Hardest Day Yet...

So yesterday was probably one of the hardest days that I have spent on the reservation so far.  Everything seemed to be going wrong, and yet we still went home with our heads held high which is good I suppose.  It was about 94 degrees yesterday with no wind and no clouds.  It was a miserable day weather-wise, but I got a good farmer's tan out of it.  In the morning, I woke up with a sinus headache and a sore throat like I have the past several days, but ten times worse.  The dry air and the dust haven't been a big help.  When we were all assigned our work crews for the day, I found out that we I was headed back to the same place that I had been going for the past couple of days, but I was okay with that mostly because I knew what had to be done there, and I didn't want to hassle with figuring out a new site.  However, what I didn't realize was that there had been a storm the night before....

As we were headed out to the site, while I was coughing and sniffling and weezing, we approached the worksite, and all I heard was "SH*T!"  Jerry was our head leader for the day, and I could see right away why he was so upset.  Just from the road we could see what the storm did to our site.  At this man's trailer that we were working on; everything seemed to come apart.  All of the work that we did on the trailer was destroyed.  The siding of the house came off, the roof blew off, and the doors and windows broke, not to mention the skirting that we hadn't even come close to finishing.  We knew it was going to be a rough day on the Rez.  When we unpacked all of our stuff for the work day, we decided to call Jerome High Horse, our construction coordinator.  He came out to look at the site, and decided that it was still worth the effort to try and fix it up,but it wasn't until later that the tension started.  Later, we found out that the man who was supposed to be living in this trailer already has a home that is being paid for and he is being supported.  The trailer we were working on was estimated at being almost $2,000 over the budget we are even supposed to use on one fix-up.  At least for what needed to be done to repair the damages.  Everyone was arguing about this that and the other thing, while we were sitting there waiting to be told what to do.  And it was 94 degrees and dry.....did I mention that it was really hot that day? 

That was one other thing that I have learned from this experience is patience.  Nothing is going to happen the right way every single time, and patience is something we have to work on together.  If everyone is always arguing about what needs to be done opposed to what can be done, then nothing will get finished.  It was so frustrating, and I could see that it was a difficult situation, but the fact was that there were so many things that we could have been doing, but there was too much time being spent fighting.  I was the one who had to keep everyone calm, and yet get yelled at because I was trying to make things happen.  It put a lot of stress on me.

BUT AGAIN...I learn something new everyday here.

The Orange Prairie Dogs

Well, I am sorry friends for a late update, but this week was so crazy, but extremely fun!  This week at Re-Member was family week.  There were many fun people and families, but it was very hard work.  I was in charge of the kids this week with Abby.  Their ages were between 6-12, with a few exceptions.   The kids were Christian, Gaby, Quentin, Julien, Onika, Maura, Sam, Hunter, Madison, Josie, Jamie, and Carly.  They were wonderful kids, and their team name for the week was 'The Orange Prairie Dogs.  For the week we had lessons and touring that gave them a good understanding about the culture and the environment here.  It was interesting seeing people of this age try and learn about Native American history and culture.  A few times were very taken back by the reactions that they had, but sometimes you forget that they are just kids.

We did many crafts this week like making dream catchers, bracelets, aarow head keychains, and decorating various things.  I forgot how messy I was when I was little. Sooooo many messes, especially the tie-dy.  But it was all good fun.

For our touring locations, we took the kids to the Badlands, the Black Hills, Redshirt Table, Sylvan Lake, Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, and Kili Radio station.  At kili radio station, the kids were able to be broadcast LIVE all over the reservation.  It was so great.  At the Badlands, it helped me realize how young I used to be, and even though I still have my youth, I can tell it is fading slightly....haha.  There was no way I would keep up with those machines!  But we kept a close eye on everyone.  Christian, a 6 year old made sure that everyone was safe.  He informed me, "Bekah, make sure those older kids don't get too high because they could fall off the edge and die, and then you would get fired."  So we made sure that everyone was taken care of.  But they were all very well-behaved.  It was fun too because most of them were from Grand Haven, and the rest were from Grand Rapids, so it was nice to hear them wanting the same things from home as I do: their pets, Lake Michigan, the cooler temperatures, family, friends, showers, and their own bed.  Haha...I secretly agreed with them, but we had to encourage what we were doing as opposed to what they could be doing back home.

