you mean they don't live in tipis? just kidding, I have seen pictures and recent movies about SD.... the american government can be proud of the title richest land of the world"

Quote from kinajin on 07/28/10 at 09:05:45:

 
Actually Kin', where white culture and housing is concerned, there is an on-going sort of "awakening" happening. Just read about a guy in Colorado who's "retirement home" is a Yurt (mongolian-style round tent, http://www.motherearthnews.com/modern-homesteading/want-a-cozy-home-build-a-yurt .aspx"). Other folks are embracing the "Tiny Home" concept (http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/). People both here in Southern California and up north in NorCal, Oregon, and Washington are going for earthen homes (Cob construction, Rammed Earth), Straw Bale homes, Timberframe and Log Cabin homes. Although one of the best houses I saw was "The Hobbit House" in Wales. It was built entirely of local materials scavenged from the building site or rescued from the dump. The guy and his family built it all themselves for less than £3000 (http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm). And if ya' REALLY wanna see a "cultural awakening", there's a group of folks over in Lead Hill, AK who are building a Medieval Castle using only traditional tools and building techniques, only using stone and other materials from the building site just as it would've been done in the 11th century. (http://www.ozarkmedievalfortress.com/en-us/)
 
Mostly, I think folks are just tired of high-priced housing, or because of building codes and local laws, being forced to live in homes larger than they feel they need. Then there's a community of folks in Twin Mesas, NM who are living rent-free on BLM land that I saw a documentary on called "Off The Grid: Life On The Mesa" (http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/off_the_grid_life_on_the_mesa/) But all of them are out there because they can't afford to live anywhere else.

more and more europeans are living in a RV or trailer, some because they want others because they no longer can afford to pay for the house

I live in a 11 x 9ft space. how much room do we need  

Quote from Alextakoda on 07/30/10 at 17:07:16:

 
To quote George Carlin: "That's all your house is is a place to store your stuff. If you didn't have so much stuff, you wouldn't need a house. You could just walk around all the time. That's all your house is, it's a pile of stuff with a cover on it. And when you leave your stuff, you gotta lock it up. Wouldn't want anyone to come by and take your stuff...... sometimes you gotta move and get a bigger house. Why? To much stuff!"
 
Recently we've been getting rid of a lot of old stuff just to make more room in the house. Stuff we never use any more, stuff that doesn't fit, stuff we forgot we had and can't remember why we got in the first place. Less stuff = need less room = less to clean and less to worry about = more free time to enjoy ourselves.

Possessions are White / Euro society's acceptable clarification for status of success.
 
Ndn people are judges by other Ndn people by their acts, Bravery, Charity, humility, honesty among them. Not dollars or possessions.
 
Is this still true on the Reservations today Kinajin..............I believe it is so with our Elders.

Sometimes a visit with our Elders and relatives can open our eye's, ear's and hearts to the differences between reservation and off reservation life.
To the truths and the perceptions of those that would otherwise avoid such talk.

growth come with pain and the realization of what is perceived as truth.
 
I travel to the Dakotas, to the Hills and the Bad lands. I visit with relatives. This time my eyes looked differently upon what I saw and what I listened too. I was surprised at the number of people who looked much like me. People who have never lived off the reservation. Kids who know nothing other than reservation life. I watched how Lakota and non Lakota people interacted with these kids. Kids with blond hair and blue eyes standing next to their brothers or sisters who had Dark hair and Brown eyes.
I watched how these kids were teased by other reservation kids, accepted by family and those close to them, but different by those that do not know them.
The same was for the whites who had contact with them. They did not look at the blond kids like Lakota, they saw them by their outward appearance as white. But these kids could speak Lakota as well as their siblings.
 
Yes there is growth, but there is a perceived truth spoken by those that hold certain beliefs. To them the truth is in their belief systems. Perceived by what they have been taught.  
 
How are we teaching others in our words here?

Grandma always use to tell me "We're all just folks here."

agree  

Some of us are just family, it doesn't matter where we are from. Its all good.
 
J.

I would like to know, if I'm family.  
Maybe I don't wanna be family - Raoul Julia said some pretty profound stuff about family and friends to Mad Max.
I think, I prefer friends, actually. You can choose friends, you see...