Northern Cheyenne, Crow and other tribal representatives at the Little Bighorn site in Montana.
Crow and Cheyenne extend invitation to Custer Battle Field
By Clara Caufield During June we herald the anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, known to the Northern Cheyenne as the Greasy Grass Fight, the 139th anniversary marked in 2015. That was the last time “we won in spades”; along with our allies (Sioux, Arapaho, Southern Cheyenne and Mandan/Arikara) the only military force in America to bring the U.S. Calvary to its knees. After that it was pretty much downhill for us in a military sense. Thus, we remind ourselves and others about that long ago victory. Who can fault us for remembering days of glory? This year, thanks to some very good people my annual Greasy Grass column has a different slant. These include a Crow friend, Faron Iron; some traditional Cheyenne Chiefs, Rock Red Cherries, his wife Carol and Leroy Pine; ceremonial man, Bilford Curley, Leroy Whiteman, Sun Dance man, Tim Lame Woman, descendant of Wild Hog and Little Wolf and military society man and even the Chairman of the Crow Nation, Darren Old Coyote. Faron Iron is an exceptional man: a full blood Crow, in his younger days he was married to my cousin Rennie Whitman, a beautiful young Cheyenne woman. Together, they had several children, enrolled at Crow. Then, he met a number of Cheyenne traditional people who inspired him and he is deeply concerned about the future of his and all Indian children, praying they will know their heritage. Faron, himself, is a devout Christian, of the charismatic persuasion even today attending church at Busby on the Cheyenne reservation. A modest man, in the undertaking described here, he has decided to “stay in the back” in a traditional manner. Faron inherited land on the Crow Reservation. Not just any old land, but a prime parcel located smack-dab in the middle of the Little Big Horn Battlefield. While selling that to the Crow Tribe or the Battlefield could be very profitable, Faron came to different conclusion. He decided that the Northern Cheyenne, Sioux, Arapaho and descendants of other Tribes involved in the Battle need “their own place” at the Greasy Grass. And he is not shy about acknowledging divine inspiration about that decision.
Faron Iron points to the site where Sioux warriors camped at Battle of Little Big Horn. Photo from Native Sun News
For more than two decades, he grappled with how to accomplish his mission, at first opposed by the National Park Service and even the Crow Tribe, but he did not desist. First, he met the late Corlete Teeth, Northern Cheyenne traditional Chief who advised and encouraged him. Then came Leroy Whiteman, Northern Cheyenne Sun Dance Priest, relative by marriage and Arvol Looking Horse, Sioux holy man, the 19th generation keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe. Both received gift deeds of 25 acres to carry on an appropriate coalition of Tribes in the future. Both of those occasions were marked by appropriate ceremony some years ago. Yet, for years after that, the land stood idle while Faron developed water and fencing. In 2014, some Sioux riders camped on the land located near Sharp Shooter Ridge during the anniversary of the Battle. Faron was happy to have them, but that alone did not satisfy his larger dream for use of the property. Thus, over the past year, Faron made acquaintance with some of the principal traditional Cheyenne Chiefs, ceremonial men and even Tribal leaders, though like others, he is leery of tribal government knowing how things can change from election to election. Those conversations have generated discussion about a private 501c3 organization governed by traditional Indian people to plan and oversee use of the land. Faron believes that various tribal and educational activities for youth and even non-Indians could be held there, ceremonial ground set-aside for tribal use and has many more ideas about how the land could be used to promote tribal unity. The Cheyenne traditional folk are excited about the possibilities and hope that other traditional tribal leaders will follow suit.
A marker at the Little Bighorn Battlefield for Hahpehe'onahe, Closed Hand, a Northern Cheyenne warrior. Photo by Wilson44691 / Wikipedia
Recently Rock Red Cherries, his wife Carol and Leroy Pine, Principal Northern Cheyenne Chiefs held a blessing ceremony for that parcel of land. And, in an astonishing development Crow Tribal Chairman, Darren Old Coyote has sanctioned Faron’s plan, in a formal letter, May 4, 2015, stating: “I believe this gesture is in line with theme of the Indian Memorial located at the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Park. I commend your willingness to designate an area on your land for these tribes to use within the battle area.” Old Coyote was recently elected as Chairman of the Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) which has adopted the slogan “Peace through Tribal Unity” an ideal which appeals to many Tribes. These good people asked me to relate these developments in this Native Sun News column, extending personal invitation to any guests, particularly our Sioux friends and other allies who might visit the Battlefield for the 2015 anniversary. “Tell them that they have a place to camp at the Little Big Horn Battlefield this year and forever more,” Faron and the Northern Cheyenne Chiefs said. “Water is available, there is room for many camps, high grass for their horses and they will find many friends here. At that time and place we can all visit, talk about the future for our children - the legacy we will leave to them and conduct appropriate ceremony for the inter-tribal use of this land. The spark has been lit for an intertribal dream.” An additional blessing/dedication of the land for intertribal use will be held sometime during the anniversary events “Indian time and Indian style” to be announced at the Battlefield on the 25. A more formal ceremony involving other interested parties from other tribes and all interested people of good heart will be organized for a later date. In the meantime, a cordial invitation is extended to all tribal visitors at the 2015 anniversary to camp and join in on this wonderful opportunity. For more information, contact: Faron Iron at (307) 683-7700/ faroniron@hotmail. com; Bilford Curley at (406) 477-8372 or Tim Lame Woman at (406) 477-6200. (Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
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