OTL those are some of my relatives. I watched it, and not enough was covered to my satisfaction, especially that about 90% of them are also Diabetic.
How did it happen?
Crooked Indian Agents of the Fed Government that gave them rotten food and sold the good food supplied by the Government.
White folks that got great enjoyment out of getting the "Indian" drunk.
Those that were sent to school after being put on the reservation, were taken away from their parents. put in 'white' boarding schools, punished if they spoke their language, had to get their hair cut like a white man's.
And it is NOT just the Lakota. Take a look at Gallup NM. Outside of town is one of the BIG Navajo reservations, again terrible alcoholism. Chippewa in Wisconsin, Nez Perez in the Northwest. Shoshone in Nevada. Cherokee in Oklahoma. Apache here in NM. Zuni and Hopi also in NM. And on and on and on.
Sure some tribes have built casinos. But there again, they 'need' a 'white sponsor' with political pull to get the laws changed or new ones made. The reservations and pueblos that do have Casinos are doing a lot for the tribe. Getting the young ones educated, putting in sewage treatment plants, building homes for those on the reservation that actually have running water, electric and heat. But the tribes with no casinos or who are fighting to get them and being turned down time after time, continue to be the SHAME of this country.
Of those that get away from the reservation, and do somehow manage to get an education and become a productive member of society, many are fearful to go back and get 'sucked back in.'
My Native American Heritage was the DEEP DARK FAMILY SECRET, no one talked about it. However, my grandmother (full blooded Lakota, raised white, did to the grandchildren). Yes I am 1/4. My sister worked very hard at finding out the truth once she believed me as to what gramma had said and what she had named me. She was able to trace us back. Now both of Gramma children are in the books of the Sioux nation as 1/2 Lakota and all 5 of her grandchildren as 1/4 Lakota.
Since I have lived in the Southwest (over 20 years now) and really started finding my HP by sitting at the knees of Elders and 'learning', most of my sponsees are now Native Americans.
I have several T-Shirts that I wear that have the pictures of the Founding Fathers of this country on them, and trust me, they are not the pictures on Mt. Rushmore.
They only gave Diane Sawyer a 'Nano Second' to tell a story that needs 20 8 hour days of television to even get through the political and much and mire and all that was done to the Native Americans.
To be honest, I was very riled by the show, as to me it was really just more FLUFF.
What I have done and do to help my relatives is between me and HP, but I continue to do whatever I can.
When my two partners and I had the 150 ewes that we used to raise 'meat lambs' we would use the Navajo 'shearers' to shear our sheep. We paid them a fair wage and we gave them all the wool. You would not believe some of the beautiful things they make out of wool. I was given as a gift two Xmas ago a REAL Navajo Blanket, made in the 'old ways', not one of the 'commercial ones for sale'. It is beautiful!!!!!!! And very very treasured.
I will shut up now, and get off my soap box, lol I can really get on a rant when it comes to the Native Americans and what was and still is being done to them.
Oh and btw, my great great grandfather, survived Little Big Horn, and my great grandfather was at Wounded Knee, and later died from his wounds, leaving my Great Grandmother a widow with a 1 year old (my grandmother).
Thank you OTL for starting this thread.
Love and hugs,
ps: my grandmother gave me my Lakota name when I was about 3 1/2 or 4 years old. I did not find out the meaning of that name until about 15 years ago. Depending on dialect it means "She Who Walks With Wolves" or "She Who Lives With Wolves." I have been a volunteer of wolf dog rescue for over 25 years and have always had an affinity for wolves. Now how in the heck did she know that? And yes my Totem is The Wolf.