Crazy Horse Monument

Crazy Horse Monument Up there! On the Black Hills Mountain, 1 A work in progress sculptured in granite, Of a stern faced warrior, strong and determined, 2 Unadorned in a war bonnet, with his hair flowing in the wind, And the White Buffalo Calf Woman’s seven values 3, 4 Written into his face. Mounted upon his steed, Crazy Horse scans the horizon, And captures a vision within the edges of the sun’s position, Among the four winds in-between the seasons, Of Wakan Tanka’s promise for his people. 5 And resists foreigners trespassing onto their territory In the Black Hills of South Dakota. Where now exists a tampering of history, Through lies and destruction that appeases criminals; Trampling paths with fork tongues and mischief; For gold!—disrespectful of sacred burial grounds. 6 The Lakota chieftain led his people, To defeat Custer at the Little Bighorn River. 7, 8 *** Notes: 1) Crazy Horse Monument: In 1939, Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear (Mato Naji) wrote to Polish sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski asking him to build the Crazy Horse memorial. In his letter to Korczak, Chief Standing Bear wrote, “My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know that the red man has great heroes, too.” Korczak began carving the monument on Thunderhead Mountain located in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1948. 2) Crazy Horse (Thašúnke Witkó): 'Crazy Horse' was born in 1840 and named Chá? Óha? (‘Among the Trees’ meaning one with nature) and died on Sept. 5, 1877 (age 36-37), at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. 3) White Buffalo Calf Woman: 'White Buffalo Calf Woman' was a holy woman in Lakota belief who (at a time of severe famine plaguing the Lakota) taught them that if they followed her instructions, — the Lakota would rise again. Buffalo were considered sacred by the Lakota and the beautiful young woman was dressed in white buckskin. 4) The Seven Lakota Values: i) Praying, ii) Respect, iii) Caring and Compassion, iv) Honesty and Truth, v) Generosity and Caring, vi) Humility and, vii) Wisdom. 5) Wakan Tanka: 'Wakan Tanka' is the Great Spirit and creator of the Lakota Sioux First Nations people. 6) Black Hills Gold Rush: In 1874, Custer led an expedition into the Black Hills of South Dakota and confirmed earlier reports of placer gold found in French Creek, a tributary of the Cheyenne River, located east of present day Custer, SD. The amount of gold discovered was small; however, this led to the massive influx of foreigners into the area setting off the Black Hills gold rush and conflict with the Lakota. 7) Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer (1839-1876): 'Lt. Colonel Custer' was a graduate of West Point who achieved promotion to Major General of Volunteers during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Following the end of the civil war, America expanded westward, and Custer assumed command of the newly formed 7th Cavalry as Lt. Colonel to enforce American government objectives of subduing First Nations people and relocating them onto reservations. 8) Little Bighorn River: The 'Little Bighorn River' is located in the state of Montana where the Crow Indian Reservation was situated, and where the battle was fought between Custer’s 7th Cavalry and the alliance of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho on June 25 and 26, 1876. Custer and his men were defeated at the ‘Battle of the Little Bighorn,’ known as the ‘Battle of the Greasy Grass’ by the Lakota and Plains Native Americans.