Little Big Horn – “Healing of the Horse Spirit”

(Battle of the Little Big Horn  (Crow Agency, Montana):  On June 25, 1876, thousands of tribal warriors, all horseback, filled the valley of the Little Big Horn (Greasy Grass, as the Cheyenne say), relying upon the ‘Spirit Dogs’, as the Sioux call horses, to carry them into battle with the 7^th Calvary.  Those warriors were regarded by their foes as the ‘greatest light horsemen’ in the world.  And, on June 25, 2019, many of their descendants once again filled that valley, carried by beloved and faithful four-footed steeds, to celebrate and acknowledge a proud accomplishment of those ancestral horsemen.

After defeat, the tribal horsemen eschewed the Battle for many decades, decidedly unwelcome. However, in recent years, (about 27) Indian horseback riders (men, women and children) have returned to ride the Greasy Grass. In 2019, the 143^rd anniversary of the Battle, hundreds of tribal horseback riders arrived: the Oglala Lakota Little Big Horn Riders; the Northern Cheyenne Morning Star Riders; the Cheyenne River Sioux, who rode with the Northern Cheyenne and for the second year, the Arapaho riders, under the direction of Al Sage, Wind River Reservation also rode with the Lakota, planning to make that an annual event with expanded participation, having the same objective of teaching the young ones.

In addition to celebrating that old victory by parading through the Battlefield grounds, the riders conduct a wild and colorful ‘charge’ of Last Stand Hill, have prayer ceremonies and celebrate, the contemporary riders passing tribal culture, tradition and values to the younger generation. Many of the riders are young: teenagers, grade school children and even toddlers, encouraged by their seniors to ever remember history and take that lesson on to learn a good way of life.  One for example, Wicahpi (Star), Mel Lone Hill’s granddaughter, age 14, has been riding since a toddler, first in the arms of her mother, under the loving eye of her Grandfather Mel.

The Oglala Lakota of Pine Ridge, under the guidance and encouragement of Mel Lone Hill, a rancher, horseman and former Tribal Vice-President, did the first Memorial ride in the early 1990’s.  It was an undertaking of hope for people of modest circumstances.  They trailer horses and riders from Pine Ridge to Ashland, MT, still a hundred miles plus to the Battlefield, a four-day ride, crossing the Northern Cheyenne reservation where they have been welcomed and feasted since the beginning. In the meantime, as Geneva, Mel’s widow, laughed, they started the ride has another tradition: many blown-out tires and vehicle breakdowns both to and fro. Yet, somehow they manage to get through that.

In 1992, Jenny Parker was serving one of her many terms on the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council, representing the Ashland District, where the Sioux would first arrive.   In late June, she raced into the Tribal President’s office.  “We need some money!” she announced.  “Sioux are coming, riding to the Greasy Grass.  They have women, children and will camp with us. We need to feed them, our allies, friends and relatives. Remember how they saved the Cheyenne so many times?” Jenny, like many Cheyenne, proudly carries a strain of Lakota blood.

A formidable Cheyenne lady, Jenny gets things done. Thus, a check to feed the visitors was cut from the tribal treasury. It was not nearly enough to feed 60 riders breakfast, lunch and supper for four days, so she wheedled a donation from the local grocery store and called upon other good-hearted Cheyenne, who provided camping spots for the Sioux riders and their horses (requiring good grass and water) and fed all of the visitors very well.  Jenny particularly mentioned the late Ted and Lillian Woodenthigh; the late Joe Fox, Sr; the late Inez Wilson; and the Killsnight family; Clinton and Cathy Harris; Diane Spotted Elk and the Sioux families, especially Rosita who continue to host the Lakota today.

Though Mel Lone Hill made his journey to the Spirit World a few years back causing the riders to lose steam for a bit, his widow, Geneva said “We will continue. The Battle is a very important part of our history, the Lakota’s greatest victory.  The future generations must always remember that.  It instills pride in younger generations.”

The evening camping sessions are a special time for the riders.   Then, other long-time ride supporters, Chubbs Thunderhawk (the new coordinator), Wendell Yellow Bull, Shorty Brewer and the Jumping Eagle family talk to the young ones.  “All children are blessed to perform, identify and accept.  They have a mind to excel and can do it without drugs and alcohol, which is not the Native way.  We teach them to honor the horse, a special animal to help the children and heal our spirits.’ Geneva explained.

The riders prepare for the journey throughout the year, attending clinics, learning horsemanship to care for their ‘spirit dogs’ and raising funds as the rides are not financially supported by the Tribal governments. Each rider makes a personal coup stick in traditional manner, as featured in an accompanying photo of one that a four-year old Lone Hill grandson made and proudly displayed through the ride.  And Tribal flags are proudly carried by each group.

In the meantime, Jenny Parker, well into her eighties, the adopted sister of the Lone Hill family plans to retire as the primary hostess of the Riders.  Her Cheyenne name is Brave Woman and the Lakota have honored her by giving the same Sioux name. Thus, she is doubly brave.  She will visit the Lone Hill family later this summer, no doubt to be greatly hosted, fed and honored.  But, as she noted, ‘I hope that the Memorial riders, the Oglala Lakota, the Northern Cheyenne, the Cheyenne River Sioux and the Arapaho will ever ride and continue to honor and observe the tribal traditions that make our people strong!”

(Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)

 

Visit Original Source