What we've been up to- Rodeos, and Bull Riders!

Hi! Sami here- Since my time in Garryowen is sadly coming to a close soon, I thought I’d write something to update you guys on what we’ve been doing lately.

The 15^th of July was my birthday (yay me!) so Chris let us take off from the museum early to go to the Rodeo. Our new intern joined us maybe a day or so before, and Kiley was getting ready to head back home to grad school, so it was a fantastic event to celebrate all of these things in one fell swoop.

The Rodeo was in Sheridan, Wyoming, and it’s an adorable little town. We got there a few minutes into the Indian relay races- which were really neat to see. The riders rode a horse bareback around the entire arena, stopped in the middle, jumped off that horse, and onto another one, before running around the arena again. It was really neat to see- and I can’t even imagine the amount of skill it takes to not only ride bareback at the speeds they were going, but to jump off one horse and directly onto another with rapidity. We also got to watch bull ropers, a few bucking broncos, and some very amazing ladies ride.

All in all it was a very good night.

More recently, Rob, Aimee and I managed to go to Billings to see the Professional Bull Riders when they came through town. Since it was on a Friday night and started at 8:00 with general admission, Chris was awesome and watched the museum so we could leave to get up there around seven- which turned out to be a really great idea. I don’t know what I’d been expecting when we were heading up there- but once we made it through the ticket area (and got free flashlights!) we walked around the outer circle of the arena. There were so many vendors! Lots of raffles to sign up for, and free stuff promoting all of these western companies… it was pretty interesting to me.

Bull riders only ride for 8 seconds at a time, but a lot of the riders when we were they didn’t manage to hold on for the full 8. Watching it, it always seemed like a lot longer from when they left that gate to when they either fell off or the buzzer sounded. Of course, it must’ve been all that much crazier for those poor guys actually on the bulls!

The Big Event: The Real Bird Re-enactment!

The big day has finally come and gone- the Real Bird Battle of the Little Big Horn Re-enactment was last weekend. For weeks, we have all been busy answering phones and giving directions to people in the museum about the Re-enactment. I was getting pretty excited for the day when we would finally get a chance to see it. After our busy weekend here in the museum, we got a chance to see the show on Sunday. All morning we had our eyes tuned to the weather forecast: there were supposed to be afternoon thunderstorms, but the Real Birds said the show would go on rain or shine. We have definitely had our share of interesting weather here in Montana (including 90 mph winds in Hardin while Kiley and I looked for some ice cream, but that’s a whole different story!) so I was less than optimistic about the storms holding out.
With our rain coats and hoods, we headed about a mile down the road to site of the show. We climbed up the wooden bleachers and found a nice spot to sit so we could see everything. I was getting pretty anxious as dark clouds kept looming over us. It is Montana though, so the dark clouds were replaced by pretty blue ones every so often which made me hopeful. Before the Re-enactment of the battle began, there were ceremonies held and stories told. The most interesting ceremony to me was the Naming Ceremony. One of the Real Birds, the family that runs the Re-enactment, brought his grandson to the front of the bleachers. He explained to the crowd that important Indian ceremonies usually take place at events such as the Re-enactment. Other Real Bird family members joined the young boy over the burning bear root. The parents of the young boy were presented with three different names and they were allowed to chose one. It was a very interesting look into the ceremonial practices of the Crow Tribe. It seemed to be such a personal ceremony and an important time in the young boy’s life that I was surprised it was shared with so many strangers.
Also included in the opening ceremonies was an introduction of the men playing the parts of the soldiers and the Indians. Each group marched in separately and were given their own time in the spotlight. I have to say, I got more excited when I watched the 7^th Cavalry march in to the tune of Garryowen- that’s definitely the closest I’ll ever get to watching the real 7^th Cavalry, led by George Custer, march to the famous tune. It was cool to see the men who had stopped in our museum so many times during the week and who we shared many conversations with sitting on their horses in character. I kept saying “There’s our friend (insert name here)!” whenever I recognized someone we had met previously.
Although I was there mainly to see the battle, I was delighted to find out that part of the show was a short overview of important events in Western History depicted by re-enactors. I obviously have a soft spot for Custer, Sitting Bull and the Battle of the Little Big Horn, but I also love Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea. When three people dressed as them walked across the grass representing their westward journey, I knew my day would be complete!
As the show moved on, the clouds got darker and darker and the rain finally started to trickle down. We whipped out our rain coats and hoods and sat through the first drops. I was just hoping it would hold off long enough for the battle scene. Finally, the stage was set and the battle began. The rain got harder and harder and the emcee started yelling “This is the Battle of the Little Big Horn!” multiple times really loudly. It was evident that a big storm was coming through and they wanted to rush it as fast as possible. Already wet, we hunkered down and waited- all I wanted to see was Custer’s charge and his Last Stand. Before the men in Custer’s unit even charged down to the fight, the emcee said “that’s it- please leave now, it’s going to be a drencher.” I won’t even try to deny my disappointment.
We started to walk down the bleachers, already soaked as the rain poured down harder. I looked across the river one last time only to see Custer and his men charging down into the fray: the re-enactors had decided to have a Last Stand regardless of the weather! Instead of running towards the car, we ran closer to the river trying to make out the battle through the pouring rain. I never did see Custer die because of the chaos (but I guess that’s how it would have really been that day!), but the excitement of it was enough to satisfy me. Once we got to the car, we were soaked from head to foot and the parking lot (a field) had already turned to mud. I know that I would have enjoyed it either way, but I actually think the rain made for a better story and certainly a funny afternoon. I’ll never forget the moment I watched the men charge down to complete the re-enactment even though everyone was told to leave. After meeting them in the museum this past week, I would not have expected anything less from these men. They love what they do and are dedicated to sharing the story of the Battle with whoever wants to learn. Even in torrential rain, I will always be interested in the stories they have to share.

