Saturday, July 3, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Carthage
Last night was one for the record books. Eric and I met up with Wane Westerberg. When I first heard that name, it sounded vaguely familiar but I couldn't place it. If you have ever read the book or watched the movie Into the Wild, Wane is the guy that Christopher McCandless hangs out with in South Dakota. Eric met him a couple months back, and we decided to hang out last night. Wane is a great guy who really enjoys a white russian and a good story. He showed us around town and we met some genuinely kind down-to-earth people. I am not sure if it was the cottonwood floating down making me feel like I was in a snow globe or the shoulder rub from a farmer, or eating the best steak of my life or meeting real carnies for the first time or just being with someone in a small town who everyone knows their name, but the night was and odd type of magical. As I am lying here in bed, I am trying to find the words to describe it but I can't.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Church.
The pastor of my church yesterday was a man taking inventory at an un-opened Mexican grocery store. He talked my ear off about how in order to be a spiritual person, one needs to work for the greater good. He said that our culture is getting too good at protecting the individual over the whole. After this went on for about an hour, he got in trouble for talking rather than working. This has been happening a lot lately with people I have been talking to.
honesty
I am feeling a moment of calm. It is the kind of calm I am afraid of. The kind of calm that lends space for fears and unresolved issues to arrise. With this nature of work, I am able to let myself be open and not as preoccupied with everyday distractions. I challenge myself to let myself listen and be honesty. Let the honesty spill out to the world around me. Challenge myself to be unafraid of what arrises.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Pine Ridge
I was blown away by today. I woke up hungover after karaoke and we went to breakfast in Martin. We learned that our server lived in Lennox for the past 11 years and ended up back in Martin. Then our adventure began. We decided to go to Porcupine. On the way we thought up a super secret gangster movie about these two guys we saw on the street that made me feel like I was in a Quinton Terrentino movie. It involved an old Buick and star-crossed mob boss lovers.
We had to ask for directions. We found this man who drove an old pick-up truck smoking a cig, wearing a ripped old plaid shirt, grey hair and said "you know" after every sentence. He had deep, weathered, sun worn wrinkles in his face and was very helpful. He gave directions that went like this:
"Go up this dirt road and about 2 miles up, you will see 2 mailboxes. One will say 'rust' on it. after that, go up a little more then you will see a good dirt road. Take that all the way up to Porky-pine, you know"
In Porcupine, there is a school that has all the windows broken out and it looks like it was looted sitting right next to a building that looks brand new.
We went to the Porcupine trading post and we asked the man working there if he knew were KILI radio station is. KILI is the reservation radio station. He looked at us like we had monkeys on our backs french braiding our hair. He gave us directions.
KILI is located up on a hill with a beautiful view. When we got to KILI radio station, we walked inside to see what was happening. We met an interesting young couple and while Eric talked to the other man, I talked to the girl and heard her story. She has lead an exceptionally rough life that I can barely imagine. Yet she is still hopeful and wants to give hope to young people who grow up on the reservation. After talking for about an hour, we bid our goodbyes and made tentative plans to meet back up when we are back in Kadoka. Eric and I were going to use the bathroom and leave, but as I was leaving the bathroom, I saw that he was being interview on the air, then so was I. On the radio, the DJ said that she saw us at the H & H singing karaoke and it looked like we had a great time. Not necessarily the PR I wanted, but it seemed to be all good.
Then, we went past Wounded Knee and Eric wanted to stop and look for a dream catcher. We talked with the woman who was selling her wares for the better part of the hour learning about her story and the things she makes. The thing that struck me about her is her strong sense of identity. She likes doing what she does, and where she is in her life. She gave us a recommendation to go to this woman's house where she sells dinners.
After a long, windy road to this woman's house, we find that she isn't there. We go onto the next town. At the trading post there, Eric almost walks on a dog that he thinks is dead, but I think it was just sleeping. Later we find that it is mostly alive and scratching it's flea-ridden skin. The man behind the counter called the woman's house for us and found out that she was in Gorden for the day. We then decided to back to Kyle for the delicious burritos.
