Rapid City’s 1st Battle of Greasy Grass Victory Day celebration

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - The first annual Battle of Greasy Grass Victory Day Commemoration in Rapid City happened Tuesday on Woyotan Pow Wow Grounds.

The event remembered history and made history in Rapid City as the first celebration of the historic event, honoring the indigenous men and women who fought in the Battle of Greasy Grass, also known as the Battle of Little Bighorn.

“What we’re hoping that relatives will take away today is some sense of pride; an opportunity to talk about these things, you’ll see relatives maybe a little bit in their feelings crying and acknowledging this important endeavor that happened in our history,” expressed He Sapa Otipi board president Valeriah Big Eagle. “We are here; this is our land; this is our He Sapa, the sacred Black Hills, and so this means a lot to our people. So, that sense of healing, that sense of pride bringing us together because it is us that’s going to help us indigenous people.”

The hope is that this event will continue to happen every year from now in the Rapid City community, bringing together the indigenous communities in the area just like the battle did in 1876, creating a bond that will not be broken.

“We’re really excited to celebrate with our relatives. I know that a lot of our community is unable to make it to a lot of the victory day events, and so we wanted to bring the victory day to Rapid City,” expressed He Sapa Otipi executive director of Cante Heart. “We commemorate this day by honoring our ancestors and remembering our ancestors on their victorious day, and we carry their spirit with us, so we honor them today (Tuesday) with our community.”

The Victory Day Powwow was hosted by eight Indigenous organizations, all with the intent to help heal, remember, and honor the groups that banded together on June 25 at the Battle of Greasy Grass to defeat the 7th regiment of the US Cavalry led by General George Armstrong Custer.

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