ROSEBUD, SD – The Rosebud Sioux Tribe will provide the cash earnest payment as an initial step to purchase approximately 1,940 acres of land located in the Black Hills. The site, also known as the Reynolds Prairie Ranches, was originally set to be sold through public auction last month.
However, the auction was canceled a few days before it was to take place in Rapid City. The Reynolds family has indicated they will accept the offer to purchase the land from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Several other newspaper accounts have also stated that the South Dakota Tribes have come together to purchase the land in the sacred site known to the Lakota-Dakota-Nakota peoples as Pe Sla.
The Pe Sla sacred site is where, according to the Lakota spiritual tradition, the Morning Star fell to earth, killing seven beings which had killed seven women. To honor the fallen, the Morning Star placed the souls of the women into the stars at the Pleiades constellation.
Every year, members from within the Lakota-Dakota-Nakota and other tribal people gather to perform ceremony as a way to ensure the continued survival of all beings. Rosebud is among those tribes which send contingents to the site every year. In that spirit, Rosebud’s Tribal Council voted to act as the conduit to unite all the Oceti Sakowin – or Seven Council Fires of the Nation – in this struggle to maintain these deeply rooted traditions. If successful, this will mark one of the first attempts by the Great Sioux Nation to unite in common cause, bid for ownership and share the site for all tribal members to continue ceremony.
Tribal officials at Rosebud are committed to finalizing the land purchase deal. They will continue to work to secure the money needed to buy the land. The eight other tribes located in South Dakota, along with other tribes in the Region, still have an opportunity to become co-owners.
However, as of September 17, there has not been any official documentation, such as approved resolutions, submitted to Rosebud by the other tribes giving official notice regarding a desire to be considered as co-owners in the purchase.
On September 4, 2012 the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council approved Resolution 2012-222 which states in part “on August 31, 2012, the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council determined to take the lead in the purchase of Pe Sla…[and the] Tribal Land Enterprise Board of Directors reviewed this possible real estate acquisition on August 15, 2012…and recommends approval.”
On September 17, this same Resolution was amended by a vote of 18 for, 0 against, 0 not voting and 2 absent at a special tribal council meeting to allow an earnest payment to be fully funded through TLE on behalf of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Tribal officials at Rosebud still anticipate official notification from the other tribes in South Dakota who wish to be part of this land purchase.
For more information please call the Rosebud Sioux Tribe at 605-747-2381 or toll-free 1-888-747-2381.
Sicangu News 