Dave Gibson, Custer, South Dakota. Crazy Horse was an Oglala Lakota Sioux chief who lived between c.1840 – 1877. Respected and loved by his people and feared by his enemies, he was fiercely independent, even described by some as at times aloof. Following his own path with the help of the guardian spirit, as a teenager he rode alone into the prairie on a vision quest. After fasting for four days, an apparition appeared advising him to never wear more than one feather in his hair. Directed to toss dirt over his horse and place a stone behind his ear before battle, he was also instructed to be generous and not keep any spoils for himself. Crazy Horse abided by the vision his entire life. 

In what might be referred to as revenge, two years following the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre where two hundred or more Native Americans were slain, was the Fetterman Fight near Fort Phil Kearny, Wyoming Territory. Crazy Horse and ten warriors acted as decoys luring Captain William J. Fetterman and eighty U.S. soldiers into an ambush where 1000 warrior lie in wait. All of the servicemen died in what was the worst loss of life suffered by the U.S. Army on the Great Plains up to that point. A raid was conducted in 1872 and during a wild charge at the enemy, Crazy Horse’s steed was shot out from under him – it was said that bullets couldn’t touch him. He and Sitting Bull went on to lead 3000 Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Lakota Sioux at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. It was the most overwhelming victory for indigenous people during the Indian Wars. George Armstrong Custer and 267 cavalrymen were annihilated with only 37 Indian casualties. Seeking sanctuary living life as it used to be, Crazy Horse returned to the Black Hills that had been granted to him in the Treaty of Fort Laramie. Peace was not forthcoming as gold prospectors had already violated the terms of the agreement and Crazy Horse and his people were forced to retreat deeper into the Black Hills. Doggedly pursued by soldiers with a policy of mandatory relocation to reservations and starving after a brutal winter, Crazy Horse finally relented, surrendering to General George Crook at the Red Cloud Agency, Nebraska, May 6, 1877.

The military accused Crazy Horse of being uncooperative for refusing to visit the president in Washington D.C. as other Indian leaders had done. No known photographs of Crazy Horse exist; when his picture was requested he once offered: “Would you imprison my shadow too?” Negotiations of the peace terms were ongoing when some of the warriors were persuaded to fight alongside the army against the Nez Perce. Appalled by the notion, Crazy Horse stormed from the meeting, leaving the agency. Another account suggests he was delivering his wife, who was sick from tuberculosis, to another tribe for treatment during his unexcused absence. There were rumors that he planned on fleeing the reservation permanently with his tribe. When he returned the next day and asked to speak with those in charge, he was promptly arrested. During a struggle with a guard named Little Big Man, Crazy Horse allegedly pulled a knife and was bayoneted by another guard. Fighting for his freedom to the end, he was taken to an office where he refused use of a cot and died on the floor September 5, 1877.  Recognized for his leadership in the face of impossible circumstances, Crazy Horse is remembered for his bravery and tenacious unbridled spirit. His body is buried near Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota.

The Black Hills of South Dakota have always been and remain sacred to Native Americans. When construction began on Mount Rushmore in 1927 in the midst of their beloved lands, Lakota Chief and statesman Henry Standing Bear felt a need for his own people to be represented. In 1937 Standing Bear contacted Polish-American sculptor Korczak Ziólkowski who was then employed at Rushmore. Making his case for a Native American memorial, he wrote: “My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know that the red man has great heroes too.” At the same time, Standing Bear offered his own 900 acres of fertile land to the Department of the Interior in exchange for Thunderhead Mountain and a permit to build a tribute to Crazy Horse. The government agreed to the proposal and after Mount Rushmore was completed in 1941, Ziólkowski signed on to the project. It was reported that he was offered 10 million dollars to work for the United States on the undertaking, but turned it down, instead opting to rely on private donations, entrance fees, and gift shop sales to fund operations. In 1948 he began work a stone’s throw from Mount Rushmore, and toiled on the Crazy Horse Memorial until his death in 1982. For the next 32 years, his widow Ruth and their ten children furthered Korczak and Standing Bear’s dream until her passing. Children and grandchildren now continue the ongoing project. The colossal 86-foot high face of Crazy Horse was completed June 3, 1998. Work continues on Crazy Horse’s arm, hair, horse’s head and mane. When completed, it will be the largest sculpture in the world measuring 641 ft. long and 563 ft. high.

In an age of political correctness, in South Dakota and some other states, Columbus Day has been replaced by Native American Day. At the Crazy Horse Memorial outside Custer, South Dakota, October 12, 2020, Native American history and heritage were honored and celebrated. A solemn posting of colors by the Native American Veteran’s Post #1 and beautiful Lakota Flag Song were followed by a stirring version of the national anthem sung in Lakota. Fancy dancers wowed attendees and hoop dancers performed dances in which each hoop represents a phase of their lives. Buffalo stew provided by Korczak’s Heritage, Laughing Water Restaurant, and Custer State Park was shared by everyone for a delicious and hearty lunch.

The mission of Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation is to protect and preserve the culture, tradition, and living heritage of all North American Indians. For more information on the Crazy Horse Memorial, check out www.crazyhorsememorial.org or call 605-673-4681.

To view past articles and pictures, go to www.DaveGibsonImages.com. 

(Originally published in the October 22, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)