The road to Kyle brought us on perhaps the most beautiful road I have been on. I didn't realize how beautiful the land is there. I can look to the horizon
Once in Kyle we find the burrito place closed. We also find the diner closed. Then we see that all of the cars are at the school. On a hunch Eric and I thought there might be a pow-wow and we could find fry bread. once we get there, we find people of all ages dressed in their dancing clothes and hear the drum beat. once we get inside the school, we see a small table of food for sale; nachos, water, soda, etc. Although disappointed, we watch the dancing. Then, we see the other room. The cafetiere. As we walk in, we see a woman leaving with two pieces of fry bread in her hands. I see Eric's eyes light up. We get to the back of the cafeteria and see food being packed up. A man says "you're late!" We told him and the woman he was with about what were up to that day, and they gave us fry bread a stew as well as the first dark green lettuce i had seen all week. Then over coffee and a pickle, we watched the men's fancy dancing.
And luckily, we got back to Martin just in time for the 8pm showing of Robin Hood to cap off our day.
I feel blessed for the generosity and the beauty I saw today.
Eric told me today that he thinks I might be lucky. And maybe I am. I feel very lucky for a day like today.
We had to ask for directions. We found this man who drove an old pick-up truck smoking a cig, wearing a ripped old plaid shirt, grey hair and said "you know" after every sentence. He had deep, weathered, sun worn wrinkles in his face and was very helpful. He gave directions that went like this:
"Go up this dirt road and about 2 miles up, you will see 2 mailboxes. One will say 'rust' on it. after that, go up a little more then you will see a good dirt road. Take that all the way up to Porky-pine, you know"
In Porcupine, there is a school that has all the windows broken out and it looks like it was looted sitting right next to a building that looks brand new.
We went to the Porcupine trading post and we asked the man working there if he knew were KILI radio station is. KILI is the reservation radio station. He looked at us like we had monkeys on our backs french braiding our hair. He gave us directions.
KILI is located up on a hill with a beautiful view. When we got to KILI radio station, we walked inside to see what was happening. We met an interesting young couple and while Eric talked to the other man, I talked to the girl and heard her story. She has lead an exceptionally rough life that I can barely imagine. Yet she is still hopeful and wants to give hope to young people who grow up on the reservation. After talking for about an hour, we bid our goodbyes and made tentative plans to meet back up when we are back in Kadoka. Eric and I were going to use the bathroom and leave, but as I was leaving the bathroom, I saw that he was being interview on the air, then so was I. On the radio, the DJ said that she saw us at the H & H singing karaoke and it looked like we had a great time. Not necessarily the PR I wanted, but it seemed to be all good.
Then, we went past Wounded Knee and Eric wanted to stop and look for a dream catcher. We talked with the woman who was selling her wares for the better part of the hour learning about her story and the things she makes. The thing that struck me about her is her strong sense of identity. She likes doing what she does, and where she is in her life. She gave us a recommendation to go to this woman's house where she sells dinners.
After a long, windy road to this woman's house, we find that she isn't there. We go onto the next town. At the trading post there, Eric almost walks on a dog that he thinks is dead, but I think it was just sleeping. Later we find that it is mostly alive and scratching it's flea-ridden skin. The man behind the counter called the woman's house for us and found out that she was in Gorden for the day. We then decided to back to Kyle for the delicious burritos.
The road to Kyle brought us on perhaps the most beautiful road I have been on. I didn't realize how beautiful the land is there. I can look to the horizon
Once in Kyle we find the burrito place closed. We also find the diner closed. Then we see that all of the cars are at the school. On a hunch Eric and I thought there might be a pow-wow and we could find fry bread. once we get there, we find people of all ages dressed in their dancing clothes and hear the drum beat. once we get inside the school, we see a small table of food for sale; nachos, water, soda, etc. Although disappointed, we watch the dancing. Then, we see the other room. The cafetiere. As we walk in, we see a woman leaving with two pieces of fry bread in her hands. I see Eric's eyes light up. We get to the back of the cafeteria and see food being packed up. A man says "you're late!" We told him and the woman he was with about what were up to that day, and they gave us fry bread a stew as well as the first dark green lettuce i had seen all week. Then over coffee and a pickle, we watched the men's fancy dancing.
And luckily, we got back to Martin just in time for the 8pm showing of Robin Hood to cap off our day.
I feel blessed for the generosity and the beauty I saw today.
Eric told me today that he thinks I might be lucky. And maybe I am. I feel very lucky for a day like today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)