Badlands National Park: Hear Us | Voices of Oglala Lakota Women
This fall, something exciting is happening with the Badlands National Park’s Stronghold area, also known as South Unit, for the Oglala Lakota nation.
The South Unit of Badlands National Park has always belong to the Oglala Lakota nation in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. However, in 1942, the US government confiscated the land to establish the Badlands Aerial Gunnery Range for bombing practice as a part of war effort. In 1968, Congress authorized a return of the land to the tribe but as government-held trust land under the management of Badlands National Park.
Almost 70 years later this fall, the Badlands National Park has proposed a new South Unit management plan that suggests seven different management options: 1) continue current management, 2) tribal national park, 3) shared management, 4) affiliated area, 5) new national park, 6) deauthorization and 7) Oglala Sioux Tribal Park. The first five options would not return the land back to the tribal government. However, the option 2): tribal national park, which is a preferred option by both the National Park Service (NPS) and Oglala Sioux Park and Recreation Authority, would turn the administration and management of the South Unit back to the tribal government under the supervision of the NPS. Option 6 and 7 would transfer the land and management to the tribal government without any affiliation with the NPS. The last two options would create an opportunity for the tribe to secure full control of the land.
In September, while the media such as Rapid City Journal and National Parks Travelerreleased the press only covering on the preferred option: tribal national park, I was curious to know what Oglala Lakota people want since it is their land and their voices must be heard the most. I gained access to the 2008 public comments data collected from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and I found out that 51% of the comments supports managing the land with NPS, 21% supports deauthorization of the land (option 6), 12% supports tribal park (option 7) and 9% supports continuing current management.
I happened to be with Doris and other Lakota women at such an incredible timing when public meetings on the South Unit management plan were held by the NPS. I participated in two meetings where I witnessed an incredible effort to bringing Oglala Lakota nation and the NPS together. And yet, I wanted to hear voices of Oglala Lakota women and their perspectives on which option(s) would serve the best for well-being of Oglala Lakota people, their future and environment.
Seven Oglala Lakota women spoke up in front of the camera. From the interviews, I produced a short movie (shown at the bottom): Hear Us | Voices of Oglala Lakota Women for Badlands National Park, to educate people about the brief history of the land, their opinions and how important it is for us to be a part of this change.
This is an extremely exciting opportunity for all of us. How many of us have ever had a chance to support Native Americans’ rights by raising our own voice? How often do we see an opportunity like this when Native and non-Native Americans would work together to bring justice?
Please watch this short movie today and think about which management option(s) most benefit Oglala Lakota people and the environment. Then, join me for sending public comments to Badlands National Park to support bringing the land management back to Oglala Lakota people in Badlands National Park. That was one thing in common that all women expressed in the movie to turn the management of the land back to the tribe.
The public comment period will end on November 1st, 2010. Please take action today to send your comments in.
For your convenience, you can use the sample drafted comments here. Please feel free to edit, copy and paste these samples into the Badlands National Park public comment pageto make it easy. You can also spread the word by forwarding this link to your friends and family today. Thank you!
