The Other Mountain of Tribute in South Dakota

Crazy Horse Memorial - face is completed; the white paint designates the 45 ft. ear
and 16 ft. wide eye of the 22 story-high horse. SOOC (straight of the camera)
taken from the parking lot at the Welcome Center.

Welcome Center
Husband's Photo

Prototype with Mountain Carving Progress on Mountain
in Background. Made from Viewing Veranda

I started to name this post: Dueling Mountains, but I have already posted Mount Rushmore, a tribute to four Presidents. This post is about Crazy Horse Memorial, a mountain sculpture tribute to the culture, traditions and heritage of American Indians; in particular the spirit of a legendary Lakota leader, Crazy Horse (Tasunke Witko).The Crazy Horse Memorial, when finished, will stand 641 feet long and 563 feet high, exceeding Mt. Rushmore. In fact it is claimed to be the world's largest carving.

Mt. Rushmore inspired Chief Henry Standing Bear and Lakota leaders, that "red men have great heroes also." They chose sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to create the statue of Crazy Horse. Korczak had won 1st prize at New York's World Fair for his sculpture: PADEREWSKI: Study of an Immortal in 1939.

Before his death in 1982 Korczak did much more than rough out the contours of the carving, starting in 1948. He established a museum and a scholarship fund for American Indian students. He inspired his wife and 7 of his 10 children to continue the memorial's mission with a non-profit Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation. He twice refused federal funding as he believed the intersted public should build the memorial.

The Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation is the heart not only of completing the sculpture, but starting the university courses, a Cultural center, enlarging the Indian Museum of North America, opened the Indian University of North America and its first student Living and Learning Center in 2010. The Scholarship Fund of the Foundation has awarded more than $1.5 million since Korczak's original $250 in 1978.

Funding is entirely by visitor admissions and donations. No federal or state funds have been given to this massive project! It is a non-profit, education and cultural project financed primarily from an admission fee.

On the grounds of the memorial is Korczak's studio, home and workshop; Indian museums and Native American Cultural Center. There are optimistic plans for a medical training center to diseases peculiar to the Native American.

In an excerpt from an article by Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski about Crazy Horse, the Indian leader insofar as can be determined never signed a treaty or touched a pen. Crazy Horse was born on Rapid Creek in the Black Hills of South Dakota, about 1842. He died by a stab in the back by an American soldier, Sept. 6, 1877 at approx. age of 35 at Fort Robinson, Nebraska which was under a flag of truce.

The statue depicts Crazy Horse with his left hand thrown out pointing. Someone derisively asked him, after the government agents and army defeated the Lakota tribes, "where are your lands now." He replied , with his outstretched arm is pointing to the plains, "My lands are where my dead lie buried."

He lost his leader Conquering Bear who was exterminated by treachery. A treaty guaranteeing Black Hills (Paha Sapa) would forever be the land of the Sioux was broken. Government agents' promises included meat, clothing tents--all necessities for existence were worthless; the deceit was only realized after they relinquished their lands and retreated to the reservation located in the southern part of the Badlands--near worthless land. His people's lives were ravaged and destroyed.

In 1891 another Lakota, Red Cloud, said, "They made us many promises, more than I can remember--The never kept but one: they promised to take our land, and they took it."

I loved this place, maybe because I have a little native American (Cherokee) in me, but not of the so-called plains tribes. I loved the Indian Museum of North America, The Native American Cultural Center (friendly Native American artists and craftsman plied their trades here) and the sculptor's studio home. I would have loved to spend an entire day here absorbing the culture.

Before I end I must tell the story of the blue beads. There is a huge room of beads on exhibit and to sell. However, there a case enclosing a string of blue beads with a story that only a few were made, and sold. Until all the beads are together again, the monument will never be completed. These beads were used by fur traders doing business with Native Americans. It is said Manhattan was bought with similar beads. However, many consider all of this a legend.

Because of a large number of photos I have created a FLICKR slideshow. Click on FLICKR link in previous sentence and select (click on) slideshow in upper right of screen. Some of photos in this post are also there. But 16 photos a bit much for a post.

Further today Blogger will not let me put the photos on this post where I want them nor can I move them around. And the new composing window is difficult to see and read with stuff scattered all over the web site, not designed for a neophyte like me.


PHOTOS by NitWit1, unless otherwise identified.

Information garnered from our Road Scholar Guide, Exploring The Black Hills and Badlands (The Great American Road Trip), Rapid City Visitors Guide, Crazy Horse Brochure (Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation) and Internet.

TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

It is time for my annual Twelve Days of Christmas, a musical ditty that has fascinated me since childhood. In some ways it is a boring round type song, but the gifts fascinate me, especially so many birds; yet the 8th round introduces humans with maids a-milking and a large mammal-cows.

Another audio-visual appears at the end of this post.

The Twelve Days of Christmas (12 Days of Christmas)

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!

