59.143
He said-- one day he said,
"I'll come back as an eagle
00:37:59.167 --> 00:38:01.584
and you--
00:38:03.125 --> 00:38:05.999
You'll always see me."
00:38:08.375 --> 00:38:13.999
So when I see a eagle,
I know it's him.
00:38:14.709 --> 00:38:20.834
Our creation stories,
those are really important,
00:38:21.083 --> 00:38:25.435
so it gives those kids a base
of where they come from.
00:38:25.459 --> 00:38:27.018
So we could
keep our tradition alive
00:38:27.042 --> 00:38:28.975
and bring back
our Lakota language,
00:38:28.999 --> 00:38:33.185
that's the biggest thing
and problem that's going on
00:38:33.209 --> 00:38:34.393
in our culture right now.
00:38:34.417 --> 00:38:38.393
I am-- I'm part
of a very cultural family
00:38:38.417 --> 00:38:40.975
um, a very traditional family,
one of the--
00:38:40.999 --> 00:38:43.435
one of the few families
that know the Lakota language.
00:38:43.459 --> 00:38:46.852 position:20%
So growing up into that family,
it's just-- just-- I guess
00:38:46.876 --> 00:38:50.268 position:20%
it's just constructed
into my mind, and my body,
00:38:50.292 --> 00:38:50.975
and my soul.
00:38:50.999 --> 00:38:52.976
That's how our language is
composed.
00:38:53.000 --> 00:38:55.351 position:20%
It is--
it's syllable by syllable.
00:38:55.375 --> 00:38:57.226
Every one of them has
direct meaning,
00:38:57.250 --> 00:38:59.975
but it's always tied
into something organic
00:38:59.999 --> 00:39:04.518
and something that is alive,
like a human being or an animal
00:39:04.542 --> 00:39:09.975
or a flower or you know,
whatever has life.
00:39:09.999 --> 00:39:13.975
God, the First Grandfather,
which is the Creator
00:39:13.999 --> 00:39:17.975
or God gave life
to whatever that is.
00:39:17.999 --> 00:39:19.059
A really cool motto.
00:39:19.083 --> 00:39:20.435
It goes, "Wana hey lo".
00:39:20.459 --> 00:39:23.727
It means "right now,
in this moment".
00:39:23.751 --> 00:39:28.476
And it's a really cool motto,
because we should
00:39:28.500 --> 00:39:30.768
do the best we can
in this moment,
00:39:30.792 --> 00:39:32.975
and if we do that,
then we'll put ourselves
00:39:32.999 --> 00:39:35.226
in a better position
in the future.
00:39:35.250 --> 00:39:39.018 position:20%
Our saying "Hoka hey",
"it is a good day to die".
00:39:39.042 --> 00:39:40.768
Would you fuck
with somebody who--
00:39:40.792 --> 00:39:43.975 position:20%
That's your saying,
"It is a good day to die"?
00:39:43.999 --> 00:39:48.226
And I live by "blihic'iyapo",
which means "take courage".
00:39:48.250 --> 00:39:52.685
Take courage and just--
it just means take courage.
00:39:52.709 --> 00:39:54.935
Blihic'iyapo, take courage.
00:39:54.959 --> 00:39:58.768
It's the center of everything
00:39:58.792 --> 00:40:00.894
and without courage,
you won't be able to do much.
00:40:00.918 --> 00:40:03.727
And another one I live by is
"nake nula waun"
00:40:03.751 --> 00:40:05.310
and that means
"you don't know how long you're
00:40:05.334 --> 00:40:06.268
gonna live.
00:40:06.292 --> 00:40:07.101 position:20%
Your life's unpredictable.
00:40:07.125 --> 00:40:08.018
You don't know
what's gonna happen."
00:40:08.042 --> 00:40:11.975
Nake nula waun, it's a--
it's a very good warrior term.
00:40:11.999 --> 00:40:14.810
The language is what makes us
who we are.
00:40:14.834 --> 00:40:16.226
And so if you forget
this language
00:40:16.250 --> 00:40:18.975
or if you stop speaking
this language
00:40:18.999 --> 00:40:20.643
or if you don't believe
in this language--
00:40:20.667 --> 00:40:21.101
(Clears throat)
00:40:21.125 --> 00:40:24.476
Then you have just moved away
from being a Lakota.
00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:27.560 position:20%
You could be a full-blood,
full-force Indian like me,
00:40:27.584 --> 00:40:31.268
but if I don't believe
in those seven laws,
00:40:31.292 --> 00:40:33.185 position:20%
I'm just a brown white man.