-- Aimee

Book Signings!

Hello! Aimee here- we’ve been quite busy here in Garryowen because of the 135^th Anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The museum has been filled and we’ve been able to meet and talk to a lot of interesting people over the past week. We had two book signings in the museum Re-enactment Weekend: Chris Enss, who co-wrote None Wounded, None Missing, All Dead: The Story of Elizabeth Bacon Custer, and Steve Alexander, who portrays General Custer in re-enactments and some films and wrote G.A. Custer to the Little Big Horn.
Steve Alexander came in for his book signing after the memorial service at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the museum. Dressed as General Custer, I was quite excited when he stepped inside our door. I mean, this is the closest I’ll probably ever get to meeting the real George Custer! Also, I had never been to book signing before, let alone help one run smoothly, so I was anxious to see how it went. We set him up at a table in the back of the museum; it was a fitting place because there was a giant painting depicting the Last Stand behind him. It was quite a busy book signing- many of the people already within in the museum purchased a book and hopped in line for a chance to talk to the Custer re-enactor. Also, a lot of the 7^th Cavalry re-enactors got in line to have their book signed.
For me, the best part about it was getting the chance to have a lengthy conversation with a few of the re-enactors, including Steve Alexander himself. We got the chance to talk with the men who played Lt. W.W. Cooke, Lt. Algernon Smith, (commander of Company E- also known as the Gray Horse Troop,) and Custer himself. They all seemed to really enjoy sharing their stories about re-enacting and their thoughts on what actually happened on June 25, 1876. We asked them questions about the behind the scenes action of the Real Bird Re-enactment that we would see a few days later. At one point, W.W. Cooke pulled out some empty bullet casings that were found on the field after the re-enactment earlier in the day. He gave one to each of us as souvenirs. It’s a pretty neat souvenir, especially after we had Steve Alexander sign “Custer” on it. Luckily, I’ll be driving back to Pennsylvania so I do not have to worry about getting it on a flight! It was definitely a great afternoon being able to take some time and chit chat with the re-enactors.

