By Brandon Ecoffey
Native Sun News Staff Writer RAPID CITY — On Friday, Oct. 5, representatives from South Dakota’s Sioux nations met in Rapid City to discuss just how they are going to come up with the $9 million needed to purchase the sacred Pe’ Sla land site. Located in the heart of the Black Hills, or Paha Sapa, Pe’ Sla is an important ceremonial site for the Seven Council Fires, or Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation). In mid-July, Brock Auction Co., which is based in Le Mars, Iowa, announced that the land on which Pe’ Sla is located was going to be put up for public auction by its ‘owners,” Leonard and Margaret Reynolds of Hill City. Since then, tribes in the Great Plains, individual tribal members, tribal advocates and environmentalists have come together to attempt to raise the money needed to secure purchase of the site and to prevent it from falling into the hands of those looking to commercially develop the land. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe in September announced that they had secured a $900,000 bid on the Pe’ Sla site. However, where the remainder of the $9 million needed to close the deal would come from was still in question going into the Oct. 5 meeting. Tribal representatives remain tight-lipped as to the details of what took place at the meeting. When asked Oct. 8 if any progress was made on how the financial burden would be distributed among tribes, Cyril “Whitey” Scott, president of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, said, “I can’t say much. All I can tell you is that we came together … . The tribes of the Seven Council Fires are working together. We are one once again.” Scott went on to say that “We had a very good meeting, and we are going to be joined as one – as the Great Sioux Nation – in this endeavor.” Scott also told Native Sun News that representatives of five of the nine Sioux reservations in South Dakota were in attendance. Those absent included the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. The tribes have until Nov. 30 to secure the funds needed to purchase the site. (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com)
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