Great Sioux Nation Comes Together in Historic Gesture of Unity in the Name of Sacred Pe’Sla

Great Sioux Nation Comes Together in Historic Gesture of Unity in the Name of Sacred Pe’Sla
By Vincent Schilling :: October 25, 2012
Read more at :: Indian Country Today Media Network

In the first time since the Battle of Little Big Horn, the Great Sioux Nation has stated publicly that they have come together in a committed gesture of unity in their efforts to reclaim the sacred site of Pe’ Sla.

On Friday, October 5 tribal leaders of the Great Sioux Nation met in Rapid City, South Dakota to discuss collaborative efforts and steps to take in order to re-obtain nearly 2,000 acres of sacred land known in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Though tribal leaders did not reveal to the public specific details about their discussions, in his first statement to the press, appointed Great Sioux Nation spokesperson and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Chairman Cyril “Whitey” Scott told ICTMN, “This is a historic day in Indian Country.”

“We are coming together as the Great Sioux Nation. We are one,” he said. “No tribe will be left behind. The last time we had gathered as one was during the Battle of Little Bighorn. Today we are all back together as one.”

Scott said all of the tribes collectively agreed he would be speaking on their behalf.

“They made me the spokesperson of all the tribes here in Rosebud. Our only comment at this time is that we are all united as the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) as it should be, to move forward to obtain these sacred lands.”

Scott said that though the tribes are not yet releasing any details on how the tribes would share the cost of purchasing Pe’ Sla, he stated definitively that the meeting was a historic and positive step for the collective group of tribes that would now consider themselves all part of the Great Sioux Nation.

“We are going to have another meeting toward the end of the month and then we will be releasing a full-blown press release,” he said. “What we want to give out now is that we are united and we are one in the hunt for our sacred lands.”

“It is very historic what went on there today—the discussion was great, we spoke as one and we came out as one. That is where we are at right now,” he said. “We are one people once again. We are together.”