Travel Volunteering - Pine Ridge Reservation (Days 4-6)

Southwestern South Dakota is home to the Black Hills, a large, granitic, mountainous region known for outdoor recreation and it should be as Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and Jewel Cave National Monument are all found there. Badlands National Park is located just to the east of the Black Hills and abuts the Rez on its northern border. While we were on the Rez it was difficult for us to understand at the time why we could not visit Mount Rushmore even though it was so close. As America "conquered" the West, there is no question that the Native Peoples were slaughtered, their livelihoods destroyed, and their land taken away from them. For the Oglala Lakota people on the Pine Ridge Reservation, the Black Hills were sacred - land to be revered. However, westward moving Americans discovered gold in the Hills, and when lines were drawn for where the Natives' new home would be, the Black Hills were excluded, and instead, they were put on some of the most desolate land in the country. It is something everyone traveling to that region of the USA should take into grave consideration as they look up at the monolithic faces carved into Mount Rushmore or tour one of the largest cave systems in the world at Wind Caves National Park. I don't think this means that you should not ever go to these places, but if you do, try to get a true experience and spend a little bit of time on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Vacationers should be grossly aware that the original inhabitants of the land, whom still hold the Hills sacred, are now living in poverty, not far off the Interstate.

Day 4 - August 14, 2000

This morning I took a shower before breakfast. For breakfast I had Rice Krispies and milk. After breakfast, Missy, Ben, Ian, Alissa, Lee, Sigrid, Keith K., Cindy, and I went to St. Albin’s to sand the bunk-beds. As we sanded, Alissa and Missy stained a bunk bed. At our “potato chip” break, we found out that Sigrid is three months pregnant! After that task, we came back to our “home” and from there, we left for lunch. We went to a little café called Cuny Table Café, where everyone except me had Indian Tacos. Because I’m so picky, they special-ordered me a cheese-burger and fries. Then we drove a little bit into the Badlands and climbed the rocks around a little lake. Everyone else went down an easier path to the lake, while Alissa, Becky, Lee, and I took a smaller, skinnier route, which led us about half-way down until a 20-food drop. We decided to climb up the ravine to get out. I went quickly, while Lee, Alissa, and Becky went another way. I got out quickly and had to redirect, tell them their bearings, and pull them to the top.

From the top of the hill we climbed, we saw this lake and tried getting down. The narrow canyons is where we got stuck!

Someone got a photo of us from the Lake as we tried getting ourselves unstuck!

With minimal scrapes and bruises, we left and went further down the road to a spot where all you could see for miles was the craggy peaks of the Badlands.

Group Shot in the Badlands

About an hour later we arrived at the SuAnne Boys and Girls Club for dinner. Marc, Ben, Brennen, Alissa, Becky, and I sat at a table and talked for a while. Then we watched a movie about SuAnne Big Crow who [was hit by a drunk driver and] died in a car accident. She was a great basketball player and had the 3^rd highest points in one game in South Dakota. She then went to Australia and Russia to play with the USA team. After that, we came back to the church and “unpacked.”

Day 5 - August 15, 2000

This morning after showers and breakfast, Alissa, Lee, Missy, Ian, Ben, and I went to Porcupine School to do some work. We emptied five classrooms and switched them around. We also changed the dead light bulbs. The roof slanted and the three rows of lights went from 10 to about 15 feet! Cindy changed the 10-foot ones, Ian changed the 12-foot ones, and I went all the way up to change the 15-foot ones. On our break, we went to the Library and watched MTV and took pictures outside of the tipis.

Group shot by the tipis at Porcupine School

Changing the lightbulbs at Porcupine School

Then, after lunch, we went to the Red Cloud Museum and Cemetery. The museum had a whole bunch of pictures immediately after the Wounded Knee Massacre and beautiful paintings. There were many sculptures and a replica of an old school house. Then we went to the Red Cloud Cemetery and took some pictures. Afterwards, we went into a Catholic Church to take pictures and we sang “Siyahumba” in three-part harmony. We came back, “unpacked,” and played [an improv] game where two people sat down and two others used their arms as the first “two’s”? 

Betsy and Cindy playing the improv game.

Day 6 - August 16, 2000

Today was a good day. We had breakfast and my group went to Batesland to tile an extension to the SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club. It took us a while to get the exact measurements for each tile. We were almost done (like ten tiles left) and ran out.

Chimney Butte on the Pine Ridge Reservation

Alissa and Ben tiling floors at the Boys & Girls Club in Batesland, SD

Driving back to Wounded Knee from Batesland

We came back to French toast, sausage, eggs, muffins, and hash browns. Then we took a drive to the Badlands. I used up many pictures, and had to buy a new roll of film [in Scenic, SD]. We got to climb up about 25 stories on a mountain in the Badlands and took pictures at the top. We took a walk on a trail in the Badlands and I noticed it as the same one I went on when we came out in third grade. After that, we ate dinner at Wooden Knife Café. I think they had the best “eat-out” food that we’ve been to yet. Then we came back to our “home” and had a little service.

Alissa and Becky climbing in the Badlands

Ben, Brennen, Becky, Alissa, and Marc in the Badlands

Looking down on the vans from our spot up in the Badlands

Alissa along the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail (I think)

Group photo along the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail

The fun (or maybe more frustrating) part about going back through my old travel journals is that I have to do a bit of cyber-exploring to figure out exactly where we were and the names of places. It is fun in that I can really think about and relive the trip and it is frustrating though, when I cannot remember the names of trails we took or what roads we drove to get there. I do remember that when we drove to the Badlands, I had to buy a new roll of camera film in the little town of Scenic, SD - which is nothing more than a tiny little general store with tourist trinkets inside, as well as the old Sheriff's Building/Jail. We only stayed as long as a bathroom break, and that is all you need in Scenic, SD.