Oglala Sioux Tribal President Dick Wilson was accused of
authoritarian rule on Pine Ridge, and of using Goon
(Guardians of the Oglala Nation) squads to keep order and
to keep the traditional people and those who didn't
support his administration in line, the traditional elders
said.
Two events–the
violent deaths of an Oglala man in Gordon, Neb. and
another in Custer County, S.D.–brought thousands of
protesters to the area. Arrests were made and buildings
burned. The demonstrations and the occupation spilled over
to the Pine Ridge Reservation, and the occupation of
Wounded Knee began.
Two American
Indians were killed and many others wounded. Two law
enforcement officials were wounded.
A new documentary
film, A Tattoo on My Heart, presents the warriors'
point of view through actual film footage from the
occupation and contemporary interviews. The film tells
their story and their feelings about their stand against
the most powerful military in the world - and how they
became heroes. Its world premiere was held on the
occupation's 32nd anniversary, bringing community
residents and occupation veterans together to experience
the film and honor those who took a stand against tyranny
and racism.
Wilson and some
of his supporters are portrayed as uncaring, sarcastic
fools in brief clips; one shows him commenting on the
accusations against him: "There have been a number of
accusations made lately," he said, smiling; a supporter
seated next to him said sarcastically, "We are all sharp
shooters."
Wounded Knee, as
the film points out, was chosen as the site to make a
stand with the knowledge that the Wilson administration
and the federal government planned to protect the tribal
administration and adjacent BIA buildings in Pine Ridge
village. Machine gun nests were placed on top of the BIA
building on all four corners; and armored personnel
carriers, the FBI, federal marshals and the military were
brought in to squelch any such takeover.
Anticipating
this, the protestors instead went to where their ancestors
had died at the hands of the 7th U.S. Cavalry in 1890:
Wounded Knee.
Rapid City, S.D.
attorney Charles Abourezk wrote, directed and produced the
film; his partner, Brett Lawlor, was the executive
producer. It took two years and 50 edits to complete the
project. Floyd Red Crow Westerman, a veteran of AIM
protests of the '70s, a songwriter, singer and Hollywood
actor, is the narrator.
How important was
the occupation and standoff to those who were there? It
changed their lives, they said on film and in person, and
they believe it changed the lives of all American Indians.
"Wounded Knee is
like a tattoo on your heart ... Nobody could take away the
stand that we made," Bill Means said on film.
Madonna Thunder
Hawk, Cheyenne River Sioux tribal member, was a medic in
the AIM compound. She said she is proud when she sees her
son's picture in the film; at the time, he was 10 years
old. She now has a grandson that age. "My grandson knows
who he is." And that, she said, is why the standoff and
occupation were organized and took place.
Those in the
compound knew they couldn't win the war, but what they
gained was more important. Defending the pride, dignity
and spirit of American Indians across the country prompted
the takeover, not a desire for war.
"If another
Wounded Knee [happened], I would do it again," said
Webster Poor Bear on film. "Because the reasons we did
that are so powerful, truth is so powerful. Gandhi said
[that] even if you are a minority of one, the truth is
still the truth. That's why I was at Wounded Knee.
"I didn't
realize how deep that truth went or how broad. When you
live like that it's an honorable way to live ... I am
honored and privileged to have stood with them."
DVDs of the film
are available at www.warriorsofwoundedknee.com.
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