Lewis and Clark re-enactors receiving police escort

The L & C re-enactors are continuing along the route being escorted by police. Citing "low water levels' the L & C re-enactors have pulled their boats out of the water and are receiving a police escort as they haul their boats to Fort Thompson. They are hoping to put their boats in the water there and want to make it to Pierre, SD, by Friday. Law enforcement along the rest of the route is reportedly planning to provide security.

A re-enactment crew continued its journey up the Lewis and Clark waterway route Monday, despite a request by some American Indians to turn around and go home.

Some of the Indians had threatened to harass the re-enactors if they continued up the Missouri River. A police escort guided the re-enactors Monday afternoon as they hauled their boats - without interference - around the Big Bend Dam. full article

The article captures the division between those that oppose the L & C re-enactment and those that wish to ingratiate themselves with it.

Duane Big Eagle, Crow Creek tribal chairman, states he does not approve of the opposition and is quoted as saying,"We’re living in modern times. We’ve got to think modern and moving ahead, not living 150 to 200 years ago.”

What Duane Big Eagle doesn't realize is that it was primarily the youth who chose to make this stand.

Carter Camp makes this point."Soon a call will be going out across Indian Country for people to gather in South Dakota to stop the ignorant and racist celebration of the Lewis and Clark slaveholding expedition into our lands. This action will be led and organized by our young people who have turned to some of us for advice and counsel. They are offended by the continuing insults America seems determined to heap upon our People. They see our leaders lining up in D.C. to bless the grave robbers museum of our demise while at home on the rez the depredations continue. They see our Tribes being changed into corporations that put money over our culture and they watch as our lands and sovereignty is eroded to nothing. And now they watch as the Lewis and Clark ‘celebration’ is endorsed, even by those Indian leaders who know how ugly its truth is to our people. Our youth, our Tokala, our future, are tired of standing by while these things are going on and they are demanding something be done or they will be forced to act. When the call goes out it will be too late for elders like me to mediate so I must stand with them and I ask all those within the sound of my voice to stand with us."

While thousands of indians are marching in DC, a group of young ndn people, in South Dakota, have managed to get the L & C boats out of the water.