00:40:33.209 --> 00:40:33.975
Yeah.
00:40:33.999 --> 00:40:37.834
(Dionna singing
in Lakota language)
00:41:36.834 --> 00:41:38.852
OITANCAN:
The culture brings strength.
00:41:38.876 --> 00:41:41.975
And when we say the culture,
it's not a religion,
00:41:41.999 --> 00:41:42.975
it never was.
00:41:42.999 --> 00:41:44.268
It's a way of life.
00:41:44.292 --> 00:41:46.975
The drumming, the singing,
the prayers--
00:41:46.999 --> 00:41:49.101
Prayer's a daily thing.
00:41:49.125 --> 00:41:51.643
WELDON:
They help you through
like if you're sick,
00:41:51.667 --> 00:41:53.975
if you're feeling sad,
if you're--
00:41:53.999 --> 00:41:54.976
Like if you need someone
to talk to,
00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:58.975
then you can like pray about it
and then just--
00:41:58.999 --> 00:42:02.768
They help you a lot, no matter
whatever obstacle you have,
00:42:02.792 --> 00:42:07.643
like if you-- the traditions
will help you no matter what.
00:42:07.667 --> 00:42:09.727
Even if you think they don't,
they will.
00:42:09.751 --> 00:42:10.351
It just takes time.
00:42:10.375 --> 00:42:13.643
OITANCAN:
Because of those deep-rooted
spiritual connections
00:42:13.667 --> 00:42:17.476
that keep us alive,
that's really what it's about,
00:42:17.500 --> 00:42:23.500
because without prayer,
I wouldn't be alive.
00:42:24.417 --> 00:42:29.393
You know, white man would say,
"I'll believe it when I see it"
00:42:29.417 --> 00:42:29.976
you know?
00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:33.894
And for us, it's,
"I'll see it when I believe it."
00:42:33.918 --> 00:42:37.476
And there is-- we have like
ceremonies
00:42:37.500 --> 00:42:38.685
and like these traditions
00:42:38.709 --> 00:42:42.602
where a lot of it is involved in
being in complete darkness.
00:42:42.626 --> 00:42:43.727
To me it's really important,
00:42:43.751 --> 00:42:47.643
because it helps me find ways
00:42:47.667 --> 00:42:49.560
I could I guess vent.
00:42:49.584 --> 00:42:52.935
When you're
going through your hard times
00:42:52.959 --> 00:42:54.975
and you know, like feeling sad
and everything,
00:42:54.999 --> 00:42:59.935
prayer is one of our biggest
um, go-tos I guess
00:42:59.959 --> 00:43:04.435
and it really helps me a lot,
especially going in sweats.
00:43:04.459 --> 00:43:06.852
So Inipi is
the sweat lodge ceremony
00:43:06.876 --> 00:43:10.185
and it's um, it's a--
it's where we go
00:43:10.209 --> 00:43:15.560
into like this little lodge
and there is rocks in them,
00:43:15.584 --> 00:43:17.685 position:20%
altar-- like in the middle.
00:43:17.709 --> 00:43:18.310
And we go in
00:43:18.334 --> 00:43:19.768
and like they pour water
on the rocks,
00:43:19.792 --> 00:43:24.727
and then like that's called--
it's like a sweat bath
00:43:24.751 --> 00:43:25.018
basically.
00:43:25.042 --> 00:43:27.975
And like it's just a lot of
like singing and praying.
00:43:27.999 --> 00:43:31.059
You know,
I got to meet all of the elders
00:43:31.083 --> 00:43:33.226
and it wasn't practiced.
00:43:33.250 --> 00:43:38.476
Sun Dances only came back
around the last 30 years,
00:43:38.500 --> 00:43:40.975
40 years,
and that's not a long time.
00:43:40.999 --> 00:43:45.435
I've been Sun Dancing
for 10 years now.
00:43:45.459 --> 00:43:50.518
And for-- for me it's very hard,
because I go days--
00:43:50.542 --> 00:43:54.602
four days without drinking
or eating anything.
00:43:54.626 --> 00:43:56.768
And whenever someone's sick
in my family,
00:43:56.792 --> 00:43:58.976
I just go out there and I dance.
00:43:59.000 --> 00:44:01.602
And it's the hardest thing ever.
