The beauty and disappointment of reservation life

This book opened a lot of our eyes to things we didn’t know about Native Americans and where/how they live. Many people think that the casinos are making up for years of poverty and neglect from the U.S. government. And while they live with nature, they aren’t able to use some of their tribal hunting and fishing areas, because of overuse. One very interesting this to learn was that the government did not “give” tribes the land they live on. It was always theirs, and they were allowed to live on a small percentage of their lands after everyone else plundered them. For such a long time Native Americans did not get the education they deserved so they could get ahead and get off the reservation. There were so many injustices perpetuated, it seems almost impossible to make them right. But just as a child from a poverty-stricken area, with some help and a desire can get ahead, so can Native Americans. They have their own courts, their own police, they offer health care an assistance as needed. They try to take care of their own, and it is working. The casinos are a blessing and a curse. Money comes into the reservation, but also crime. But few of us have the ability to live in the beauty of nature, to use her resources, and to give back. For that, the people are lucky.