Memorial needed at Kerr Dam
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Editor,
My husband and I saw two very interesting documentaries.
We watched Place of Falling Waters, the documentation on Kerr Dam. The elders did not want Kerr Dam, and a lot of people feel the same way today. The place where they built the dam was a very sacred place for our ancestors.
It is sad that Indians trying to survive was why our leaders let this dam be built. Mr. Kerr flashed his money and food to get the dam built. He took advantage of Indians in poverty and Indians accepted his money just to stay alive. Thus the dam was built on lies and greed.
Again, council has lied to the people by stating that not one penny of Salazar money would be used for the dam.
In a District meeting we were told that $40 million was in Ameritrade so Energy Keepers, Inc., would have a line of credit with them and $67 million was put in a secure savings so EKI would have that money when EKI took over the dam in 2015. The CSKT members who asked about Salazar monies were called greedy. If the Tribal Council would have been truthful about the remaining Salazar money, people might not have been upset with council.
I strongly feel that a memorial should be placed on the site to honor all those who died there. There should also be a memorial at the Catholic Church in St. Ignatius where many tribal children were sexually abused and beaten and perished there. Many children became alcoholics because of the abuse.
The other documentary we saw was Dakota 38. The Indians from South Dakota and other Indian Nations — in honor of the 38 plus two that were hung in Mankato, Minnesota in 1862 — rode 330 miles taking 16 days on horseback in the winter. There were also runners that ran 76 miles. They went through some difficult winter storms, but they did not give up. They did this to honor the ancestors that were hung in a massive hanging. They were supposed to hang 309, but President Lincoln reprieved all but 38.
Phyllis Benoist
Pablo