00:44:01.626 --> 00:44:03.976
And during Sun Dances,
there is like a lot of spirits
00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:06.852
that come around
and that bother--
00:44:06.876 --> 00:44:07.727
That bother us sometimes.
00:44:07.751 --> 00:44:10.975
It's a good experience just
being around like other family,
00:44:10.999 --> 00:44:16.876
other people that all follow
the traditional stuff.
00:44:16.999 --> 00:44:18.685
Like being active
with your culture,
00:44:18.709 --> 00:44:19.975
everybody's culture--
00:44:19.999 --> 00:44:21.018
(Clears throat)
00:44:21.042 --> 00:44:22.810
At Sun Dance.
00:44:22.834 --> 00:44:26.975
And that's what I like most
about it.
00:44:26.999 --> 00:44:28.310
It humbled me.
00:44:28.334 --> 00:44:32.393
And you ask, God, the Creator,
00:44:32.417 --> 00:44:34.852
ask to give the parents
00:44:34.876 --> 00:44:37.975
or whoever is sick
in your family, strength again.
00:44:37.999 --> 00:44:40.975
You know, our Sun Dance is held
at the end of June,
00:44:40.999 --> 00:44:44.768
the battle of Little Bighorn
to win.
00:44:44.792 --> 00:44:46.018
Shit goes down, it's a battle.
00:44:46.042 --> 00:44:48.852 position:20%
It ain't no peaceful
"Oh, I love you, Creator",
00:44:48.876 --> 00:44:54.143
It's battle against sickness,
against when we took out Custer,
00:44:54.167 --> 00:44:56.975
and Custer comes back
every year.
00:44:56.999 --> 00:45:01.059
And that scariness,
that evilness, that demon shit,
00:45:01.083 --> 00:45:04.310
that cancer,
the stuff that pisses you off
00:45:04.334 --> 00:45:06.310
and you can't do nothing
about it.
00:45:06.334 --> 00:45:08.975
But it's there
and you gotta battle it.
00:45:08.999 --> 00:45:12.393
Without the healing I received
00:45:12.417 --> 00:45:16.935
from our ceremonies for PTSD
00:45:16.959 --> 00:45:20.602
that I've experienced
in Afghanistan,
00:45:20.626 --> 00:45:22.435
I probably wouldn't be
here today.
00:45:22.459 --> 00:45:24.894
I'd probably be in prison
or I'd be dead.
00:45:24.918 --> 00:45:29.101 position:20%
Whenever I come out of a
ceremony, I feel refreshed
00:45:29.125 --> 00:45:31.518
and just good,
00:45:31.542 --> 00:45:34.000
because it is like--
00:45:34.999 --> 00:45:37.975
it gives a lot of energy to you
00:45:37.999 --> 00:45:40.143
and it's positive energy.
00:45:40.167 --> 00:45:44.351
And it just like takes away
all the badness from you.
00:45:44.375 --> 00:45:47.768
Oh, it's so cool to see,
even here in the high school
00:45:47.792 --> 00:45:49.435
I see all these little girls.
00:45:49.459 --> 00:45:51.975
I think so many of 'em need
to go through this ceremony
00:45:51.999 --> 00:45:54.310
you know, just to bring
that little girl out of them,
00:45:54.334 --> 00:45:57.185
because they're going,
they're still a little girl
00:45:57.209 --> 00:46:01.518 position:20%
and trying to make
adult decisions, you know?
00:46:01.542 --> 00:46:05.059
And so if we can put
that back in there for them,
00:46:05.083 --> 00:46:06.975
then their
decision-making skills
00:46:06.999 --> 00:46:08.310 position:20%
would be better, you know.
00:46:08.334 --> 00:46:12.125
(Boys singing
in Lakota language)
00:47:33.876 --> 00:47:37.185
TARRIAH:
If you think about it, we're--
as Lakota people,
00:47:37.209 --> 00:47:40.059
we're survivors
and we've been surviving
00:47:40.083 --> 00:47:42.310
for you know,
thousands of years.
00:47:42.334 --> 00:47:47.935 position:20%
But you know, today we're
fighting different battles
00:47:47.959 --> 00:47:49.975
than our ancestors did.
00:47:49.999 --> 00:47:50.727 line:20%
Like-- (Clears throat)
00:47:50.751 --> 00:47:53.351
With our cluster of suicides,
it was like hopelessness,
00:47:53.375 --> 00:47:55.685 position:20%
hopelessness, hopelessness.
