In the United States and abroad very few people, relatively, know much about life on or near Indian Reservations. Most have no idea about the discrimination that they face off and on the reservation. I include ‘on’ the reservation as to when other races visit or pass through the rez’, but also discrimination and prejudices between traditional full blood Indians and the more Americanized mixed bloods.
Life is not as racially charged between mixed and full bloods these days, but back in about 1920 through 1980 things were extremely heated. The traditionals yearned for life as it used to be before the insurgence of the white man and they held tightly to their spiritual and old ways. The mixed bloods were more into increasing personal power and monetary gains, as they had learned from watching the predominately white race.
On the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota back in the 1970s an Indian man by the name of Dick Wilson was voted into office by the larger population of mixed bloods as the President of the Oglala Nation. The election process is still suspect to this day.
Dick Wilson began his reign of terror which ran from 1972 - 1976. He amassed a militant group of enforcers he named the Guardians Of the Oglala Nation, the GOON squad. And that is exactly what they were, goons. He utilized the GOONs to intimidate anyone that went against his policies and/or whims. They were armed and violent and fully at the disposal of their tyrannical leader. It was his way, the highway, or broken bones and blood and/or death. That was the way of Dick Wilson.
His tyranny led to the takeover and occupation of the hamlet of Wounded Knee by the American Indian Movement (AIM), It’s leaders Dennis Banks and Russell Means, and their followers, by request of the Traditional Oglala Indians that were the victims and targets of Dick Wilson and his GOONs.
Unfortunately even though AIM gained some grounds with the US’s Federal Government on having them look into Treaty Violations, Dick Wilson was not removed from office. His reign of terror and violence continued upon the reservation. Many abuses and murders can be attributed to Dicks’ continuation as the tribal President before and after the 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee.
During the 70s time frame many atrocities were committed by American Indians and Anglo Americans on and off the reservation. It was a crazy and ugly time.
My Novel, The REZ’s EDGE, touches on some of those issues, but it actually deals mostly with the racial issues between white and red Americans. Specifically it deals mostly with my main character, Dakota Charleston’s interpersonal and racial issues. Join me in his journey on the REZ’s EDGE.
Please visit my website below for more info. Thanks.
http://bradjensen.wixsite.com/authorbradjensen
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