{"id":27156,"date":"2022-08-09T12:55:22","date_gmt":"2022-08-09T16:55:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=27156"},"modified":"2022-08-09T12:55:24","modified_gmt":"2022-08-09T16:55:24","slug":"native-sun-news-today-tim-giagos-legacy-lives-on-with-nations-first-native-american-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/08\/09\/native-sun-news-today-tim-giagos-legacy-lives-on-with-nations-first-native-american-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Native Sun News Today: Tim Giago’s legacy lives on with nation’s first Native American Day"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Tim<\/a>
Tim Giago and Jackie Giago serve as Grand Marshals of the 2016 Native American Day Parade in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota. Photo by Native Sun News Today<\/figcaption>\r\n
He gave us \u2018Native American Day\u2019 in South Dakota <\/div>\r\n
Tim Giago\u2019s legacy will live on<\/div>\r\n
Tuesday, August 9, 2022<\/div>\r\n
By Ernestine Anunkasan Hupa <\/div>\r\n
Native Sun News Today Assistant Editor <\/div>\r\n
nativesunnews.today<\/a><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nRAPID CITY — Tim Giago put his last paper to bed at 8:44 a.m. Sunday, July 24, just a few days after he celebrated his 88th birthday. But those who were fortunate enough to share his life will not put his legacy to bed, the legacy of an Oglala Lakota man who went up against the powers that be to give us \u201cNative American Day\u201d in South Dakota.

<\/p>\r\nMany times over the past 30 years, Giago shared the story behind the founding of Native American Day in South Dakota. \r\n

<\/p>\r\nOne day in early 1989 Giago, who was the editor and publisher of Lakota Times, set up an interview with Republican Governor George Mickelson.

<\/p>\r\nThere is an answer to one question Giago asked that stuck in his mind for a couple of months. He asked Mickelson, \u201cWhat is the hardest part of your job as governor of South Dakota?\u201d

<\/p>\r\nMickelson replied, \u201cI am going to give you the same answer my father gave me when he was governor of South Dakota 40 years ago. I asked him that same question and he said \u2018Trying to deal with the bad race relations between Indians and whites.\u2019\u201d

<\/p>\r\n\"Tim<\/a>

Tim Giago celebrates his 88th birthday with Native Sun News Today staff and his family in July 2022. Photo by Ernestine Anunkasan Hupa \/ Native Sun News Today<\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nA few days later Giago said he ran into Birgil Kills Straight, a prominent Indian educator from his home town of Kyle. Kills Straight told him that he had organized a group of Lakota riders and they intended to take the exact trail taken by Si Tanka, Big Foot, as he fled from the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation to Pine Ridge after the assassination of Sitting Bull. According to oral historians Si Tanka and his followers were on their way to Strong Hold Table in the Badlands to seek refuge with the Oglala Lakota Ghost Dancers held up there.

<\/p>\r\nKills Straight said December 29, 1990, marked the 100th anniversary of the massacre of 300 Mnicoujou and Hunkpapa Lakota men, women and children at Wounded Knee and he and his riders wanted to make that ride in order to commemorate and honor Si Tanka and those who had died that day.

<\/p>\r\nThis brought back the comment made to Giago by Gov. Mickelson earlier that year. Giago thought that if the governor was sincere in wanting to improve race relations, he needed a catalyst to build upon. What better way to approach it than to honor those who were massacred at Wounded Knee? It was one of the most tragic days in the history of the Lakota and perhaps the very horror of that day should be the catalyst that would push Governor Mickelson into taking up the challenge Giago had in mind.

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