So one other thing that may upset the parental units (but don't worry, the arrangements have been made, and you don't need to worry) is that Bekah adopted a puppy this week.  He is a Rez dog, and the other day we watched him get physically abused.  We saw the local kids trying to drown him, and then they were playing catch with him like he was toy.  When we got a hold of it, we found numerous ticks that we yanked off, and it was covered with fleas.  One of our other interns asked how much they wanted for the dog and they said $10!  So we got him.  But parents, don't worry, I have someone back home who is adopting him okay.  I am just bringing it back.  Yayyyyyyy!

As much as I have learned about not taking things for granted, I know now what I am blessed with, and I really miss it.  But I am glad that I will be much more aware when I return home.  I can't wait to see everyone!  Two more weeks and I'll be home!

On the Sites

Each day is different and unique in its own ways.  I enjoy all of them...most of the time.  Yesterday was my first day working in Re-Member's workshop.  I know from last year's volunteer experience that I did not enjoy the workshop as much because we did not get to see very much of the reservation.  So I have been happy that I've been going out to job sites everyday, therefore I didn't complain too much that I had to be there yesterday.  The workshop days are long and tiring.  Going down to the shop we build bunk-beds, outhouses, and just this year we began plans for future home building.  Along side of that we do sanding and staining for the wood we use for those projects.  After Tom's 'wisdom of the elders' everyone heads down there to begin the day, which is around 8:30 AM.  However, there are positive sides to being there.  Yesterday we built 22 bunk-beds for kids across the reservation.  It is such a heart-warming feeling to know that we built those beds with our own two hands and that kids would be sleeping in those instead of cars or floors.  You wouldn't believe the need for beds.  Even outhouses.  Most trailers don't have electricity, plumbing, or running water.  The other day I went on a delivery drive with Corbin, one of our construction supervisors, and we delivered outhouses together.  When we got to one sight out in Kyle, SD, the kids who lived there were so excited to get an outhouse for the yard.  They were fighting about who got to be the first one to use.  In a way it was very silly, and I laughed, but in another way, I couldn't believe what I was watching.  I mean, who gets excited about an outhouse?  But back to the workshop....the day is long.  Sanding takes the most energy out of you.  Most of the time you stand there for about 3-4 hours bent over a piece of wood.  Its a pain...literally.  Staining is the same way.  It;s so hard, but it is benefitting everything else...I keep trying to tell myself that.  

Today I had the honor of working with Maria's home.  Maria grew up in Pine Ridge, but only just came back three years ago.  She lived in San Francisco for the past 43 years working as a teacher there.  She moved back here when she retired, but her home was gone, so she bought a new house.  It is one of the few actual houses on the reservation, and even that was i rough shape, so we came to help her.  She has taken several people in and many are handicapped, so we built wheelchair ramps for the sides and we also put new skirting around.  In her front yard, she started a garden, and so we brought her new seeds to use and a few vegetables to plant.  It looked great when it was complete.  The only thing that I didn't like about working at her home was that there were black widow spiders everywhere.  No fun!

Anyways, that is basically what the sites are.  We are either working in the shop, Helping someone with their home/trailer, or delivering outhouses, beds, etc.  It is always such a long week, but somehow after each week is over, I always feel a little more satisfied with how I spent my week.  It is an amazing feeling.

Thanks for following me through this incredible journey.  Love to all!

Mitakuye Oyasin   

The Wildlife...A Visual

Well, giving you a look at the social scene, I hope you have a general idea of what I have experienced with that.  I would really like to give you some visuals of my surroundings...maybe soon I can get some photos posted, so you can have a real visual.  At the Re-Member site, it is dry and empty.  There are no trees, and no grass.  There are weeds and dirt, thats about it.  Seems awful right?  But its not.  It is breathtakingly beautiful.  Every night has a different sky.  I have already seen my fair share of rainbows, storms, sunsets and sunrises, dirt devels (mini tornadoes), and beautiful night skies.  It is heaven.  If you look to the horizon, you can clearly see why our location is called Pine Ridge, because the distant ridge line is covered with pine trees.  It is also beautiful.  In our nearby pasture, we have horses and cows.  It has become pretty funny to listen to the cows each night....they make more than just 'moo' sounds, I can tell you that.  It is so hard to think of this part of the world as being so poor and helpless when it has all of this beauty.  But we are still here doing what we can.

