"Red Cry": A new and explosive documentary on the US genocide against the Lakota nations.

I saw a recently released documentary titled "Red Cry", and parts of it really shocked me as an outsider to US issues.
It is focused on the Pine Ridge Reservation of the Lakota people.

Perhaps what shocked me the most is that I'd never heard of the "matriarchal elders" and the contemporary amount of assassinations, mistreatment and deliberate neglect of outspoken Lakota activists and elders.

I also never thought that this level of poverty was possible in the US.
What is shown is housing comparable to the poorest squatter camps in South Africa, except that the temperature in South Dakota goes way beyond freezing in winter, and people have to survive in that sub-standard housing.

There are many other issues: the policies against native spirituality, and the theft of sacred sites (notably the Black Hills), or the destruction of native languages and the removal of children to non-native families.
The uranium pollution and poisoning of the land is very sad.
The sexual abuse of native girls and women is shocking.
The suicide rate is alarming.

I also have no doubts that the people who spoke on this film are afraid of victimization and negative consequences simply for speaking out.

Although I cannot say it is good or bad, but some of the references to "half-breeds" as the cause of much of the corruption and problems would probably be regarded as very racist in most other contexts.

Ultimately, it seems they firstly want the American taxpayer to know that their taxes are not reaching the needy people on the reservations, but are lost to kick-backs and corrupt officials and councils.
Then it seems they want their plight to be known globally.

How can poor and elderly people be left with worms in their sugar, rat feces in their flour, and houses that never get fixed?
Doesn't the US care?

Isn't Obama a liberal?
Can't he come and install electricity and basic plumbing, rebuild houses and make sure people have health-care, good nutrition and heating in winter?

I recall having books as a child on the American Indians, and the notion then was that things were improving, and that most of America wants "Indian" life to be good.

But I don't see things getting better in this documentary.

Maybe we should boycott the US?
I don't know about any solutions.
Maybe people in the US could think of some, because this is unacceptable.

How can the US spread so-called "Christian" religion and missionaries to the rest of the world, or claim to be taken seriously on human rights when Lakota grandmothers must starve and freeze to death?

Wait! You live in South Africa and are giving Americans advice on how to treat native peoples?

Oh the irony.

Metallicus
Wait! You live in South Africa and are giving Americans advice on how to treat native peoples?

Oh the irony.

I'd rather be in a room with 500 South Africans than one single yank.

To the OP:

There is no use trying to start a topic about this, unless you are a US Citizen you are not allowed to discuss US matters, despite their own built in mechanisms designed to release a never ending stream of verbal slurry against our countries the second they find a perceived slight.

reply to post by Metallicus

I'm not giving anyone any advice, but simply sharing my impressions and thoughts.

Yes, I live in South Africa, and it has been democratic since 1994.

Even before then we increased our native population from 4.5 million around 1900 to about 50 million by 1994.
The white and black life expectancy (granted, despite much dire black poverty) was 65 - on Pine Ridge the average male life expectancy is 44.
Although earning more, the white minority in SA was also taxed much higher to develop "the natives", and at least apartheid built hospitals and the best teaching hospitals in Africa.
We once had full employment, and people from other African countries were lining up to work on our mines.
Even apartheid did a better job than you lot, who want to tell everyone else how to live.
You cannot (or don't want to) even take care of a native minority of 50 000 people.

Yes we have a lot of poverty, but also a growing middle class.

And that's exactly why the documentary shocked me, because South Africa has been cast as terribly poor (with masses of Africa's poor streaming in constantly), but after seeing this I don't think we are that poor after all.

It has shattered my illusions on the United States.

South africa should give their big fat villa's to the poor. Hypocrits. And usa is no better with what they are doing to the natives.

reply to post by halfoldman


The US government might want to tell you how to live, but I do not. People over here want to change our Goverment, but they are too tied to the two party system and the illusion of choice.

If it were up to me the whole world would be different. It isn't up to me. I would like to see the native population treated better, but everyone over here is getting screwed right now. No jobs, no healthcare, no prospects. It is hard to worry about other people when you are in the thick of it yourself.

You make it sound like Amercans have the ability to control this injustice, but we don't. If you actually thought it was great over here then I am glad you had your illusion shattered. Our Government is just as bad and probably worse than any other in the world.

Just realize that the people here are just as powerless in the US as any where else.

reply to post by Rollie

Thanks for the hint, and I really don't want to compare countries or issues.

It seems pretty pointless.

I just saw the documentary, and I think as a connected world we should raise issues wheresoever they arise.
I did specifically ask for US opinions on the film or related issues, although so far any direct reply has been avoided.

reply to post by Annunak1

Whose big fat villas are you talking about?

Some of the richest people in SA have gotten villas in the past decades, and they didn't struggle to be poor.

Although the richer areas are not shown, but there is a sense that corruption is actually robbing both the US taxpayers and the people on Pine Ridge.

reply to post by halfoldman


I visited Pine Ridge a few years ago.

I met several people there during my visit, every last one was so good to me, looked out for me, spoke to me and showed me around. It was a good experience.. but whenever I was with a native american off the reservation during my visit, the amount of sheer hatred and prejudice was astounding.

They will never have a better life so long as the people living near them treat them like dogs.

The instinctual response to a pointed finger is usually another finger pointed right back at you.

However, that does not address the issue being presented here. The topic is in the Original Post and I don't see anything about South Africa there.

