Rezball: Basketball in Lakota Nation - VICE World of Sports

Summary

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Lakota Sioux, is the poorest place in America with a history of tragedy and hardship. Despite the lack of basic amenities, the community finds solace and hope in the game of basketball, particularly through the intense rivalry between the Red Cloud Crusaders and Pine Ridge Thorpes. This sport not only unites the tribe but also serves as a beacon of hope for the younger generation, keeping them focused and providing a path forward. The video highlights the importance of preserving their culture and traditions for the future, as the Lakota people strive to overcome the challenges of their past and build a better future.

Takeaways

• 🏆 The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota is home to a vibrant basketball culture, particularly among the Lakota Sioux community.
• 📊 Despite being the poorest place in America, the reservation has a strong sense of community and tradition, with basketball serving as a unifying force.
• 🏘️ The reservation lacks basic amenities like electricity and running water in many areas, highlighting the challenges of living there.
• 🏀 The sport of basketball, specifically a style called 'reds ball,' is deeply ingrained in the culture and has been adapted by Native American tribes.
• 👕 The Red Cloud Crusaders and Pine Ridge Thorpes are the two high school teams that embody the local basketball rivalry and tradition.
• 👟 The players from both teams have been playing together since a young age, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.
• 🏆 Basketball is not just a sport on the reservation; it represents hope and a way to stay focused amidst difficult circumstances.
• 👨‍👦‍👦 The game serves as a coping mechanism for the players, helping them deal with personal tragedies and the harsh realities of life on the reservation.
• 🌐 The language and culture of the Lakota people are endangered, but there is a strong effort to preserve and pass them on to future generations.
• 🎓 For the young players, basketball is more than a game; it's a potential pathway to education and a better future outside of the reservation.
• 👥 The community's support for the high school basketball games is immense, with games often packed with enthusiastic fans, reflecting the importance of the sport.

Q & A

Where is the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation located?

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is located in South Dakota.

Which tribe primarily resides on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation?

The Lakota Sioux tribe primarily resides on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

What is the historical significance of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation?

Wounded Knee is the site of a massacre in 1890 where US troops killed nearly 300 men, women, and children of the Lakota tribe.

What are the living conditions like on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation?

The reservation is home to hundreds of trailer parks without electricity or running water, and lacks basic amenities like banks or movie theaters.

How is basketball adapted in the native style on the reservation?

Basketball is adapted into a non-stop, running gun game known as 'reds ball', which has been played that way since the beginning.

What is the significance of the rivalry between the Red Cloud Crusaders and the Pine Ridge Thorpes?

The rivalry is significant as it represents the spirit and unity of the Lakota tribe, despite the challenges they face.

How does basketball serve as a focal point for the youth on the reservation?

Basketball provides hope and a sense of community, keeping the youth focused and offering a positive outlet for their energy.

What impact does the sport have on the players' lives outside the court?

Basketball helps the players cope with personal tragedies and provides a sense of purpose and direction for their future.

Why is the preservation of the Lakota language and culture important to the community?

Preserving the Lakota language and culture is important as it represents the identity and heritage of the tribe, and is a way to honor their ancestors and pass on traditions to future generations.

What are the aspirations of the students from the reservation regarding their future?

The students aspire to go to college, join the military, and make a difference in their community, aiming to break the cycle of poverty and despair.

How does the basketball game between Red Cloud and Pine Ridge reflect the community's values?

The game reflects the community's values of resilience, tradition, and hope, as well as their commitment to supporting the next generation.

Outlines

00:00

🏞️ Life and Challenges on Pine Ridge Reservation

This paragraph introduces the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, a Lakota Sioux community in South Dakota. It highlights the challenges of living in such an area, including poverty, lack of basic amenities, and historical trauma like the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890. Despite these hardships, the community has a deep connection to basketball, with local courts playing a pivotal role in the lives of residents.