Today I had my first encounter with a rattlesnake.  It was pretty scary, I'm gonna tell you, but it was also really cool.  The only problem was that we are supposed to kill the rattlesnakes if we were to come across them.  Not bull snakes or anything, but specifically the rattlers.  About three weeks ago, Jerome High Horse killed a rattle snake by chopping off its head and then keeping the rattle so he could make a shaker out of it.  After hearing that he did that, I thought I would have no problem with it.  But I did.  Even though I was a little scared of it, it was also beautiful.  I watched for probably 15 minutes before anything happened.  It was so cool.  Then I didn't have the guts to kill it, so me and some of the others that were there got one of our other interns to do it, and he had no problem killing the poor thing.  I felt really guilty after that, so I buried it.  

Yesterday we were working at a work site, and i encountered something that tore my heart out.  We were fixing the skirting around a Naomi's home and also installing a stove pipe.  They had a nice home, and also a beautiful dog.  It's not every day that you encounter someone who has well kept dog in their family.  Here, the dogs are known as the 'Rez Dogs'.  No one is allowed to touch them or give them any attention.  However, I had an issue this particular day.  As I sat in the grass petting Angel (Naomi's dog) I heard a little whimper off to the side.  I turned around a right in front of me sat an eight week old Rez Dog.  I nearly cried at the sight of him.  It was black and brown, and covered with mange.  I don't think this dog had a bite to eat in its time of living, it was skin and bone.  I looked closer and it was covered in fleas and ticks.  It's little bark was pathetic, if you could even consider it a bark.  I just couldn't stand it.  I asked Naomi who it belonged to and she said it was the neighbors, and they had a whole litter of them, and each was in the same condition.  Not only was I sad, but also a little angered by it.  Mom and Dad, if you are reading this, I think we may have a new family member...no not really, but I would like to figure out a way to rescue the poor thing.  It followed me all day long.

Well, besides that stuff, I am loving it here.  Everything is still great, and I am missing home, but everything has been a lesson learned.  I can't wait to share more stories.

Is it the People....or the Idea?

Something I have learned about the reservation is that the people matter, but so does the idea of what is happening around us here.  This week has been really hard for me.  Last summer I was here as a volunteer and this year I had two weeks before I began working.  So I became aware of how to work with the employers and the volunteers.  I feel that I am pretty good at it by now.  However, this week I finally ran into some obstacles with people.  There is a woman here this week who came by herself.  I would say she is in her late 50s-60s.  VERY out of sorts.  I couldn't tell you why I think she is here, but I am still trying to figure it out.  There are so many stories as to why people come here, but I am still trying to figure out her story.  But we ran into a knot.  She and I clashed a little bit, and it became an issue for the whole staff.  Every night after our work day we have a time called 'Roses and Thorns'.  Basically we share with the group what our most memorable and positive part of the day was (the rose) and then what bothered us just a little bit (the thorn).  However, the rule is that you are not allowed to have a person be your thorn.  Last night we began well, everyone was laughing about the day.  There were so many good things to hear from the kids and the adults.  Then it was this woman's turn.  Her thorn was the staff.  That was all she said.  So I was leading roses and thorns last night and I was left in an awkward position.  Even though I was not with her for the whole day, I was still very uncomfortable that she went against the rules.  After the session, I went to her cabin and asked to speak with her.  I nearly cried because she got right in my face about the way Re-Member should be their job, and the way we as interns should be doing our jobs, and that our outreach was not worth the time.  She was telling me that everything out here is the own person's fault and that 'these people' as she says, should be helping themselves by moving away and getting a job and to sober up.  I was fuming!  I did start to tear up and I tried to control my temper, and I think i did pretty well, but it was very hard for me.

Sometimes the volunteers just don't get it, but then again I give them so much credit for finding giving their own time to be here.  I have heard stories that people are always saying that the indians should just move off the Rez and get a job, but the land is all that they have left.  Their families are all that they have left.  Us white people think we know it all, but our values are separate from theirs.  We think that society should be wealthy and successful, but sometimes that is not the point.  We need to open our eyes and understand that our way is not the only way, or the right way.  It is just a different path.  But it is something that everyone needs to learn.