Sami here now-
I agree with Aimee that the whole reenactment week was fantastic. I love talking to the people who come in and hearing the stories from the re-enactors; it was pretty fantastic. I love hearing the stories that they tell, because unlike a lot of the people who just study battles, reenacting becomes a visceral experience which I think can often help people come into an even deeper appreciation of what each side went through.
The day after Steve Alexander came in to do his book signing, Chris Enss came by to promote her new book as well. A few weeks ago I read None Wounded, None Missing, All Dead and I can say that I was really looking forward to the woman who put pen to paper on such a captivating subject. We set Chris up in a separate location from where Steve Alexander had been. She was closer to the front of the museum- partially so she wouldn’t feel lonesome all the way in the back of the museum, but also so people who just wanted to stop in to have her sign the book could get in and out faster. Since I worked at the desk that morning, I was patiently sitting and taking care of everything before she got there. I fully expected that once people realized that a nationally known author was sitting just inside the door, we’d be busy and I’d be selling lots of books.
Thankfully at one point there was a lull, and I was able to step away from the desk and talk with her. Chris Enss is an absolutely lovely lady, and a veritable treasure trove of information on various subjects. She writes a lot of western history, especially including the role of women in that time period- and I think it’s an absolutely fascinating topic. I can’t wait to read more of her work.

1876 Grand Ball!

Hello! Sami here- We’ve been telling lots of tales from reenactment week lately and I have another one to share. On Wednesday of that week we went to the 1876 Grand Ball in Hardin. It was a period dress event at the fairgrounds, in which there would be dancing and music all dating from the centennial period. I can’t even begin to describe how excited I was to get to dress up and go dancing for a night! The whole ball thing was a bit of a rushed choice for us- we found out about it Monday, and I spent that afternoon trying to get in touch with the woman who was in charge of the dress rentals. Then, the next morning we went to try on our dresses before rushing back to Garryowen with them to get back to the museum.
Of course, by the time Wednesday night got here, I was so excited that I could barely sit still. Aimee, Kiley and I put on our dresses early so Chris could get some photos of us all dressed up in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the museum- it felt like we were getting glamour shots! From there, headed to the ball. What a sight we must’ve been: three girls dressed strangely, piling into a van, and driving down the road waving at whoever would bother to look our way. I’m sure people have interesting stories!
Anyway- the ball itself was really nice. It started off with what was called the “Grand March” in which all of the couples paired up (or in our case, all three of us got together in one line) and bowed before the leading couple of the dance- aka: General and Mrs. Custer. It was neat! From there we paused to get food, before we started dancing. The dances were fun- and we even got to dance one with the General and Libbie! While we were there, we also met several members of the Reno family; they were in town for a family reunion. It was nice to talk to people who had a personal connection with the events happening there and even nicer to find out that one was from my hometown! It is funny how small the world is sometimes.

Lodge Grass High School Graduation

Hi! Aimee here- one of the first things I got to do after I arrived was attend the Lodge Grass High School Graduation here on the Crow Reservation. I do not know exactly what I was expecting, but I assumed it would be a lot different from my graduation. However, it was relatively similar to my own graduation (except I had about 430 more kids in my class!) except for a few things.
The first thing I noticed was the decoration on the caps and gowns. When I graduated college, some students wrote things on their caps like “Hi Mom!” but the caps at Lodge Grass were decorated in a different sense. Most of the 24 students had decorative beading both on the cap and the gown. One boy even had eagle feathers on the back of his. We found out after the ceremony that this is tradition within the Crow community. Some of the beading was so incredibly intricate that it must have taken days to do.
Another difference I noted was a presentation of gifts throughout the ceremony. Each time someone special was mentioned, like the retiring teachers, they were called to the stage and given a blanket. As it turns out, these Pendleton blankets are very significant. They are given as a symbol of warmth, friendship and respect during important occasions, like a graduation. I was excited when I finally got to hear the Crow language spoken at the end of the ceremony; one prayer was said in the native Crow language. I had never heard this language spoken before and it was really cool to finally hear it! I really enjoyed my time at the graduation ceremony; it was a good look into educational aspects of Crow culture.

Crow Dancers At Sheridan Inn

Sam and Aimee with Traditional Crow Dancers.

