Deadwood and TATANKA!

This morning we were up and on our way early. Our destination this day was Deadwood South Dakota to the North. We took the scenic route up U.S. 385 thru the Black Hills or as the Indians call it “Paha Sapa“. Paha Sapa means “Black Mountains” - when viewed from a distance, the Black Hills appear to be very dark in comparison to the lighter colors of the surrounding Prairies. Deadwood was founded in 1876 and it has been synonymous with the “Wild West”. Today, Deadwood is a center for gaming with many Casino’s. Actually, there are lot’s of little casino’s all over South Dakota, but Deadwood is known for it’s Casino’s. The gaming establishments of Deadwood give millions of dollars each year to help fund the historic preservation of many things in the State of South Dakota. They also funnel millions of dollars to schools, road projects and promotional materials that help attract visitors to the State.


We visited the Adam’s Museum where we learned that Deadwood was quite the mining town in its heyday. The museum had many interesting things to see and lots of interesting history. The Adams Museum is Deadwood’s oldest museum and features the town’s raucous history and legendary characters, including Wild Bill Hickok! After checking this out, we had lunch at a local Casino, which was very good, and then headed out for more adventure elsewhere.


Tatanka - the story of the Bison! We were skeptical about this place, but decided to check it out. We are very pleased that we did! Tatanka means “great big beast” in the Lakota language. What is commonly called the “American Buffalo” is not really a Buffalo at all - it is a Bison. The only true Buffalo are the Water Buffalo of Asia and the Cape Buffalo of Africa. The Bison from this area are actually called the “Plains Buffalo“, but again they are not Buffalo - they are Bison! The Native American Indians that roamed this area are called Oglala Lakota - the “white man” called them “Souix”, and so today they are known as “Oglala Lakota Sioux”. Our guide, Bill in English - I didn’t catch his name in Lakota - tell us much about the Lakota Indian. He first tells us that “Souix” is actually an insult to his people - it means “snake in the grass”, but because everybody recognizes the name Souix they are stuck with it. The name was given when the “white man” began coming to their land and the rival Indians to the East called them Souix when they were asked what tribes were to the West of them. Another interesting thing is that the word “Squaw” for the female Indians is also an insult. The word Squaw means “womans private parts are all she is good for” - the soldiers gave the females that name and I guess you can understand why based on history. In the Lakota community, the woman rules all - I like that! The males are there to protect and provide, but they don’t have much say in anything that happens in camp. That was interesting. (Smile!)


Outside, we are told that the Tipi’s - not Teepee the “white mans” spelling, is their traditional shelter. The door always faces East to greet the Sun in the morning. Traditionally made from Bison hides, the smoke from the fire inside helps keep the hides clean and free of bugs. It takes from 12-14 hides for a normal size Tipi. The women are in charge of the Tipi and must be able to erect one efficiently before she is allowed to marry. They are able to erect it by them selves and can have it down and packed up to move in as little as 30 minutes. The feather hanging from the top of the Tipi indicates that this Tipi belongs to the Chief. The Chiefs are chosen by the people, not an inherited title because of blood-line.


We were then led around a small hill to a magnificent group of sculptures depicting a “Buffalo Jump”. The Indians were dependant on the Bison for their very survival. They used every bit of an animal that they killed - they threw nothing away! Up to 30 Million Bison once roamed the Great Plains of North America. By the close of the 19th century, it is estimated that less than 1,000 Bison survived. An interesting fact is that every animal - not just the Bison - has enough brain material to tan it’s own hide! No chemicals were ever used by the Indians to prepare or preserve any part of the Bison.



After Kevin Costner was involved with the award winning movie ”Dances with Wolves”, he became enthralled with the history of this area and the Indians of the Black Hills. His vision has become Tatanka. He commissioned the larger-than-life bronze sculpture we are viewing - featuring 14 Bison being pursued by three Native American riders. The “Buffalo Jump” was the way that the Indians could effectively get the Bison they needed to survive. They would create a pathway lined with stones and then guide the bison down this course. At the end would be a drop-off where the bison would fall and be killed. When enough bison for their needs were in the pathway, the Indians would divert the rest of the herd so they could live to provide a source for them later. Once the bison fell, the women of the tribe would do all the butchering. Some of the meat would be eaten immediately and some was dried for later. Every part of the bison was harvested and used by the Indians. Some of the parts are obvious in their use, some not so obvious. For example, the bladder would be used as a medicine bag, the tail as a fly brush, and the hoof and feet for glue and rattles!



We all enjoyed this educational attraction. Life was truly hard in the 1800’s for the Indians - then the “white man” came and made it all so much worse. That is another story…..

After returning to Rapid City, we joined our good friends Lew & Dottie Anderson and some of their friends from Hart Ranch Camping Club for dinner at Shipwreck Lee's Bar and Grill. I will post more on this wonderful place later in this blog. The Hamburger's were delicious!!!!