A Tragic Tale of Clashing Cultures

August 23, 2007 -- We visited the Little Bighorn National Memorial site, which commemorates the tragic battle at which Lt. Colonel George A. Custer led his ill-fated 7th. Cavalry troopers to their demise atop a grassy hill in the southern Montana grasslands. The battle, which occurred on June 26, 1876, occurred when US Cavalry units set upon the group of several tribes of Plains Indians camped at the Little Bighorn River near the present-day memorial site. The Indians, numbering in excess of 7000-8000, were camped as a peaceful gathering prior to this incident, and not for war. When attacked, the numerically superior Indian group of 1500-2000 warriors claimed a decisive victory over the US Army troops while fighting to defend their lives, their land rights, and their ancient culture and way of life. It was a real eye-opener as we heard the battle story, told to us by a National Parks Ranger, who is a member of the Crow Indian tribe. The story was poignant, and told the tragic tale of the clash of two cultures, and the battle which would greatly increase the resolve of the US Government to forever change the way of life of the Native Americans throughout the New America. The white markers dotting the hillside of Last Stand Hill were a silent reminder of the blood spilled that day by desperate US troops. However, in recent years, efforts are being made to memorialize the Indian warriors who died during this conflict. Red marker stones, bearing inscriptions of the warrior's name and tribe, are being placed at the known locations where the warriors fell. While at the Little Bighorn site, the kids put another Junior Ranger badge in their collection. The Junior Ranger program helps the kids investigate the background and significance of the different National Park sites more in-depth, and creates a more knowledgeable and lasting impression of the site visited.After we left Little Bighorn, we settled in for a long drive to the Black Hills area of South Dakota. After a tiring trip, we landed in the Mt. Rushmore KOA late-evening.