How come the wounded knee burial site is allowed to be sold in the USA?

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   Asp52posted 12 years ago

   How come the wounded knee burial site is allowed to be sold in the USA?
   
   Why hasn't the Federal government protected this important historical site? The fact the owner believes the small plot of land is worth more because of a massacre made me genuinely angry! Having read an article on the BBC website today is there anything we non US citizens can do to help stop further injustice to the Sioux people ?

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   Justsilvieposted 12 years ago

   Fitting isn't it that Europeans who actually were responsible for most of the mistreatment of native peoples around the planet for centuries now see the horror and injustice of it all. Wonder how long it will take some of us here to do the same.
   
   Our government should step in and do the right thing and return the land to the Native people, but with the people we have in congress I am sure unless it lines their pockets the subject is of no interest to them.

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      Asp52posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I find it amazing such a place is in private ownership, I really hope that common sense prevails as the article I read screams of exploitation. The owner believes the Native tribes could turn it into a tourist attraction, I was shocked.

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   Ericdierkerposted 12 years ago

   Very interesting. I know on movies North American Indians are portrayed as having this mystical attachments to burial sites and the resting place of ancestors. I would not want to denigrate something I am not sure of. But with that said, growing up very close to the Navajos and Hopis I found that the burial rites were important but I do remember any sacredness attached to the actual burial sites. I see no such evidence in the ancient sites like Mesa Verde and Montezuma's Castle or Tuzigoot.
   
   Perhaps I am missing something but I think the priority on such things is a Euro concept. Sometimes we project meaningful things to us unto other cultures.
   
   I hope I will learn more here. Certainly there could be differences in the differing tribes. Or perhaps Eastern and Western traditions within North America.

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      Asp52posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      For me it is the equivalent of selling items from war graves. I hope that something positive can be made from this. My knowledge on that area is limited but a friend who has Sioux ancestry was appalled by the idea.

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      Ericdierkerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Again let me thank you for raising this  issue. I hope we learn more and do right by our brothers.

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