I'll watch the video later, after I've had my breakfast and perhaps comment as well, even though I'm Canadian.

reply to post by Metallicus

Fair enough, and point taken.

This is also where the concept of the "hegemonic masculinity" (white, healthy, straight, successful) in post-colonialism does a duel harm: it makes the colonized people chase a pipe dream, and it covers up the fact that many whites are struggling, and the "poor whites" are becoming very visible in SA.

I think it was Russel Means (Lakota) who once said that much of the US and the world will increasingly resemble a reservation.
In that sense some Native American nations have been called the "canaries in the coal mine".
One might make little sense of that unless one hears and sees testimony of what actually goes on.

But still, I mainly posted the video clip because what is happening in Pine Ridge seems like a very corrupt conspiracy.
I'd think that anyone who takes the time to watch the documentary would agree, even if we cannot individually change the world.

halfoldman
reply to post by Annunak1

 

Whose big fat villas are you talking about?

Some of the richest people in SA have gotten villas in the past decades, and they didn't struggle to be poor.

Although the richer areas are not shown, but there is a sense that corruption is actually robbing both the US taxpayers and the people on Pine Ridge.

Im talking about the big fat villa's of the mostly white south africans. There will always be hatred in south africa if you have rich white guys whining about the poor black african criminals. I remember speaking to a guy from south africa talkin about how he and his friend shooting at black africans for fun. For the record my dad is white n my mum is black so i ain't no racist. But the white people messed up south africa with their apartheid and keep continuing spreading the hatred with their big ass houses.

reply to post by Annunak1

There are all kinds of people with villas in South Africa.

To say they all belong to whites, or that whites are all rich is a joke in current South Africa.
There are white squatter camps, and white beggars at almost every traffic light.

Actually the royal families of the various tribes are (and have been) receiving astounding government salaries, and the biggest case of corruption under discussion at present is President Jacob Zuma's personal homestead at Nkandla.

So far we know that security upgrades alone cost the SA taxpayer R206 million, and much else of a financial report is still being obscured.
www.news24.com...

reply to post by halfoldman


Notice how easy it was for others to end the conversation about how Native Americans are treated?

Can't be talking about that now can we?

reply to post by halfoldman


Maybe the title of your thread should be changed to South Africa Inequalities in order to better reflect the ongoing discussion here on page 1.

For those of us who are interested in the plight of the Dakota as presented in the film, I suppose we'll have to wait.

reply to post by masqua

I said nothing on South Africa, except that the housing looked similar to our squatter camps.

Some other people took issue with me for raising the video as a South African, and I'm open to discuss that.

However, that's not what I actually meant to discuss at all, and I don't think it should really matter where I post these concerns from.

What are you waiting for to discuss the plight of the Lakota in the documentary?

I'm not not sure I follow the logic?

So I mustn't discuss this from South Africa?
Really?

reply to post by halfoldman


Anyone can discuss anything they like... from any country they like.

if someone makes a post that does not concern the OP, it is helpful to tell them if they wish to discuss that topic then they are free to make another thread of their own concerning it.

When we killed off the buffalo we killed off the plains Indian. That is the short version. Of course there is corruption in the Bureau for Indian Affairs, corruption in the tribal councils and the "half-breed" issues mentioned run deep as they try to negotiate living in 2 worlds at the same time. For history read Dee Brown's Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.

What I see as the biggest problem facing the Lakota people today aside from economic issues is culture shock. They have lost their traditional ways of living and along with it much of their culture. This was egged on by missionaries who thought serving God meant stealing native children and teaching them the white mans ways. Taking proud warriors and horsemen and training them to turn the dirt and follow the plough horse instead.

Foremost in the life and economy of the Lakota was the buffalo. Their existence depended entirely upon hunting them and once they neared extinction the lives of the Lakota suffered accordingly. In the course of a few short years they lost their source of food, clothing, culture - damn near everything. Even their tepees were made from the buffalo skins, their winter robes from the hides. When we killed the buffalo we ensured the demise of the plains tribes.

I believe the Lakota suffer from broken hearts and spirits. They no longer feel the relation they once did with the Earth or their ancestors. Until the buffalo returns in sufficient numbers for them to return to hunting and sustaining themselves as they did hundreds of years ago I don't believe they will ever be the people they once were. The fate of the buffalo is the fate of the Lakota, one does not exist without the other.

halfoldman
reply to post by masqua

 

I said nothing on South Africa, except that the housing looked similar to our squatter camps.

Some other people took issue with me for raising the video as a South African, and I'm open to discuss that.

However, that's not what I actually meant to discuss at all, and I don't think it should really matter where I post these concerns from.

What are you waiting for to discuss the plight of the Lakota in the documentary?

I'm not not sure I follow the logic?

So I mustn't discuss this from South Africa?
Really?

edit on 21-1-2014 by halfoldman because: (no reason given)

I see you are now finding out how this game is played.

The US is just a mass of hypocrisy, from the culture, to the government, to the way their citizens behave and treat other nationalities. You are not allowed to discuss their country, but by god they'll lecture you on your own faults. It shouldn't come as a surprise they treat natives as poorly as they treat everyone else.

Thanks for the vid, i'll watch it when i have more time later.

I recently bought a handmade banjo strap from Lakota Leathers at Pine Ridge, they make them round the table at home to raise money. Like you say, very poor.

Absolutley lovely people (in my limited experience).

CX.