University of Nebraska at Omaha students and Nebraska residents witnessed the suffering of Nebraska Native Americans’ battle with alcoholism during a showing of the documentary, “Sober Indian I Dangerous Indian.”
The viewing took place, Oct. 7 in the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center. The documentary shows the struggles of American Indians from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation dealing with alcoholism and living on the streets of Whiteclay, Nebraska.
During the documentary, men and women shared their compelling journey through alcoholism. John Maisch, director of “Sober Indian | Dangerous Indian,” said he saw the documentary bringing Native Americans together from all over Nebraska.
“What has happened to the mothers and children is unspeakable,” Maisch said.
According to the documentary. Whiteclay, Nebraska has a population of 12 residents, four convenience stores and more than 4 million cans of beer sold.
The film also quoted the statistic that 1 out of 4 children are born with fetal alcohol syndrome.
Pete Blacksmith Jr., one of the Native Americans suffering from an addiction to alcohol, is quoted in the film saying 60 percent of Native Americans abuse alcohol.
Blacksmith admitted he’s traded sexual favors for money to buy alcohol and the documentary opens with him being tested for HIV.
Reggie Hollow Horn is a father, grandfather and friend within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He said in the documentary there’s no drugs on the streets of Whiteclay, Nebraska. The only drug American Indians abuse is alcohol.
“I took my choice to be an alcoholic,” Hollow Horn is quoted saying. He became an alcoholic after he retired in 1992 and battled the horrors of the death of his family.
Robert Young Dog, another Pine Ridge Indian Reservation resident suffering from alcoholism, was born with fetal alcohol syndrome. Young Dog said in the film he drinks alcohol because he wants to drink.
Young Dog’s parents left when he was young and was left in the care of a U.S. Marine. He says the marine did unspeakable things to him. Young Dog said words of comfort in Pine Ridge are only to go drink a beer.
Dr. Teresa Lamsam, president and executive editor of Native Health News Alliance, acknowledges alcohol is a problem among American Indians but makes it clear that’s not true for all American Indian tribes.
Throughout the documentary, many Native Americans said they drink to forget.
The black market involves Native Americans smuggling alcohol into Pine Ridge Reservation and reselling to make profits.
“We’re in poverty, everyone wants to make money.” Hollow Horn said.
Hollow Horn says some of the residents sell food stamps for half of their value to buy alcohol.
Pine Ridge residents face a 14-month waiting list to get into treatment for alcohol addiction, but Blacksmith said he has been on the list for 16 months without hearing anything.
The U.S. has 566 federally recognized Native American tribes and more that aren’t yet recognized.
Lamsam said the problem with alcohol isn’t in every Native American tribe. However, Lamsam said the news media covering the problem of alcohol is what she sees furthering the stereotype of alcoholism on Native American reservations.
Darian Holmes is a UNO student and is passionate about Native American struggles because she’s 25 percent Native American and feels it’s a part of her heritage.
“Beer companies push products unjustly on some Native American tribes,” Holmes said.
“Genetics play a role in the consumption of alcohol,” Holmes said. “Native Americans can consume large quantities without as many negative side effects. This, combined with the pushing of alcohol companies, is creating a problem embedded so deeply in Native American culture it’s nearly impossible to break.”