
These Stark Photos Show What Life On A Native American Reservation Is Really Like
By Mustafa GatollariNov. 18 2019, Updated 2:33 p.m. ET
There's a big, harmful stereotype surrounding Native Americans living on reservations, and it's that there are more than a few of them who are enjoying, fat, tax-free checks cut from their big casinos that are out of the government's grasp. And it's simply one that is not true.
It's a perception that isn't rooted in reality, according to Twitter user @lilnativeboy, Allen, who shared some bleak photos that put the reality of reservation life on blast for the world to see.
It's not pretty.
Thread of what it was like to grow up on the Navajo Reservation here in New Mexico
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
This was the house my mother & I grew up in we had no electricity or running water and not even an address pic.twitter.com/BVRJ35vo20
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
In his series of tweets, he highlights the problems people face on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico. It's hard to believe that there are entire communities of people living in an industrialized nation who are exposed to the conditions he lists. As Allen explains it, there are homes without electricity, running water, or even addresses which makes navigating or receiving any deliveries difficult, to say the least.
Since we had no water we had to haul it twice a week and drive two hours to fill up our water barrels pic.twitter.com/lX3wZfbijC
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
Obtaining clean water was a struggle.
No water means we do dishes in a bucket & if u wanted to take a shower you heated up water & got a wash cloth and used that to wipe ur body
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
W/o water we used an outhouse to go to the restroom (which is scary af at night bc no electricity) pic.twitter.com/k6qfEgdupC
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
Since we had no electricity we used gas lamps & flashlights!!! If we were cold or needed warm water we built a fire
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
He reports that trash removal services were non-existent, so residents were forced to dig holes and burn their garbage.
There is also no garbage trucks or place to drop off ur trash so we just burned it pic.twitter.com/fPCosp42G9
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
The remoteness of the reservations meant that daily dangers that have been mitigated or can be dealt with swiftly in modern societies pose much greater threats.
If you were being attacked or ur house was on fire or you got bit by a snake ect there is no such thing as 911 on the rez
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
We don't have address or paved roads so 100% of the time you deal with the situation yourself or die pic.twitter.com/qmy3c9RCIJ
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
According to @lilnativeboy, it was not uncommon for non-residents to come into reservation land to sexually assault Native American women.
Yt men have been coming onto our rez for years 2 rape/steal our girls bc there are laws that let them get away w/ it https://t.co/cpVkFdUIjC
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
Hospitals and grocery stores were nearly non-existent.
The Navajo nation is over 25,000 miles wide yet there are only 13 grocery stores and three hospitals pic.twitter.com/hJU7wD8ENn
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
There are 8 Whole Foods in a 10 mile radius of my apt if not more https://t.co/VOaKqvTSVJ
— TASNEEM (@iamtasneem) August 20, 2017
His tweets sparked a larger conversation about the grim situations many Native American families suffer right here in the USA. Even having access to decent food is a struggle.
This is truth. I have worked at 2 of the hospitals. Grocery stores have very little fresh food but people charged "junk food" tax. https://t.co/V8tb9MI8zB
— Alice Sato (@asato4kids) August 20, 2017
idk if this was the same for you, but having to train dogs to hunt the huge rats too
— ur fav native أوتوم (@lilsadhoe) August 20, 2017
Omgg we would train ours to hunt Prairie dogs https://t.co/sTgPcILo0s
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
Apparently the problem isn't just in America, either.
This also goes for every other reservation here in Canada. https://t.co/RtqK3LMmBV
— Soulist (@4rodney7) August 20, 2017
So if you didn't know, now you know.
So this is how us rich natives live with our government checks and casinos 😊
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
& just note I took all these pictures today and my family and many others who live on the rez still live this way in 2017
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
If you would like to help Native families who live in these conditions you can donate here https://t.co/Txocpo0jGp
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
Or here https://t.co/jp4S11sGZ7
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
We also face all the issues in this thread + more https://t.co/SAElft1Mwv
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017
How can you help?? Spread awareness and educate others who are ignorant to our issues
— . (@lilnativeboy) August 20, 2017