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The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (Oglala Oyanke in Lakota, also called Pine Ridge Agency) is an Oglala Sioux Native American reservation located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Pine Ridge was established in the southwest corner of South Dakota on the Nebraska border and consists of 8,984.306 km (3,468.86 sq mi) of land area, the eighth-largest reservation in the United States, larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined.
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Most of the land comprising the reservation lies within Shannon County and Jackson County, two of the poorest counties in the U.S. In addition, there are extensive off-reservation trust lands, mostly in adjacent Bennett County, but also extending into adjacent Whiteclay, Nebraska in Sheridan County, just south of the community of Pine Ridge, the reservation's administrative center and largest community. The 2000 census population of all these lands was 15,521. However, a study conducted by Colorado State University and accepted by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development estimate the resident population to be approximately 26,000.
The reservation was the setting for Adrian Louis' novel Skins as well as the 2002 Chris Eyre adaptation of the same name, and the 2000 book, On the Rez, by Ian Frazier.
Although Pine Ridge is the eighth largest reservation in the United States, it is the poorest reservation. Unemployment on the Reservation hovers around 20% and 49% live below the Federal poverty level. Adolescent suicide is four times the national average. Many of the families have no electricity, telephone, running water, or sewer. Many families use wood stoves to heat their homes. The population on Pine Ridge has among the shortest life expectancies of any group in the Western Hemisphere: approximately 47 years for males and in the low 50s for females. The infant mortality rate is five times the United States national average. Reservation population was estimated at 15,000 in the 2000 census, but that number was raised to 28,000 by HUD, following a University of Colorado door-to-door study.
Despite the lack of formal employment opportunities on Pine Ridge, there is a great deal of agricultural production taking place, yet only a small percentage of the tribe directly benefits from this. According to the USDA, in 2002 there was nearly 33 million dollars in receipts from agricultural production on Pine Ridge, yet less than 1/3rd of that income went to members of the tribe.
The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has some commercial businesses with private operators, but most employment is provided by the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Oglala Lakota College, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Indian Health Service. The tribe operates the Prairie Wind Casino, a Parks and Recreation Department, guided hunting, cattle ranching and farming. The Oglala Sioux Tribe also operates the White River Visitor Center near the Badlands National Park. There is one radio station, KILI-FM in Porcupine.
In the past, the tribe attempted a moccasin factory, a meat-processing plant, and a fishhook-snelling operation, but all of these business ventures failed. The Prairie Wind Casino is an exception to the rule for businesses on the reservation. The casino began in 1994 in 3 doublewide trailers, but a new $20 million casino, hotel and restaurant was unveiled in early 2007. The casino provides 250 jobs and most are to tribal residents.
Despite the hardships and challenges of Life on the "Rez", there exists Beauty. Reflecting through the Oglala culture are the various and numerous ceremonies of the Lakota: Sun Dances, Give-Aways, Sweat Lodges, Naming Ceremonies, and Pow-Wows. Handmade Star Quilts are created for these ceremonies, special events and occasions. Some of the designs draw upon hundreds of years of heritage, symbolism, and tradition. This website showcases a few of the talented Artists that are currently making Star Quilts. Visit The Quilters web page to view a few samples of their work, and contact the Artists directly about acquiring a Star Quilt to reflect Beauty in your World...
Click here to visit The Quilters page