Clara Caufield: Life in a reservation border town

Tuesday, October 1, 2019  

This week continues the Sheridan, Wyoming, border town commentary. Fast forward to the present.

Walmart, as we know, has become an absolute necessity to many Americans, though I boycott that chain for several reasons: it has single-handedly destroyed the economy of many local Ma and Pop businesses; while it does hire many seniors, the chain favors part-time (less than forty hours per week) avoiding the expense of benefits; while in the football sized stores, invariably what you want and need is clear on the other side; the sales are too tempting and finally, the checkout lines are too long and the clerks (if you can find one) are equally bewildered about the location of things, the store layout changing on a regular basis. Yet, many Natives like other many other Americans, cannot seem to happily thrive without the monthly first-of-the-month Walmart excursion.

There are no Walmarts on the Crow and Cheyenne reservations; the closest one to Busby (Northern Cheyenne), Lodge Grass, Wyola and Crow Agency (Crow) being in Sheridan. Other residents of reservation towns on the other reservation ends find Billings closer.

Sheridan used to have a Kmart, that chain, slowly goes down the drain closed this outlet. Does anybody else remember the ‘blue-light’ specials? Then you had to be quick with your cart and rather aggressive to grab some items from the highly discounted and unexpected sales.

Sans Kmart, Crows and Cheyennes are now drawn to Walmart, like moths to a deadly hot flame.

Sheridan also offers other treasure troves for first-of-the-month shoppers: many wonderful thrift stores, Food Banks and in the warmer seasons, garage sales up the ying-yang, all irresistible magnets to Native people. When a Sheridan-based urban Indian needs a “skin fix”, hit one of these places, sure to encounter some kin. Another good spot is the Golden Dragon, Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet.

Don’t waste time looking for skins in the downtown Main Street area, home of many pricey boutiques catering mostly to the more well-heeled Sheridanites and the tourists who flock here in the summer. Most are decorated with western themes, featuring old time cowboys and Indians, (the real ones of today not found as interesting or colorful) But, if you are in search of old-time Indians (the ones hanging on the wall in old sepia-toned photos or artwork), they abound in such shops, very appealing to the tourists, and (tongue in cheek) go for big bucks.

Speaking of old-time Indians, you can also find them at several area museums: the Sheridan Municipal and the Britton in nearby Big Horn. Photos, artwork and collections of Native artifacts abound there. Some items are for sale, at prices way beyond the means of the average contemporary Indian, who might want to buy back priceless family heirlooms. And, from time-to-time, those museums feature exhibitions from real live Natives, Crow and Cheyenne, nicely done, attracting the more culturally minded white folk.

Back to tourism and recreation: the annual Sheridan WYO Rodeo the big event of the year, a premier PRCA Wyoming competition, a whole week dedicated to those festivities. In recent years, Indian Relay races have been added to the venue, now a most popular attraction, greatly enhancing the rodeo profits.

The Realbird announcers, (Crow) have grown to be very popular, their flaring style and Indian humor, greatly favored by the standing-room only crowds. Like Indian Rodeo, Relay Racing is a family sport, thus, the teams like to drag their clans to the competitions.

Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com

Copyright permission Native Sun News Today

Clara Caufield: Life in a reservation border town (September 25, 2019)