Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Indian reservation in southwestern South Dakota, United States.
Pine Ridge is a reservation in southwestern South Dakota, covering large portions of Oglala Lakota County, Bennett County, and Jackson County. The land consists of rolling hills, open grasslands, and scattered wooded areas that form a wide expanse dotted with small communities and individual homes.
The reservation was established in 1889 after the division of the Great Sioux Reservation, marking a permanent settlement area for the Oglala Sioux. This period followed decades of conflict and treaty negotiations between the US government and the Lakota peoples.
The name comes from the pine-covered ridges that rise across this part of the plains, a landmark the Lakota people recognized for generations. Visitors today may witness powwows and ceremonial gatherings where families share their language, songs, and community bonds in public celebrations.
Visitors should be aware that many facilities and services are spread out, with considerable distances between communities across the reservation. It helps to check in advance whether specific events or cultural sites are open to the public, as some ceremonies remain private.
Parts of the reservation contain fossil deposits from the Oligocene epoch, a geological layer that offers scientists important clues about ancient ecosystems. The prairie also supports rare wildlife today, including black-footed ferrets that are part of recovery programs.
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