PAHA SAPA

Generalization: It is not surprising that the Sioux won't relinquish their claim to the Black Hills despite the compensation that has been offered. 

ID’s: PAHA SAPA, HE SAPA, WIND CAVE, CRAZY HORSE, BEAR BUTTE, HARNEY PEAK, SWEET MEDICINE, DEVIL'S TOWER

I.                    Introduction: some things are more important than money!

II.                 The Black Hills (Paha Sapa/He Sapa) as sacred land

A.    Paha Sapa: The Lakota Garden of Eden?

1.      The Emergence from (WIND CAVE) (Tokahe deceived by Inktomi)

2.      Source of Seven Council Fires

B.     Paha Sapa: Mount Ararat?

1.      Wakinyan (THUNDERBIRD) vs. Unktehi (water monster)

2.      Badlands as the bones of Unktehi

3.      Sense that this is still Holy Ground (cf., search for Noah’s Ark)

C.    Paha Sapa: The Lakota Armageddon? (Well, really the Badlands as Armageddon)

D.    Paha Sapa: The Tower of Babel? (Well, not even close…)

1.      Devil’s Tower Legend

2.      Sacred to many tribes

3.      SWEET MEDICINE, Cheyenne Legend (BEAR BUTTE)

III.               Historical reasons for tie to Black Hills

A.    Treaty of 1868 guarantees

B.     Injustice of violation of 1868 treaty (sell or starve policy—1876, unilateral treaty change in 1877)

C.    Sense that something of wrongfully taken land ought to be given back

1.      Dawes Act

2.      Homesteading

D.    Land worth a lot more even in monetary terms than it first appeared

1.      Initial white view

2.      Gold—Homestake

3.      Uranium

4.      Coal

E.     Sense that U.S. judicial and legislative systems ought to at least occasionally act justly

1.      1942 dismissal of Indian claims

2.      1946  compensation instead of land legislation

IV.              Symbolic affirmation of culture

A.    1964 attempt to terminate SD reservations

B.     AIM and take-over at Wounded Knee

V.                 Justice ought to be done no matter how inconvenient

A.    1980 court decision/refusal of settlement

1. 

B.