Crazy Horse

Review for Crazy Horse Memorial

Badlands and Black Hills, SD

Crazy Horse Memorial in Badlands and Black Hills, SD

by csting77ray June 08, 2008 | Derby, KS

What we loved:
Everything

What we didn't love:
How some people misunderstand it's purpose

My family and I just returned from our annual vacation to South Dakota. We go every June to visit the Black Hills and Crazy Horse.

I wish that more people would take the time to explore Crazy Horse and it's history. In 1968 a sculptor by the name of Korczak Ziolkowski was approached by Red Cloud, a Lakota (Oglala) indian chief, to build a memorial to his people. Crazy Horse was chosen because he never surrendered, never signed a treaty, never even held the pen in his hand. He was captured by soldiers and stabbed in the back. Red Cloud and his people wanted the "white man to know that we have heroes too". After the Native Americans were pushed from their land, many of them fought back out of fear, starvation, abuse by the "white man", and a longing for the lands and culture that had been robbed from them. When Crazy Horse was captured, he was asked, "where are your lands now?", he replied, "my lands are where my dead lie buried". He was a hero to his people, not just the Lakota (Oglala) but all tribes for his strength of will and bravery to fight for what he believed in and never gave up.

Korczak, the artist that began the dream of his monument in 1968, met his wife on the mountain, raised ten children on the mountain, died on the mountain, and was entombed at its base. This was not just his dream, but his life. His wife and children are carrying on that dream, 7 of the children still work daily on the mountain.

Unlike Rushmore, this is a privately funded project, that's why it is still under construction after all of these years. Korczak didn't want the goverment to have control over this project because he wanted the dream to be realized in it's entirety, not ended when they decided that funding it was no longer necessary (for those of you who know your Rushmore history you will understand what that means). He knew that for this dream to be realized it had to be done with the contributions of those that believed in his dream and the dream of those that had inspired him.

If you truly understand the meaning of this sculpture, it will bring you to tears just by standing in it's shadow.

Sincerely,

Eliza Johnson
Derby, KS