Home to the Oglala Lakota, Pine Ridge carries deep hardship and an equally deep cultural strength. The story of South Dakota begins long before statehood, on land the Lakota have always called home.

The reservation covers more than two million acres in the state's southwest corner.

What sets it apart

It is home to the Oglala Lakota, one of the seven Lakota bands. That detail is easy to overlook, but it helps explain the pull this place has on locals and visitors alike.

Community-led programs in language and youth work anchor efforts to rebuild opportunity.

Why it matters

Taken together, these threads say something about South Dakota itself — a place where the old and the new sit close together. It is a heritage still very much alive in the communities and gatherings of today's South Dakota.