00:47:55.709 --> 00:48:00.268
Now it's like they're finding
it within themselves
00:48:00.292 --> 00:48:04.602
rather than depending
on the outside.
00:48:04.626 --> 00:48:06.685
And don't-- don't be down,
you know?
00:48:06.709 --> 00:48:07.143
Keep your head up.
00:48:07.167 --> 00:48:09.852 position:20%
Don't let-- don't let envi--
don't let your environment
00:48:09.876 --> 00:48:12.268
bring you down unless you
allow it to, you know?
00:48:12.292 --> 00:48:16.975
Just stay with the good mindset
and just live life you know,
00:48:16.999 --> 00:48:20.685
even though it's hard,
'cause life is hard.
00:48:20.709 --> 00:48:24.975
I see a lot of change happening
00:48:24.999 --> 00:48:26.685
from the inside of our students.
00:48:26.709 --> 00:48:30.476
Like a lot of 'em are
pursuing college a lot more.
00:48:30.500 --> 00:48:36.250
They're-- I just see
a move back towards culture.
00:48:36.584 --> 00:48:42.000
When we speak
about being a warrior,
00:48:42.375 --> 00:48:45.975
we all-- all of us are warriors.
00:48:45.999 --> 00:48:48.226
It's in our DNA
and we can tap into that.
00:48:48.250 --> 00:48:50.602
And if we-- if we can find
that within ourselves,
00:48:50.626 --> 00:48:55.975
we can bring back the warriors
that-- that we once were.
00:48:55.999 --> 00:48:58.894
To me, being a Lakota warrior is
00:48:58.918 --> 00:48:59.975
not only providing
for your family
00:48:59.999 --> 00:49:01.185
but providing
for your community,
00:49:01.209 --> 00:49:06.435
for your people, for your tribe,
for the surroundings, for--
00:49:06.459 --> 00:49:08.226
And in this modernized world,
00:49:08.250 --> 00:49:10.351
being a Lakota warrior isn't
just sticking up
00:49:10.375 --> 00:49:11.518 position:20%
for your own tribe anymore.
00:49:11.542 --> 00:49:15.018
It's sticking up
for every minority,
00:49:15.042 --> 00:49:16.976
'cause then the only way
we can-- we minorities
00:49:17.000 --> 00:49:19.393
can stick together is
if we all watch each other,
00:49:19.417 --> 00:49:23.018
so we can contend
with the majorities around.
00:49:23.042 --> 00:49:25.143
So being a Lakota warrior is
a lot more
00:49:25.167 --> 00:49:26.975
than just protecting
your own people,
00:49:26.999 --> 00:49:28.975
a lot more than just protecting
your own skin color.
00:49:28.999 --> 00:49:33.476
Being a Lakota warrior now is
protecting who you call family,
00:49:33.500 --> 00:49:34.059 position:20%
who you wanna call family.
00:49:34.083 --> 00:49:37.975
Remember ourselves,
put ourselves back together.
00:49:37.999 --> 00:49:43.542
That's the only way
that we can save ourselves.
00:49:43.999 --> 00:49:45.976
They are warriors.
00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:49.042
They'll be warriors for God.
00:49:50.250 --> 00:49:53.351 position:20%
You know, to sacrifi--
like to lay down your life
00:49:53.375 --> 00:49:57.518
for something you believe in
which is what our ancestors did
00:49:57.542 --> 00:49:59.518
and that's you know,
00:49:59.542 --> 00:50:01.143
that itself is
something beautiful
00:50:01.167 --> 00:50:04.852
to sacrifice yourself
for you know,
00:50:04.876 --> 00:50:06.292
the bigger picture.
00:50:06.999 --> 00:50:09.643
It's a lot of sacrifices
in our way of life
00:50:09.667 --> 00:50:13.602
and for some sacrifices
or with every sacrifice,
00:50:13.626 --> 00:50:14.935
a lot of great things
also happen.
00:50:14.959 --> 00:50:18.976
So it's not you wanting
to believe in that way of life,
00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:21.643
it's that way of life wanting
to believe in you.
00:50:21.667 --> 00:50:24.975
I really like--
I love helping people.
00:50:24.999 --> 00:50:27.185
And then
I love making people happy.
00:50:27.209 --> 00:50:30.768
So yeah, I wanna help people.
00:50:30.792 --> 00:50:32.643
It's called "mitákuye oyás'i".
00:50:32.667 --> 00:50:34.435
That means "we're all related"
00:50:34.459 --> 00:50:37.018
and that's what being
a Lakota warrior is.
