The Lakota women living on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota are rising against the forces suppressing them. By preserving and protecting their ancestral values and wisdom, they provide hope to their people.
This documentary follows the women on the South Dakota Indian reservation called Pine Ridge. The Native women detail their life on a reservation and the struggles they had, and still have, to overcome.
Living on a reservation is certainly not easy, and the film does not shy away from that fact. Generational trauma, poverty, alcoholism, drug abuse, missing persons, and murder are all topics touched upon and still greatly affect Native American people today. The documentary also doesn’t shy away from the cruelty and racism committed by Christians and colonizers, such as enforcing laws that take away Native children to boarding schools, which vilify their heritage.
I did find the documentary to be informative. My heart broke to see how so many Native people are struggling. Many of them live in poverty, and they often turn to drugs and alcohol as a release since they feel hopeless about their situation.
Despite the various struggles that Native Americans, particularly these women, face, I was glad to see how resilient they are. Their stories may not be exactly heartwarming, but they are important and eye-opening. Native people are still marginalized, and it is about time we change that.
I did get a bit tired of watching nature footage, which is what this documentary mostly comprises, but there are also some beautiful shots of a woman performing a Native dance. I also enjoyed hearing some Native American legends told through voiceover at the film’s beginning, middle, and end.
I am glad about seeing more diversity both in front of and behind the camera. If you have not seen the TV show “Reservation Dogs,” I suggest giving that series a watch. I think that show would serve as a good companion piece to this documentary as it highlights what life is like on a reservation and what so many Native youths deal with.
Overall, “Women of the White Buffalo” may be a standard documentary, but it gives these Native women a much-needed voice. Native Americans are still severely underrepresented in the media today, and this documentary shines a light on the kind of obstacles they face and the strength they possess to endure.
Available on VOD April 12th