05:03

🏀 Res Ball: The Heart of a Community

The paragraph shifts focus to basketball, which has been embraced by Native American tribes, including the Lakota. Known as 'Res Ball,' this fast-paced, running game holds cultural significance. A fierce rivalry between two local high schools—Red Cloud Crusaders and Pine Ridge Thorpes—has become a symbol of this tradition. Despite coming from the same tribe, this rivalry energizes the community, with both schools bringing their unique strengths to the court.

10:06

💔 Resilience Amidst Tragedy

This section dives into the personal lives of the players. It highlights the difficulties faced by the youth, particularly suicide and grief. One player's story stands out as he recounts the loss of his father to suicide and how basketball provided a source of focus and purpose during that difficult time. Despite the dark circumstances, the sport offers hope and resilience to those affected.

🎓 Looking Beyond the Court

Here, the narrative shifts to the future aspirations of the senior players. As they approach the end of their high school careers, they are faced with life-changing decisions that will impact not just themselves, but their entire community. Plans for college, the military, and breaking free from the struggles of life on the reservation are discussed, revealing the weight of responsibility they carry as Lakota youth.

💭 Dreams for a Better Future

This part reflects on the dreams and hopes the young people have for a brighter future, both for themselves and their community. While the struggles on the reservation are apparent, there’s a strong desire among the youth to make better choices, escape the cycle of hardship, and contribute positively to the tribe. Their motivations stem from wanting to honor their heritage while also creating new opportunities.

🏆 A Packed Gym: Red Cloud vs. Pine Ridge

In this paragraph, the scene is set for a high-stakes basketball game between Red Cloud and Pine Ridge. The gym is packed with passionate fans, and the fast-paced nature of 'Res Ball' is emphasized, with possessions moving quickly and no need for a shot clock. The rivalry between the two teams captivates the community, showing how basketball holds deeper meaning beyond just the game.

🔥 A Game That Carries the Tribe's Hopes

This paragraph details how basketball on the Pine Ridge Reservation represents more than just a sport. It carries cultural and emotional weight, symbolizing hope for the future. As the community faces numerous challenges, the young players are seen as 'the tip of the spear' in a larger fight for survival and progress. The tradition of basketball intertwines with the tribe's desire to keep their culture and sovereignty alive.

🌅 Restoring a Culture for Future Generations

The final paragraph shifts focus from basketball to a broader cultural perspective. It reflects on the Lakota elders' belief that it took seven generations for their culture to reach the brink of extinction. However, the current conversation is centered on the future—on the seven generations it will take to rebuild and restore the Lakota heritage. The paragraph ends on a hopeful note, envisioning a cultural revival for future generations.

Keywords

💡Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is a Native American reservation in South Dakota, primarily inhabited by the Lakota Sioux people. It is depicted in the video as a community facing significant challenges, including poverty and historical trauma. The reservation is the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre, a historical event where U.S. troops killed nearly 300 Lakota tribe members in 1890. The video uses the reservation as a backdrop to explore the themes of cultural preservation and the hope that sports, like basketball, can bring to the community.

💡Lakota Sioux

The Lakota Sioux are a Native American tribe and the primary community living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The term 'Lakota' refers to one of the three major divisions of the Sioux people, known for their rich cultural heritage and history. In the video, the Lakota Sioux are shown as a resilient community, maintaining their traditions and culture despite the adversities they face, such as poverty and the loss of their language.

💡Red Cloud Crusaders

The Red Cloud Crusaders are a high school basketball team from the Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. They are depicted as a group of seniors who have been playing together for their entire lives, representing a sense of unity and tradition within the community. The team's name, 'Crusaders,' and their blue jerseys are mentioned as a source of pride for the students, and their games are a focal point of community engagement and hope.

💡Pine Ridge Thorpes

The Pine Ridge Thorpes are another high school basketball team from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, named after Jim Thorpe, one of the greatest athletes of all time. The team is portrayed as a younger group of athletes who provide stiff competition to the Red Cloud Crusaders. The rivalry between the two teams is a central theme in the video, symbolizing the community's spirit and the importance of sports in bringing people together.

