Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Journey to Pine Ridge, a slide show and talk at the Cornwall CT Library. Discover how outsiders, including residents of Cornwall and elsewhere, are visiting the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and helping and learning from the Oglala Lakota people.

It’s a long way from Cornwall to Pine Ridge in South Dakota. Roughly 1,700 miles away from Connecticut, it might not at first seem that far away. But it often has outsize, even profound significance for outsiders who spend a week on the reservation, working and meeting with the Oglala Lakota people under the auspices of the Re-Member organization.

The Pine Ridge reservation is the size of Connecticut and the poorest county in the United States, with the highest rates of diabetes, suicide, and substance abuse. Broken treaties, bureaucratic dysfunction, and other problems have left tribal members in terrible straits for many years.

Despite this, the Oglala Lakota people are caring, courageous, and generous, proud of their rich traditional culture. Being heard by and knowing people from beyond the reservation is powerful for them, and outsiders often remark on the new hope and positive change they see developing on the reservation over time.

During a typical week outsiders spend part of their time serving the people of Pine Ridge in work-related projects, for example, building bunk beds because most folks live in trailers that house an extended family, or building outhouses because the trailers do not have running water. The rest of the week is cultural connection, for example, learning about the history of the reservation, or visiting the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 and hearing from descendants of those who were there. Nightly speakers are people from the reservation who might be school teachers or storytellers. Their personal stories and historical accounts are profoundly moving.

Although the delegation from Cornwall has been led for the past 10 years by the Reverend Micki Nunn-Miller, the pastor of the Congregational Church in Cornwall, it is not affiliated with any religious, political or policy group. This is also true of Re-Member, whose stated purpose is to “improve the quality of life for those who live here, and provide meaningful opportunities to serve and learn for those who volunteer and support our work.”

On November 2, Becky Hurlburt and Cay Hosterman, both veterans of previous trips, will talk about their experiences and show slides. Micki Nunn-Miller will share her extensive insight into the program, and there will be time for Q&A. Perhaps you will be inspired to sign up for this year’s trip, or find another way to contribute. Admission to this talk is free, and it is not a fundraising event.

Journey to Pine Ridge is on November 2 at 2 pm at the Cornwall CT Library,
Reservations available on library website.

The Cornwall Library
30 Pine Street
Cornwall, CT 06753

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