The Pine Ridge reservation is the eighth largest in the United States and its close to 30,000 residents are spread out over nearly 9,000 square kilometers of hilly, rocky land. Some people here are involved in ranching, but this is one of the poorest places in the United States, with unemployment at around 70 percent and an average annual family income of just $3800. For the Lakota people who live here and in the nearby Black Hills and Rapid City, KILI radio is a beacon of hope as well as a way of keeping in touch with the community at large. "Hey, everybody,” says Derek Janis, a volunteer broadcaster on air at the station, “I hope you are enjoying your day and things are good with you, because everything is good up here at KILI Radio, 90.1 on the FM dial…" KILI roughly translates to "cool" or "awesome" in English. The station provides news about activities and events on the reservation, as well as music -- ranging from country to hip hop, with lots of native traditional singing as well. Local college professors and students come in every week to discuss Lakota myths and stories. The station also does live broadcasts of tribal council meetings." Get the Story:
Radio Station Provides Vital Link for People on Indian Reservation (Voice of America 8/28) $rl KILI - http://www.kiliradio.org
