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| Lakota Youths showed 'Spaces of Exception,' a film revealing the truths of the lands of Native people and Palestinians, Native lands, here in the Lakota community on the Oglala Lakota Nation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, where the film series originated. Photo by Mato White Plume. |
Lakota Youths in Solidarity with Palestine Screen 'Spaces of Exception'
In the Lakota community where the film series began, the film reveals the shared truths in the lands of Native People and Palestinians.
By Mato White Plume and Natalie Hand
Oglala Lakota Nation, Pine Ridge, South Dakota
Censored News, Nov. 23, 2025
Mato White Plume said, "A lasting impression this film left was the shared themes of systemic confinement, and the resistance against it. Seeing these two histories laid side by side like that, it clicks. It makes the regimes of control and displacement undeniable. It was for sure heavy, but the kind of heavy that fuels the flame for liberation."
"The most powerful was witnessing the raw acts of resistance," said Mato White Plume, Organizer for Moccasins On The Move.
"The most powerful was witnessing the raw acts of resistance," said Mato White Plume, Organizer for Moccasins On The Move.
"It wasn’t just a film about oppression, it was a film about everyday people just “being," despite everything designed to erase our identity and connection to our land. This shattered the victim narrative and showed us resistance is in our cultures, our territories, and our refusal to being imitations of our oppressors."
"The talking circle I facilitated after was just as real. Hearing our people make the connections aloud. Solidarity became something we felt, not just a word to hear. We need more spaces like this, not just for passive learning. But to draw the lines of connections between our struggles and understand our shared enemy."
"Events like this remind us our liberation is interconnected. When we see the same colonial patterns playing out, we must move from empathy to organized solidarity. This was building that foundation, one conversation at a time. Our work will continue"
"I would also like to acknowledge the Directors Matt Peterson and Malek Rasamny, for putting in the work to create this very necessary and beautiful film that touches the heart."
"I would also like to acknowledge the Directors Matt Peterson and Malek Rasamny, for putting in the work to create this very necessary and beautiful film that touches the heart."
Natalie Hand said, "Takoja Mato of the International Indigenous Youth Council hosted the screening of a documentary called "Spaces of Exception", Takoja Trinity made a delicious pot roast dinner. Mato facilitated a roundtable discussion on the film."
"The youth were all engaged and made insightful input. Trinity had great vision for an art build to show solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters! It's all about finding commonality and raising awareness about the colonizer tactics. Cuwé Deb would be so proud of her takojapi, I sure am."
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| Photo by Mato White Plume |
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| Photo by Natalie Hand |
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| Photo by Natalie Hand In Memory of Deb White Plume  Debra White Plume, Oglala Lakota, in the film, "We Love Being Lakota,' which evolved into the film, "Spaces of Exception." Read more about 'Spaces of Exception' at Censored News Spaces of Exception,' begins with scenes from Wounded Knee 1973, and Palestine refugee camps, and the words, 'Places defined by their historical and spiritual resistance.' |
"The buffalo owns us, we don't own the buffalo," says Alex White Plume, Oglala Lakota on Pine Ridge, sharing the importance of language, and the stories carried by the words, and the impacts of genocide. "The buffalo shares the same story we share." 'Spaces of Exception' -- Resistance to the Fat Takers ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS: Matt Peterson is an organizer at Woodbine, an experimental space in New York City. He previously directed the documentary feature Scenes from a Revolt Sustained (2015), and co-edited the books In the Name of the People (2018) and The Reservoir (2022). Malek Rasamny is a documentary filmmaker, researcher and writer. He is currently working on a doctoral research project at Paris Nanterre University concerning the social phenomenon of reincarnation within the Druze community of Lebanon. Copyright Mato White Plume and Natalie Hand |
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