Speech
Little Bighorn Monument Dedication
Remarks of Governor Judy Martz
Little Bighorn Battlefield - Hardin
6/25/2003
What a glorious occasion. I am so honored to have been invited to be here for this ceremony and dedication of this Indian Memorial…that will commemorate the battle between the seventh cavalry and Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors that occurred on this very day (June 25)…127 years ago…in 1876.
Thank you, Orval Looking Horse (Lakota) and Gilbert White Dirt (Northern Cheyenne), for your prayers.
Chairman Venne, thank you so very much for those special words of wisdom and truth…and thanks to everyone who had a hand in planning this very special and very long overdue day… and thank you for selecting the theme of "peace through unity."
Those are very powerful words… words that we should all take to heart.
It is only through unity that we will and can have peace.
Secretary Norton, thank you for being here on behalf of the President of the United States and the United States Department of the Interior. It is so good to have you back in Montana. Secretary Norton spent three days with me and several other western governors last week in Missoula where we discussed ways to improve the health of our nation’s forests.
And, thank you, Senator Campbell, for being here. You are an inspiration to all Americans…and Pat Williams thank you for being here.
I know you had a lot to do with getting the legislation passed that made this memorial possible…and we are all grateful for your efforts.
Last January, Chairman Venne gave the Tribal State of the State Address to the Montana Legislature. In his remarks then, just as today, he spoke with passion and conviction for achieving ‘peace through unity’… and he told us to “remember that peace through unity brings prosperity.”
I am honored to be here with him and with all of you, as we dedicate this long awaited memorial to those who fought so valiantly for this land and their people.
In thinking about what I might add to today’s dedication, I couldn’t help but reflect over and over again on what Chairman Venne said back in January…as it had such meaning to me and our legislators…so I want to share with you a passage from his address:
… ”History shows us that when the citizens of the state of Montana are unified and pull together, we are invincible.” That is so true. Chairman Venne went on to say… “In World War II, the state of Montana was an ally to the forces that fought in Europe and Asia. Indian and non-Indian soldiers fought side by side and Indian and non-Indian farmers and ranchers worked to provide the food and resources to supply our troops.”
This long overdue memorial can only help to further our efforts to bring us even closer together and to further demonstrate our commitment to achieve unity for the benefit of all Montanans and all peoples in this great country.
This field…and the ground on which we are standing is so rich in Montana’s history and in our nation’s history.
This dedication will serve to remind us all of the history behind these lands…and our culture… and the need to work even closer together so we can better understand each other…and each others needs.
Completion of the Indian memorial is the result of years of hard work and support of many. All of you who helped to make it possible deserve a big thanks of appreciation.
In 1988, descendants of Indian battle participants asked for an Indian memorial at the National Monument.
The Indian Memorial was authorized by Congress and signed into law on December 10, 1991 by former President George Bush.
Public law 102-210 renamed Custer Battlefield National Monument as Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument… and rightly so.
That law called for the design, construction and maintenance of a memorial and monument to recognize the Indians who fought to protect their land and culture in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, June 25, 1876.
Funding to construct the Indian memorial was made available from the interior appropriations bill signed into law by President George W. Bush.
As we all know, Montana is a state rich in Indian culture and history … and we all have a responsibility to preserve and protect that culture and history in a truthful and forthright manner.
Thus, the establishment of this memorial, in honor of the Indian people who fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, will commemorate our culture and history, and help to encourage and bring about greater peace, unity and prosperity, among all races.
Thank you again for inviting me to participate in this special day. I am so proud to be here with all of you.
God bless us all.