There are a few variations in the rounds, i.e., calling birds are colly birds in some versions; round 10-12 may be rearranged. Numerous parodies have also been penned, as well as letters from recipient of true love's gifts.

So this year I thought I dream up a similar ditty for the unique state, Arkansas, in which I live. Instead of repetition, I'll list the twelve gifts.

1. One eagle nesting in a pin-oak tree.

2. Two wood-peckers

3. Three wild turkey hens

4. Four mourning doves

5. Five golden fishing lures

6. Six leghorns a-laying

7. Seven bass a-swimming

8. Eight fiddlers a-fiddling

9. Nine Arkies a-clogging

10. Ten hunters of deer a-leaping

11. Eleven Arkies' Dulcimers a-strumming

12. Twelve festival -participants with mobile outhouses  a-parading

I would add another: American Flags a-flying and Patriots a-serving. I have lived several places and see more flags, at least where I am living, than any other place. As a whole we are proud to be Americans, yet very independent in thinking. yet respectful of our differences--not unlike many other areas of our country. With sorrow , deepest respect, and unspeakable thankfulnesss near wordless, we have buried our share of patriots who gave the ultimate sacrifice; also those who continue to served, and those who made it a career and retired in service to our country.

I know-somewhat amatuerish--I bet Jinksy of Napple Notes could whip out a better rendition in far less time.

An interesting fact I heard recently i'n this overtly political season with resounding overtures drowning out the reason for the season:'  Of our entire US population, 97% have never run for office to serve their fellow citizens. I am pleased to have been part of the 3%. However, I fully understand why so few choose public service.

Audio-Visual - YOU TUBE:

#1- Mormon Tabernacle Choir; #2 - John Denver and The Muppets



AN EVENING TO REMEMBER NEAR RAPID CITY SD

In keeping with the Western and historical themes of our Moroccan Reunion Convention touring, we had a dinner scheduled one night at Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper and Show.

Chuckwagon (Internet)

First, I had to learn how the chuckwagon differed from other covered wagons that roam the western frontier. I  found two links; one is linked in first sentence of this paragraph and the other is here.

Dancing With Wolves
Buildings (Internet)
Poor photo

Our group had reservations at Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper and Show, 5 miles south of Rapid City. It is well-known as some of the scenes from Dances with Wolves, were shot there.

Fort Hays(Internet)
Horrible photo

There are a number of chuckwagon type restaurants in the general area, all of which have a show featuring folk, western and/or mixed music and comedy, after the dinner is served.

The Wranglers
[Photo Husband]

Young Teenage Fiddler

Fort Hays has on its campus several buildings used in Dances with Wolves, as well as other early western frontier turn-of-the-century buildings:tin shop, rope shop, blacksmith shop, sawmill, penny press.

As you walk into the dinner theater you are confronted with long rows of sturdy wood "picnic-style" tables. See this link for some very good photos. I had considerable difficulty maneuvering my prosthetic legs under the table as there was not much space for me to do it. The placed was packed. But our esteem Road Scholar acquired the front two rows of tables--great for the show, and also the first served.
When the dinner bell rang (and it was a loud sucker!)we were provided a tin (aluminum) plate and lined up in a long queue table row by table row to the"chuckwagon" kitchen.

Young Teenage Vocalist

The first item on the plate was a huge baked potato which the food handler smashed on to the plate. Better hang on to the plate because that potato is mashed in one strong smack. There were the expected baked beans and choice of sliced beef in BBQ sauce or baked chicken, along with chunky applesauce, biscuits w/honey, coffee or lemonade, and spice cake.

Young Teenage Vocalist

I did not see anybody getting seconds of anything but coffee or lemonade! I was somewhat uncomfortably full.
When all our plates were empty and cleared from the tables, the show began. As expected the music was decidedly country and western, but a variety of other music was sandwiched in to please all of us.

The Wranglers- Grandpa

I was impressed with the skills of two female teenagers in the 14-15 year old range: a fiddler who nearly set the bow and strings of  that bow and strings on fire, and a lovely soprano songbird.

The hall was filled with tour groups, including an USS Hawk ship reunion and our Moroccan Reunion of military and US civilians who had lived in Morocco. Some special requests were taken, and patriotic music included. The show concluded with I Love the USA.

We all stood when a gigantic US Flag was unfurled.

The Wranglers - Vocalist
(Photo - husband)

Yes, all in all, it was a evening to remember!

PHOTOS: by NitWit1, unless otherwise identified.

The Chuckwagon Supper and Show

NOTE: Internet photos: I have not often used Internet photos because they are very low resolution photos which save time in loading a web page. Some of them are so low resolution when you enlarge them you think you may need glasses, or new lens!
In the case of Fort Hayes, the crowds were so dense There was no where to get a photo unless I climb as utility pole! Not an option!

This is another place we might have enjoyed having more time
to explore.