Photographer John Willis has long been aware of the exploitation that can occur when photographers enter communities as outsiders. So, in 1992, when he first visited the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, he assured elders of the Oglala Lakota nation that he would not exhibit any of his images.
Over time, however, Willis earned the respect and trust of the community, and the elders urged him to show his work and create this book so that others might better understand Lakota land and life. Willis has returned to the reservation every year since 1992, and he has come to grasp and interpret this place as few others have. Views from the Reservation, first published to widespread acclaim in 2010 and now presented in an updated and expanded edition, remains a gift a wopila that is meant to open the minds, eyes, and hearts of outsiders to the life, culture, and conditions of the Oglala Lakota people.
Along with his insightful and accomplished images, Willis has enlisted other voices to offer a more complete story: Lakota elders and high school students from the Pine Ridge Reservation offer powerful poems; writer Kent Nerburn contributes an original essay; Emil Her Many Horses, a curator at the National Museum of the American Indian, tells his story of growing up on the rez; Kevin Gover, Director of the National Museum of the American Indian, apologizes for the government’s abuse of native people; Oglala Lakota artist Dwayne Wilcox shares his provocative ledger drawings; and members of the Reddest family present their amazing photo collection.
Views from the Reservation is a masterful book that has been praised by the Lakota people for its honesty, spirit, and depth. It offers the chance for native peoples and outsiders alike to appreciate and respect the Pine Ridge Reservation from contemporary and historical points of view, with art and storytelling leading the way.
82 duotones, 3 colour, 31 b/w historic photographs and 7 colour ledger drawings
About the Author
John Willis is Professor of Photography at Marlboro College and a co-founder of the In-Sign Photography Project and Exposures Cross Cultural Youth Photography Program. His photographs are in more than sixty collections, including the Amon Carter Museum, George Eastman House International Museum, Heard Museum, High Museum of Art, J. Paul Getty Museum, Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, National Museum of the American Indian, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Yale University Gallery of Art.
Industry Reviews
"Views from the Reservation is filled with spiritual power and insightful observations. [...] The pictures are beautiful; the circumstances are not. This book is a wake-up call, for those who are unaware of or have not considered the historic and current issues of Indigenous Americans and the Oglala Lakota Tribe in particular." -- "Zeke Magazine"
"Views from the Reservation goes well beyond what others have written about and discussed regarding the tribal people who live within the reservation's boundaries. John Willis captures not only the day-to-day challenges of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, but more importantly the true pride of the people. He shows in vivid detail that the culture is truly being passed from one generation to another. As many elders have told me, 'This is our life, and John Willis has captured it.' As this book shows, the residents of Pine Ridge are truly mending the circle of life. Thank you, Mr. Willis, for your great gift. Views from the Reservation is a must-read for all ages."--Gerard Baker, retired Assistant Director for American Indian Relations at the National Park Service and retired Superintendent of Mount Rushmore National Monument
"Views from the Reservation is amazing--incredible pictures and heartfelt stories perfectly told. Every photograph is a classic: carefully seen, lovingly captured, and painstakingly executed."--Henry Horenstein, Professor of Photography, Rhode Island School of Design