00:50:37.042 --> 00:50:41.727
It is protecting everyone
and anything, all living things,
00:50:41.751 --> 00:50:47.185
theMakoché, the Earth,
thewamakashka, the animals.
00:50:47.209 --> 00:50:49.685
Protecting any living thing,
00:50:49.709 --> 00:50:51.602
that's something
a Lakota warrior is.
00:50:51.626 --> 00:50:53.143
ThePte Oyateas we say.
00:50:53.167 --> 00:50:55.975
ThePte Oyateare
the Buffalo People.
00:50:55.999 --> 00:50:57.810
We call ourselves
the "Buffalo People",
00:50:57.834 --> 00:50:59.975
because of you know,
00:50:59.999 --> 00:51:02.935
I think everybody
who knows about us knows
00:51:02.959 --> 00:51:04.476
that we lived off the buffalo.
00:51:04.500 --> 00:51:05.435 position:20%
They were everything to us.
00:51:05.459 --> 00:51:06.810
They were our food,
they were our shelter,
00:51:06.834 --> 00:51:09.810
they were our tools,
they were our hunting weapons,
00:51:09.834 --> 00:51:11.975
they were our everything.
00:51:11.999 --> 00:51:13.852
Because it's who we are
00:51:13.876 --> 00:51:16.727
and because our ancestors did it
long time ago,
00:51:16.751 --> 00:51:20.685
and it's mainly just--
it's just who we are.
00:51:20.709 --> 00:51:22.476
They are us, we are them.
00:51:22.500 --> 00:51:25.727
And some of the elders say
that the only reason
00:51:25.751 --> 00:51:29.976
why thewasi'chu
didn't wipe us out,
00:51:30.000 --> 00:51:33.685
totally kill us
whenever we were at war,
00:51:33.709 --> 00:51:36.226
it was
because the buffalo stepped in
00:51:36.250 --> 00:51:38.810
between us and them.
00:51:38.834 --> 00:51:41.226
Now what happened
to the buffalo?
00:51:41.250 --> 00:51:42.975 position:20%
They were almost wiped out.
00:51:42.999 --> 00:51:45.975
Almost wiped out.
00:51:45.999 --> 00:51:48.375
Now...
00:51:51.292 --> 00:51:52.643
(Sighs)
00:51:52.667 --> 00:51:55.999
(Sobbing)
00:51:59.751 --> 00:52:01.435
You know, you see what I mean?
00:52:01.459 --> 00:52:03.560
These you know, these...
00:52:03.584 --> 00:52:05.975
(Sobbing)
00:52:05.999 --> 00:52:06.975
These tears, these are the--
00:52:06.999 --> 00:52:11.959
This is the relationship we have
with them.
00:52:12.999 --> 00:52:15.999
We are them, they are us.
00:52:16.834 --> 00:52:21.584
Our relatives were
almost killed.
00:52:22.042 --> 00:52:24.584
They saved us.
00:52:25.876 --> 00:52:27.975
They'll be back though.
00:52:27.999 --> 00:52:29.727
We'll be back.
00:52:29.751 --> 00:52:32.351
We'll be strong again someday.
00:52:32.375 --> 00:52:32.975
(Sighs)
00:52:32.999 --> 00:52:35.476
I just want things
to get better.
00:52:35.500 --> 00:52:36.894
That's all.
00:52:36.918 --> 00:52:38.999
That's all I want, man.
00:52:40.042 --> 00:52:42.185
I am only one leaf
upon the tree of life
00:52:42.209 --> 00:52:43.975
that my Lakota people represent
00:52:43.999 --> 00:52:47.975
and amongst me are
hundreds and thousands of more
00:52:47.999 --> 00:52:50.602
waiting to be heard.
