Educational Media Reviews Online

Filmed in 2016 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, Little Wound’s Warriors includes interviews with many generations of the Lakota people. The filmmakers interviewed various adults, and students from the Little Wound High School located on the reservation in Kyle, SD. These intergenerational interviewees candidly discuss the myriad of issues affecting their society including absentee parenting, alcoholism, domestic abuse, forced assimilation into white culture, indigence, and a recent wave of suicides. This documentary examines the negative stigmas experienced by many individuals featured in this film as a result of living on reservations that some interviewees compare to concentration camps. It offers a powerful account of the trauma inflicted on Native Americans which began over 200 years ago. This trauma has left a devastating legacy.

Little Wound’s Warriors offers a straightforward glimpse into the problems plaguing people at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Interview participants discuss the abject poverty faced by many individuals who have little food, no indoor plumbing, and often no heat. Alcoholism and addiction compound these issues as many Lakota use alcohol or drugs to numb the pain of their dark history. Members of the older generation recount the Wounded Knee Massacre where many Lakota were murdered and the United States government’s subsequent attempt to erase their culture. These past events shape the dysfunction and despair many Lakota continue to feel today especially because of governmental efforts to efface their identities. Some interviewees note that they continue to battle against newer forms of genocide created by contemporary problems such as alcohol, poor nutrition, and drugs.

Although this film discloses many issues faced by the Lakota at Pine Ridge, it also offers stories of hope. Interviewees recognize their innate warrior-spirit and their strength before adversity. High school students mobilize to help others and combat suicide. All generations recognize their roots, culture, and the resilience of their ancestors. They discuss embracing their traditions such as the sweat lodge ceremony and Sun Dancing which only came back 40 years ago. These aspects of their culture define who they are, and the spiritual connections provide healing from trauma. The Lakota language also plays an important role in their history and way of life. Recent efforts to keep this language alive have helped counteract years of indigenous suppression. Many scenes include individuals either singing or speaking in Lakota.

This documentary reminds viewers that deleterious incidents in United States history still significantly impact an often-ignored segment of American society. It presents difficult topics against a beautiful backdrop of snowy reservation scenes and spectacular aerial views of the Badlands. The filmmakers also include touching moments which incorporate music, singing, and the creative writing of some participants which they read out loud. Little Wound’s Warriors offers a variety of licenses that can include public performance rights. It is recommended for advanced high school classes and college courses in such disciplines as American History, Native American Studies, Psychology, and Sociology.

Awards:
Best Public Service Award, American Indian FF, San Francisco

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