Oglala Lakota Women
Mother, grandmother, daughter, environmental and cultural activist, leader, lawyer, film maker, store manager, student, current Oglala Sioux Park & Recreation Authority employee, and former National Park Service employee
Interviewed: September 2010
The Badlands National Park’s South Unit has always belonged to the Oglala Lakota nation as a part of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. In 1942, as a part of war efforts, the United States government confiscated the land to establish the Badlands Aerial Gunnery Range for bombing practice. Later, the land was returned to the tribe as government-held trust land under the management of Badlands National Park. Almost 70 years later today, the park has finally proposed a new management plan which provide management options ranging from continuing current management to transferring the land and management back to the tribal government.
Seven Oglala Lakota women activists shared their viewpoints and discussed best management options for the well-being of their nation, the future generation, and the environment. They asked the general public to support this process.
This video was screened at the 2010 Bioneers’ conference at the Indigenous Peoples’ tent.