💡Res Ball

Res Ball refers to a style of basketball unique to Native American reservations, characterized by a fast-paced, non-stop running game. The video describes this style as having been adopted by Indian tribes across the country, and it is a significant part of the cultural identity on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The term 'Res Ball' is used to highlight the distinctiveness of the game and its role in the community, serving as a source of pride and a unifying force.

💡Hope

Hope is a recurring theme in the video, symbolized by the positive impact that basketball has on the youth of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The sport is seen as a beacon of hope, providing a constructive outlet for the community's children and a means to escape the challenges of their environment. The video emphasizes how basketball can keep kids focused and steer them away from negative influences, offering them a path towards a better future.

💡Suicide

The video touches upon the serious issue of suicide within the reservation, mentioning that there have been many suicides and that one of the basketball players lost his father to suicide. This keyword highlights the deep struggles faced by the community, beyond the economic and social challenges, and underscores the importance of finding hope and resilience through activities like basketball.

💡Oglala Lakota

The Oglala Lakota are a subtribe of the Lakota Sioux people, and they are the primary inhabitants of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The term 'Oglala' is used in the video to emphasize the specific cultural identity and heritage of the people living on the reservation. The video discusses how the name 'Oglala' is relevant today as the community faces challenges in preserving their language and culture.

💡Basketball as a focal point

Basketball is depicted in the video as more than just a sport; it is a focal point for the community, bringing people together and providing a sense of identity and pride. The high school basketball games are described as significant events that draw large crowds, indicating the importance of the sport within the community's social fabric.

💡Seven Generations

The concept of 'Seven Generations' is mentioned in the video as a guiding principle for the Lakota people. It refers to the idea that decisions made in the present should consider their impact on the next seven generations. This principle is used to frame the discussions about the future of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, emphasizing the importance of cultural preservation and the responsibility to future generations.

💡Cultural Preservation

Cultural preservation is a central theme in the video, as it highlights the efforts of the Lakota Sioux to maintain their traditions, language, and way of life. The video discusses the endangerment of the Lakota language and the importance of passing down cultural knowledge to younger generations. This keyword is integral to understanding the community's struggle to maintain its identity amidst the challenges of modern life.

Highlights

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota is home to the Lakota Sioux people and faces significant challenges.

Despite being the poorest place in America, the community has a rich cultural heritage and a strong basketball tradition.

The game of 'reds ball' is a unique, fast-paced version of basketball played by the native community.

The rivalry between the Red Cloud Crusaders and the Pine Ridge Thorpes is intense and deeply rooted in the community.

Basketball serves as a unifying force and a source of hope for the youth on the reservation.

The students face personal struggles, including the impact of suicide within their community.

Basketball is not just a sport; it's a way to cope with loss and maintain focus on a positive future.

The importance of preserving the Lakota language and cultural traditions is emphasized by the community.

The basketball games are a focal point for the community, drawing large crowds and symbolizing unity.

The style of basketball played, known as 'res ball', is characterized by its non-stop, fast-paced nature.

The students see basketball as a way to escape the challenges of life on the reservation and pursue higher education.

The community's hope for the future is tied to the success and aspirations of the young basketball players.

The concept of thinking seven generations ahead is central to the Lakota people's approach to culture and education.

The basketball games are more than just sports; they represent the ongoing fight for cultural preservation.

The transcript highlights the resilience and determination of the Lakota people to maintain their culture and traditions.

The future of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is seen through the lens of hope and the potential of its youth.

Transcripts

[Applause]

we are on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

in South Dakota it is a community that

is primarily made up of the Lakota Sioux

people now it's been well-documented

that there are challenges to living in

an area like this but we're gonna tell

the story through a different lens

[Music]

there's not a lot happening here on the

rez crossing 3500 square miles and three

County lines the Pine Ridge Indian

Reservation is statistically the poorest

place in America it's the site of the

Wounded Knee Massacre where in 1890 US

troops killed nearly 300 men women and

children of the Lakota tribe today it's

home to hundreds of trailer parks

without electricity or running water

there isn't a bank or a movie theater

the Pine Ridge but there are basketball

courts

[Applause]