Sami here again-
We’ve had a few days of sunshine! I’m so happy to see the nice weather. It makes it a lot easier for us to go out and explore a little. Yesterday, we went down to Sheridan Wyoming, which is south of Garryowen Montana about 65 miles, to watch Crow Tribal Dancers at the Sheridan Inn. The Sheridan Inn itself was a pretty cool thing to see, since it was bought by Buffalo Bill Cody soon after it was built and used for his Wild West Show. It is also in the Guiness Book of World Records for being the structure with the most gables. We were invited down there by a member of the Real Bird family, Pius Real Bird, the second oldest Crow Elder, to watch the dances. Chris said he would man the desk at the museum so we could have the experience and we headed that way around four thirty for the dancing at five thirty.
On our way, of course, we stopped at the state line to take a picture of the Wyoming state welcome sign. Which was neat. That and the red roads. Aimee had driven through Wyoming to come to Garryowen, and Kiley said it was something they quarried, but I think it just makes everything look all picturesque…the red road against the mountains and the sky.
The Inn wasn’t that hard to find, and we managed to get there just before they started dancing. Their outfits were so pretty! I remember the announcer saying things about how many of them were either handed down through the generations, or made by elders in their families… the amount of work that went into them is simply breathtaking. According to Kiley, this would be the closest we could get to the dancers- since at powwow’s they are surrounded by their families, drum circles, and bleachers for extra seating. There was only one drum circle here and they danced around it instead, while the people playing the drum were singing. It was amazing just to hear their voices, and watch the dancers circle them- it’s so different than what I have ever seen before and in a bigger setting it could probably be pretty overwhelming! So I’m glad we got to see it up close, even if in a smaller setting, before going to a powwow. Now we kind of know what’s going on.

Aimee here! I just want to add a few more things on our trip to Sheridan. I really enjoyed watching the Crow Tribal Dancers. The best part to me about the ceremony was the clothing worn by the dancers. The women were wearing traditional Elk Tooth Dresses; this means that the dresses had elk teeth sown onto the fabric. It seems that every part of their clothing at the dance held meaning, like the elk teeth, the intricate beading, the feathers and the bags they carried. The announcer told us that one of the male dancers is actually a champion dancer who participates in various competitions across the country. The fact that we were watching a champion dancer made the experience even better!
One of the dances performed was a “welcoming home” dance. The announcer told the crowd that it was a celebratory dance performed when the Crow warriors arrived home. Everyone was invited to participate and dance with them so Sam and I joined in. Basically, we just walked around the drum circle to the beat. I had never done anything like this before and we had a great time doing it!
After the dance, we took time to explore Sheridan. First of all, the town is adorable. The main street in the town looked exactly like I thought a Western town should (small, cute stores and many places to buy Cowboy boots!). We went to The Mint Bar which had mounted bears, mountain sheep, and other animals lining the wooden walls. We ate dinner at a place called The Pony. The food was good, but the best part about it was that they had the New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox game on the TV. That’s an everyday occurrence back home, but it was comforting to watch it in Wyoming!

Custer Battlefield Museum- Never touched by floodwaters

Hi! Sami writing here- I am from Ironton, Ohio, and I’ve been here for almost a month now. It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long at all! I was the first intern to arrive, flying into Billings on May 17th… right before all of the nasty weather hit. Since it was so late out when I touched ground, I didn’t really get to see any sunshine until the next day- and I was blown away at how green everything was. Chris kept pointing out that it’s never usually this green here, but I think it’s lovely even if it isn’t the way things usually look.

Sadly, the sunshine didn’t stay around for too long after I got here. Mind you- I landed in rain, and pretty much didn’t see a break from it until around a week and a half ago. And it flooded. Oh boy did it flood. Since I live on the Ohio River, I never think that much of rain- but when I woke up maybe four days after first getting here, we were in the middle of an emergency flooding situation. Ack! I felt like I might’ve brought the rain with me all the way from Ohio…

Apparently we’d gathered over ten inches of rain in ten days- which is pretty impressive no matter where you are. Water was up over the interstate for days, and they closed a huge majority of the roads around us. They even evacuated Crow Agency, which isn’t that far from us at all. Of course, Garryowen was fine- Sitting Bull picked a very good spot for his camp, during the whole flooding scare, we were not only sitting here safe and dry, but we never even closed down the museum! Given the situation of course, I would’ve thought that getting to a museum would be the last thing on people’s minds, but sure enough, we still had customers! Most of them were international- another thing that has positively boggled my mind since getting here- but they were so excited to see the battlefield they forged through high water and past roadblocks to get here!

It was definitely something else.