Perspective
The 2000 Census (at which time Shannon County was the second poorest in the United States.)
Pine Ridge, SD:
-population: 3,171
-racial makeup: 94.2% Native American / 3.72% White
-median age: 20
-per-capita income: $6,067
-population below poverty: 61%
Augusta, ME:
-population: 18,560
-racial makeup: 96.2% White / 0.5% Native American
-median age: 40.3
-per-capita income: $19,145
-population below poverty: 15%
Last week, for the first time since I arrived in June, I had a break. Re-Member was closed for the week -- the first "down week" since April for the full time staff. Bryan and I decided to head to the Rockies, and Colorado with no agenda, no reservations, no real plans. As we drove out of Pine Ridge, there was the joy to be getting away, mixed with a twinge of "so what do I do if I'm not here?" No sooner had we arrived in Fort Collins, Colorado -- our first stop -- than we were hit with a bit of culture shock. Everything from the mowed and manicured lawns, to the sterile shopping centers and business parks were almost numbing to our senses.
It was strange to be back in a community where I was not the minority, it was strange to be in a community where the less fortunate are hidden on the lesser traveled streets. It was odd to spend a week continually turning over money for goods and services, after a summer when money didn't go all that quickly. After a few days of R&R, it was strange not to be on the rez.
So we made the most of our time away, visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, Pikes Peak, and lots of other places between and beyond... We enjoyed getting away, but in the end, we were ready to be back.
As we crested one of the hills of Northern Nebraska, after some eight or nine hours in the car, we both cracked a smile as the lights of Pine Ridge shone on the horizon. Passing through Whiteclay, Bryan pointed something out: "You know," he said. "Most people don't get excited to see Pine Ridge, but I couldn't be happier to be back."
After you've been here for a while, there is something comforting about coming back to the familiar, no matter how the rest of the world views it. It really is good to be back on the rez.
Photos from the trip coming soon...
Pine Ridge, SD:
-population: 3,171
-racial makeup: 94.2% Native American / 3.72% White
-median age: 20
-per-capita income: $6,067
-population below poverty: 61%
Augusta, ME:
-population: 18,560
-racial makeup: 96.2% White / 0.5% Native American
-median age: 40.3
-per-capita income: $19,145
-population below poverty: 15%
Last week, for the first time since I arrived in June, I had a break. Re-Member was closed for the week -- the first "down week" since April for the full time staff. Bryan and I decided to head to the Rockies, and Colorado with no agenda, no reservations, no real plans. As we drove out of Pine Ridge, there was the joy to be getting away, mixed with a twinge of "so what do I do if I'm not here?" No sooner had we arrived in Fort Collins, Colorado -- our first stop -- than we were hit with a bit of culture shock. Everything from the mowed and manicured lawns, to the sterile shopping centers and business parks were almost numbing to our senses.
It was strange to be back in a community where I was not the minority, it was strange to be in a community where the less fortunate are hidden on the lesser traveled streets. It was odd to spend a week continually turning over money for goods and services, after a summer when money didn't go all that quickly. After a few days of R&R, it was strange not to be on the rez.
So we made the most of our time away, visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, Pikes Peak, and lots of other places between and beyond... We enjoyed getting away, but in the end, we were ready to be back.
As we crested one of the hills of Northern Nebraska, after some eight or nine hours in the car, we both cracked a smile as the lights of Pine Ridge shone on the horizon. Passing through Whiteclay, Bryan pointed something out: "You know," he said. "Most people don't get excited to see Pine Ridge, but I couldn't be happier to be back."
After you've been here for a while, there is something comforting about coming back to the familiar, no matter how the rest of the world views it. It really is good to be back on the rez.
Photos from the trip coming soon...
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