Powwow on Pine Ridge

Border towns near the Indian reservations, more often than not, have higher pockets of overt racism than other communities. When any minority increases near a population of "others", the prejudice increases. In urban areas an influx of another color, religious, or culture group can cause fear, resentment or hostility. Breaching walls between two diverse groups is difficult. It has been so since the beginning of contacts between different tribes in ancient times, to the invasion of one country into another with natives residing there, to a minority group moving into an established area. Differences abound from language, customs, foods, clothing, beliefs, music, and traditions handed down from ancestors. Those differences can cause misunderstanding.

Change and discomfort go hand in hand. Reaching across bridges of prejudice can arouse feelings of anxiety that some may prefer to cover with generalities, assumptions and self-talk that put the other group in an inferior light. Some would rather explain differences with "I have the better way and I will avoid you so that I will not feel insecure about my lifestyle or threatened by yours".

I have learned over my many years that the more a person is comfortable in their own skin, the more that person can appreciate and understand the other person, even though that understanding may be limited.

Last February many Native Americans from the nearby reservations took a step into our world by joining us in our march/ride on our Hot Springs VA protesting the announced closure of this "national treasure". Veterans from the tribes, veterans from the area and the townspeople from this Veteran's Town joined together. We were all united in the cause to help our veterans who were feeling angry and abandoned by the possible closing of a hospital that had been successfully treating veterans since the Civil War.

The Indians arrived in town on the day of the march with their war ponies, war bonnets and native regalia. Before the march, during a ceremony in the park, they danced a native dance and shared with us their tradition of showing respect to all veterans. The Lakota, who come from a long line of warriors, have never lost their respect for their veterans. During the Vietnam time the veterans from the reservation returned to a warm welcome for having served their country, unlike many other veterans who faced scorn, taunts, and tomatoes and eggs thrown at them by fellow citizens who had not served in the military.

Our community, a border town to Pine Ridge, was extremely touched by the Indians who marched with other veterans and residents from Hot Springs. We wanted to make some gesture in return. We are doing that by supporting a powwow they have each June honoring their veterans. Some of our citizens have met with the tribe on Pine Ridge, offering to assist in honoring the Native American veterans during one day of their four day event which includes dancing, feasting, awards and an intial ride by the veterans on their horses from Fort Robinson to Pine Ridge.

It is an historic step. We found a bridge with all veterans united in one cause. What a gift our struggle has brought to us! No matter what the outcome for saving our VA in Hot Springs, we have created a common bond. My hope is that bond will continue to grow, bringing greater understanding between our cultures and appreciation of the differences. We are, after all, more alike on the inside, than the external diverseness which has brought so much separateness and mistrust over the years.