Last updated: August 2, 2023
Place
Spirit Warrior Memorial
Quick Facts
Location:
Atop Last Stand Hill, across from the 7th Cavalry Memorial
Significance:
Honoring the tribes that fought in the Battle of the Little Bighorn
Amenities
2 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Wheelchair Accessible
The Spirit Warrior Memorial helps to shed light on the other part of the story at Little Bighorn Battlefield. The Indian Memorial commemorates the sacrifice of the Arikara, Apsaalooke, Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Oyate tribes in the Battle of the Little Bighorn as they fought to protect their diverse values and traditional way of life. You will find the stories of some of the warriors from the Battle, their perspectives, observations, and experience.
The theme of the memorial, "Peace Through Unity", carries the commemoration further by acknowledging the need for cooperation both among Indian tribes and between tribal governments and the federal government. The relevancy and significance is further highlighted when one considers it is the only memorial to the Native American experience mandated by Congress and constructed with federal funds.The design of the Memorial from the metal sculpture to the shape of the stone wall are intentional. The circular shape of the wall is traditionally a symbol of life in many Indigenous cultures with openings towards the four cardinal directions. A part of the circle is open towards the 7th Cavalry Memorial to welcome the spirits of the soldiers as well. This is an important memorial and helps to bring the full story into consideration when telling about the events that happened here in June 1876.
The theme of the memorial, "Peace Through Unity", carries the commemoration further by acknowledging the need for cooperation both among Indian tribes and between tribal governments and the federal government. The relevancy and significance is further highlighted when one considers it is the only memorial to the Native American experience mandated by Congress and constructed with federal funds.The design of the Memorial from the metal sculpture to the shape of the stone wall are intentional. The circular shape of the wall is traditionally a symbol of life in many Indigenous cultures with openings towards the four cardinal directions. A part of the circle is open towards the 7th Cavalry Memorial to welcome the spirits of the soldiers as well. This is an important memorial and helps to bring the full story into consideration when telling about the events that happened here in June 1876.