00:52:50.626 --> 00:52:51.476
(Sighs)
00:52:51.500 --> 00:52:57.393
(♪♪♪)
00:52:57.417 --> 00:52:59.975
♪ I woke up with the stars ♪
00:52:59.999 --> 00:53:04.143
♪ And I rose to the sun ♪
00:53:04.167 --> 00:53:06.727
♪ I saddled up my horse ♪
00:53:06.751 --> 00:53:11.101 position:20%
♪ And I holstered my gun ♪
00:53:11.125 --> 00:53:13.560 position:20%
♪ Rowed on down the river ♪
00:53:13.584 --> 00:53:17.000
♪ To see where they're goin' ♪
00:53:19.000 --> 00:53:21.685
♪ As I'm
a green-eyed Lakota boy ♪
00:53:21.709 --> 00:53:25.643 position:20%
♪ And I'm hunting someone ♪
00:53:25.667 --> 00:53:28.643
♪ I winded
through the Badlands ♪
00:53:28.667 --> 00:53:32.727
♪ Just yesterday ♪
00:53:32.751 --> 00:53:35.018
♪ A battle at the hills ♪
00:53:35.042 --> 00:53:39.560
♪ Of the 7th Cavalry ♪
00:53:39.584 --> 00:53:42.143
♪ But they don't have a clue ♪
00:53:42.167 --> 00:53:44.975
♪ What I'm hoping to do ♪
00:53:44.999 --> 00:53:47.185 position:20%
♪ Scalp that damn general ♪
00:53:47.209 --> 00:53:51.894
♪ And that's my point of view ♪
00:53:51.918 --> 00:53:54.602
♪ As I've been on his trail ♪
00:53:54.626 --> 00:53:57.310 position:20%
♪ Since I was just a kid ♪
00:53:57.334 --> 00:53:59.435
♪ Trying to kill that devil ♪
00:53:59.459 --> 00:54:02.975
♪ For all the things
that he did ♪
00:54:02.999 --> 00:54:05.643
♪ And I'll be damned ♪
00:54:05.667 --> 00:54:08.852
♪ If I quit before
I see him dead ♪
00:54:08.876 --> 00:54:11.143
♪ I'll be the man ♪
00:54:11.167 --> 00:54:15.643
♪ To turn that brown-hair in ♪
00:54:15.667 --> 00:54:18.560 position:20%
♪ I followed the soldiers ♪
00:54:18.584 --> 00:54:22.518
♪ Out into the plains ♪
00:54:22.542 --> 00:54:25.560
♪ I watched him
at the campfires ♪
00:54:25.584 --> 00:54:29.643
♪ I whispered his name ♪
00:54:29.667 --> 00:54:32.351
♪ I should have took the shot ♪
00:54:32.375 --> 00:54:35.059
♪ When I had the chance ♪
00:54:35.083 --> 00:54:38.018
♪ 'Cause that's the last time ♪
00:54:38.042 --> 00:54:41.935
♪ That I'd even get a glance ♪
00:54:41.959 --> 00:54:44.935
♪ I walked out
on a battlefield ♪
00:54:44.959 --> 00:54:48.935
♪ The very next day ♪
00:54:48.959 --> 00:54:51.685
♪ Just a huntin'
and a searchin' ♪
00:54:51.709 --> 00:54:55.975
♪ It's making my way ♪
00:54:55.999 --> 00:54:58.643
♪ And they don't have a clue ♪
00:54:58.667 --> 00:55:01.351
♪ What I'm hoping to do ♪
00:55:01.375 --> 00:55:03.975 position:20%
♪ Scalp that damn general ♪
00:55:03.999 --> 00:55:08.310
♪ And that's my point of view ♪
00:55:08.334 --> 00:55:10.975
♪ As I've been on his trail ♪
00:55:10.999 --> 00:55:13.894
♪ Ever since I was just a kid ♪
00:55:13.918 --> 00:55:15.975
♪ Trying to kill that devil ♪
00:55:15.999 --> 00:55:19.476
♪ For all the things
that he did ♪
00:55:19.500 --> 00:55:21.975
♪ And I'll be damned ♪
00:55:21.999 --> 00:55:24.975
♪ If I quit
before I see him dead ♪
00:55:24.999 --> 00:55:26.975
♪ And I'll be the man ♪
00:55:26.999 --> 00:55:30.727
♪ To turn that brown-hair in ♪
00:55:30.751 --> 00:55:42.852
(♪♪♪)
00:55:42.876 --> 00:55:45.518 position:20%
♪ Women and the children ♪
00:55:45.542 --> 00:55:49.727
♪ Gathered around him ♪
00:55:49.751 --> 00:55:52.143
♪ When I walked up ♪
00:55:52.167 --> 00:55:56.393
♪ He was already dead ♪
00:55:56.417 --> 00:55:59.268
♪ General George Custer ♪
00:55:59.292 --> 00:56:01.975
♪ Is no longer alive ♪
00:56:01.999 --> 00:56:04.768
♪ I'm a green-eyed Lakota boy ♪
00:56:04.792 --> 00:56:09.125 position:20%
♪ It's a good day to die ♪