[Music]

this isn't basketball

it's reds ball because the native style

this game is played one way

it's been that way since the beginning

for decades Indian tribes everywhere

have co-opted basketball into a non-stop

running gun game and today on Pineridge

this tradition flows through one rivalry

between only two high schools in town in

spite of their namesake the Red Cloud

Crusaders wear the blue jerseys with

pride and they've got a roster of

seniors who've been playing together

their entire lives but standing in their

way is stiff competition from the

younger Pineridge thorpes as in Jim Thor

one of the greatest athletes of all time

and while the students from both teams

all come from the same tribe the rivalry

splits the resin - every year we've been

playing together since like yes

everything you built like a mini like

got like built like man I just dislike

sixth grade people see their raises like

dangerous hostile and all that nonsense

play we're just friendly

I know basketball has kept you guys

focused but you're not on the court all

the time how do you guys a void those

opportunities to you know make a bad

decision for a night I mean just being

together very much

it's cuz the res it's in bad shape

there's a bunch of suicides

last hope I lost my dad to suicide three

years ago so I was pretty big at the

time when he killed himself we had a

game you went out and played after you

found out as soon as I go on that court

it's like my main focus was to get the

win and actually I went straight to his

wake

I stayed there for like two days

straight

I was just I wouldn't wish that on

anybody that feeling just served man

what would you say basketball means to a

kid growing up here it's like hope Oh

why there's a park down here called the

Oh Park every night of the summer

there's games going on every night and

my kids can turn to it so it's like the

main focal point in there is for

centuries this land has been home to a

sub tribe of the Lakota people known as

the Oklahoma translated from the

traditional dialect Oglala means they

who scattered their own and while traces

of the Oglala heritage are still visible

around the rez that name has never been

more relevant than it is today the

language itself is endangered but the

Lakota people aren't ready to give up on

it yet

the seniors who line up on either side

of the ball tonight they have a lot on

their mind because they're not just kids

playing in a high school rivalry they're

Lakota kids and what they do or where

they go next

that's a choice that affects the entire

tribe it's reality you know I don't go

on forever

I'm a man clergyman in the Medical

College this is your last year you guys

live in this life that you've always

lived together how do you see life after

basketball at Red Cloud I plan on going

to college for two years

get my associate and go into the

military afterwards

so it's pretty pretty intense kind of

scary to think about

he's our hero

[Music]

what's it gonna be like for you when he

does get to go off and go to college be

some miso broth and make a family not to

see you know I hope he has to go home to

go so I'm happy is gone no sin my uncles

and people around here like what they go

through when they don't take back the

right right choices like I don't want to

have it I want I want to be somewhere

out there is I'm on my own family and

just seeing the struggles within raised

within my family

like I want to be different like I want

to single myself out and be different

and help them at the same time

[Music]

kela hina-chan

[Music]

key lady glue ha no

[Music]

in the hallway of the Red Cloud

gymnasium right now inside that gym a

thousand fans packed strong they've

locked the doors and said no more people

can come in

I have read Bob

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

the one thing that stands out to me

about this style of basketball that they

call res ball is that they don't need a

shot clock basically you get 35 seconds

I haven't seen the clock run off more

than five to eight seconds

possession back and forth

back and forth even the reps are getting

worn out

this year's matchup between Red Cloud

and Pine Ridge was an old-fashioned

blowout it was the kind of game that

almost no sports fan would care about

but the Oglala Lakota tribe on Pine

Ridge Indian Reservation

they came round here high school hoops

means something because the kids playing

it are now the tip of the spear for

another fight you talked earlier about

basketball being hope what are you your

hope for this place for your home it's

kind of like a really big part of us for

like a sovereign nation

you know we stick together the people we

got to keep our traditions alive in our

culture and we got to learn so we can

keep teaching into the younger

generations and then we can just even

build on each other's back

seven generations that's how long the

Kota elders say it took for their

culture to come to the brink of

extinction but the conversation here is

not about the past it's about the future

about the seven generations it'll take

to get it back

you

you

[Music]