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Bikers and
developers need to take a hard look at the damage wrought by their
merrymaking near sacred places. Last week, the 66th annual Sturgis
Bike Rally in South Dakota drew thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts.
But it is also drew attention to the rights of Indians.
Sturgis is near
Bear Butte, or Mato Paha, in the Black Hills, or Paha Sapa, which in
Lakota means "everything that is." Central to the spiritual
practices of several Great Plains tribes, Bear Butte is a sacred
place of pilgrimage, prayer and reflection.
Now, however, an
entrepreneur from Arizona is building an enormous biker bar, music
venue and campground at the base of Bear Butte. In line with the
carousing that goes on at bike rallies, he plans on offering 600
acres of police-free partying, with daily "orgasm" and
"Popsicle licking" contests. In the spirit of sharing
Indian culture with his patrons, he said he was also planning on
erecting an 80-foot statue of an Indian at the entrance.
His original plan
was to name the facility "Sacred Grounds." He seemed
genuinely surprised that local tribes were not supportive, so he
changed the name to "Sturgis County Line."
But that's hardly
sufficient.
Hundreds of
Indians and supporters camped at the base of Bear Butte to protest
excess development near the area. They would like to maintain a
two-mile buffer zone around the site.
Located within the
Bear Butte National Park, Bear Butte is a historic landmark. The
protesters are educating tourists about the significance of this
place for Indians. And they are drawing support from some bikers who
waged a "Don't Ride 39" campaign, referring to the highway
that winds from Sturgis to Bear Butte.
The fight for Bear
Butte is just the latest battle over Indian sacred places.
Despite treaty
guarantees, Indian holy land continues to be sold, mined, developed
and destroyed in the name of cash. Arizona's Mount Graham, the peaks
in San Francisco, Black Mesa in Arizona, the Devils Tower in Wyoming
and Mount Shasta in California are but a few examples of continuing
battles.
These places
represent more than acres of real estate for American Indians. They
are living, breathing connections to our spirituality, our cultures
and our very identity as tribal peoples.
Our presence in
these places often dates back thousands of years. Surely our
ceremonies should prevail over the mere 66-year tradition of a
gathering of fun-loving bikers.
Mary Annette
Pember, Red Cliff Ojibwe, is past president of the Native American
Journalists Association.
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