Tribal nations celebrate 150th anniversary of victory at Greasy Grass
By Shirley Sneve and Kevin Abourezk INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY
This story was originally published by ICT.
Thousands from across the continent flocked to the rolling plains along the Little Bighorn River where 150 years ago to the day Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer met his demise at what U.S. schoolchildren know as the Battle of Little Bighorn or Custer’s Last Stand – but Native Nations know as Greasy Grass.
“You know, Custer planned [a large-scale attack on tribes gathered along the river] because he wanted to be president,” said Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out. “And so news was supposed to hit Washington, D.C., that he defeated the Sioux. … Well, we changed history.”
Thursday’s commemoration events include a partial replay of the battle when dozens of horse riders re-enacted the battle on a hill on private land near the federal Little Bighorn National Monument. Hundreds of spectators war-whooped and trilled as the horse riders circled the peak of the hill, where Custer’s Seventh Cavalry might have ridden. There were no cavalry reenactors at the event Thursday, however, a full-scale re-enactment was planned for Friday and the monument.
In preparation for the anniversary events, hundreds of tribal members, mostly youth, rode in on horseback to a campsite at Veterans Memorial Park on the Crow Agency. It’s an annual memorial ride that has been going on for decades.
“At first I rode for fun, then I slowly got other reasons,” said one young rider, Kyliana Lovell, a Iháŋktȟuŋwaŋ Dakota citizen from Wagner, South Dakota. “I started riding for my family, my passed-away relatives and mostly for my grandpa, because he loved riding horses when he was young.”
Gwen Spotted Horse, Northern Cheyenne, followed along in her car as her son and daughter rode over to the camp on Wednesday.
“Makes me feel proud,” Spotted Horse said. “We’re proud that our kids are wanting to learn [about their ancestors]. They’re the ones that kind of push us to come out.”
This year’s ride held extra meaning for Terry Richards, Oglala Lakota. His sons have ridden in the memorial ride for years and his ancestor, High Wolf, fought at Greasy Grass alongside Sitting Bull and other Lakota leaders.
“He fought this battle along with his mother and his brother and his father. They all fought here. They all followed Sitting Bull to Canada and came back,” said Richards. “High Wolf signed the 1868 treaty for the Black Hills.”
That treaty was swiftly broken when settlers discovered gold in the Black Hills in 1874.
“They [our ancestors] were lied to,” Richards continued. “So they came out to fight, fight for the land. And, the way of life. We’re happy to have this [150th commemoration] here today.”
Gathering at the battlefield area in Montana means “we’re still here,” said William Good Bird, a traditional singer from the Spirit Lake Dakota Nation in North Dakota who woke up the camp where hundreds of people were gathered from numerous tribes with a song and drumming.
“Today I am celebrating the victory of our people, celebrating my life as a human being and my spot on this earth,” he said.
At the time, the Lakota were one of the largest and most powerful tribal nations, with strong leaders in Sitting Bull and warriors like Crazy Horse. Native warriors quickly overwhelmed Custer’s men as the U.S. forces were spread miles apart over the hilly area.
News of Custer’s defeat stunned Americans, who were celebrating their country’s centennial. The federal government accelerated efforts to subdue resistance, bringing years of hardship and upheaval for Native Americans. Crazy Horse was killed in 1877, and starvation brought about the surrender of others in 1881.
Many tribes and extended families set up camp near the planned events.
Nearly a dozen tipis stood some seven miles from the battlefield at the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s camp. As former and current tribal chairmen sat with their families and talked logistics with other men on Wednesday evening, a group of elders sat in a field waiting for a ride to billings.
Joe Miner 72, Cheyenne River Lakota, said he came from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, to visit for the first time the battlefield where his great-great grandfather Crawler fought.
“It’s really pretty out here,” he said, smiling, a few hours before sunset.
Elders and children laughed and visited all around him — a people returning to the site of their last great victory over the U.S. military.
Nearby three Cheyenne River Lakota boys worked to raise their tribe’s flag over the entrance to the camp. Austin Johnson, 18, said he was proud to be able to be there and help his people prepare their camp. He and the other two boys said they raised eight tipis on Wednesday, having learned how to do so in school.
“It feels good being young and doing what the other people can’t do,” Johnson said. “It feels good going back to your roots and gathering with all the tribes, not just the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.”
Steve Vance, the tribal historic preservation officer for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, helped set up two tipis Wednesday. He brought his family — descendants of Chief Hump, a war leader during the Battle of Greasy Grass. Vance was scheduled to speak Thursday about his family’s connection to the battle.
He said he planned to speak truthfully about the battle, who was there and who fought for whom, but he also planned to talk about how his people have been forced to continue their fight against the U.S. government and its agents, though their fight has evolved into a war against poverty, neglect and broken promises.
On Thursday, organizers bussed in more than 1,000 people to the commemorative events on the Crow Agency, which over 19 tribes were involved in planning.
“It’s pretty impressive … all the response from the tribes,” said Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Ryman LeBeau.
Crow Tribe Chairman Frank White Clay noted that his tribe and the Oglala Sioux Tribe set aside traditional rivalries in the run up to the 150th anniversary.
“This is historic. This hasn’t been seen for 150 years,” White Clay said. “It’s a step forward to unifying all the nations. … We all have similar issues, and we all have treaties and (are) calling on the U.S. government to uphold those treaties that were promised to us long ago.”
President Star Comes Out agreed.
“This shows that we can unite and we do have power because we’re still here. … I’m just excited,” Star Comes Out said. “I know that we’re all coming together in a good way.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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