" Bikers and developers need to take a hard look at the damage wrought by their merrymaking near sacred places. Last week, the 66th annual Sturgis Bike Rally in South Dakota drew thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts. But it is also drew attention to the rights of Indians.

Sturgis is near Bear Butte, or Mato Paha, in the Black Hills, or Paha Sapa, which in Lakota means "everything that is." Central to the spiritual practices of several Great Plains tribes, Bear Butte is a sacred place of pilgrimage, prayer and reflection.

Now, however, an entrepreneur from Arizona is building an enormous biker bar, music venue and campground at the base of Bear Butte. In line with the carousing that goes on at bike rallies, he plans on offering 600 acres of police-free partying, with daily "orgasm" and "Popsicle licking" contests. In the spirit of sharing Indian culture with his patrons, he said he was also planning on erecting an 80-foot statue of an Indian at the entrance.

His original plan was to name the facility "Sacred Grounds." He seemed genuinely surprised that local tribes were not supportive, so he changed the name to "Sturgis County Line."

But that's hardly sufficient. "

Get the Story:
Mary Annette Pember: Native land should not be a biker bar (The Salt Lake Tribune 8/17)

Relevant Links:
Bear Butte International Alliance - http://matopaha.org/wp
Defenders of the Black Hills - http://www.defendblackhills.org

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