Visit Garryowen!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Goodbye!

We must write one more post before we say adieu and part from this historic place.

Kiley left this morning, and I will leave tomorrow morning. We are both heading for a quick trip to Yellowstone with our respective family members before we eventually make our way home. Andy is already home and back in school. Kiley and I, already graduated, will return to Kansas and Connecticut and look for some possible job prospects before graduate school. (Any offers?)

I must recap our most exciting, favorable moments of this summer:

Living with and learning about the Crow Tribe.
Playing with the kittens.
Trying to soak up every fact about this interesting battle.
Organizing the Libbie Custer manuscript collection.
Getting to know Chris and Linda.
Feeding the kittens.
The beautiful Montana landscape.
The Indian horse relays in Sheridan (The Crows came in first place!)
Cuddling with the kittens.
Crow Fair.

Please do not miss us too much; there will be new interns next year, after all! We do, however, hope that this blog has been of interest to our readers. Our goal was to be informative, with a splash of personality.

All the best,
Hayley B.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Joe Medicine Crow


Since June 1st, the day Hayley and I arrived in Garryowen, we have been hearing and reading about a man by the name of Joe Medicine Crow. After months of talking and learning about this man, we began to think he was only a mystical figure. Yesterday we learned he was much more. After hearing news that Joe Medicine Crow was in Garryowen, Hayley and I could barely contain our excitement, although Hayley kept much more composed than I was, watching me run around like I was going to meet an A list celebrity. (Which Joe Medicine Crow, has grown to be someone even better for me.)

After talking to him briefly and having what seemed like an official “welcome to Crow Country,” we were able to get our pictures taken with this stoic man.

At the age of 96, although he does not look or act a day over 60, Joe Medicine Crow grew up hearing stories and learning about the Battle of Little Bighorn from his grandfather, White Man Runs Him, one of Custer’s Crow Scouts. Joe, who is a tribal elder, historian and author, received his master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Southern California in 1939. Shortly after he joined the 103rd Infantry Division in World War II, where he completed all four tasks of “Counting Coup” on enemy soldiers: being the first to touch an enemy soldier, stealing an enemy soldier’s horse, disarming an enemy soldier, and leading a successful war party. He became the last Crow to become a war chief.

In August of 2009, Joe Medicine Crow traveled to Washington, D.C. in order to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom Honor from Barack Obama. This is the highest honor a United States civilian can achieve for their contribution to world peace, or other cultural accomplishments. Here is a link to the article that describes the historic event:

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_911f356c-7d5f-11de-8132-001cc4c002e0.html


Having the chance to meet a man with so much history, merit, and knowledge was a true honor and an amazing experience, one that I am sure Hayley and I will never forget!

-Kiley

Follow the road to glory....

Follow the road to glory....

The View From the Outside Looking In

The View From the Outside Looking In

All the Pretty Horses

All the Pretty Horses

The First Visit to LBH NM

The First Visit to  LBH NM

Battle Recreation Table

Battle Recreation Table

Ghost Dance Shirt

Ghost Dance Shirt

LBH Miniatures

LBH Miniatures
a close-up of the battle recreation

Custer's Cravat

Custer's Cravat
Somebody loves the cravat

Lewis and Clark

Lewis and Clark
A bear, a 400-year-old canoe and a ram head, with one thing in common

Justin and his gun

Justin and his gun
he is waaaay too excited about holding this gun

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