Sicangu Akicita Owicahe Tribal Veterans Cemetery, also known as the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Veterans Cemetery, located near White River in Mellette County, South Dakota, United States, is the official cemetery for veterans belonging to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Opened in 2013 and funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), it was one of the first tribal veterans cemeteries in the country.[1]
| Sicangu Akicita Owicahe Tribal Veterans Cemetery | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Established | May 27, 2013 |
| Location | 27404 U.S. Highway 83, White River, South Dakota |
| Country |  United States |
| Coordinates | 43°25′52.4″N 100°44′15.4″W / 43.431222°N 100.737611°W |
| Type | Tribal veterans cemetery |
| Owned by | Rosebud Sioux Tribe |
| Size | 74 acres (30 ha) |
| Find a Grave | Sicangu Akicita Owicahe Tribal Veterans Cemetery |
History
editSince 2006, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been authorized to grant funding for veterans cemeteries to Native American tribal governments using its Veterans Cemetery Grants Program.[2] The Rosebud Sioux Tribe Veterans Department applied for and received $6,948,365 from the VA, the first such grant to be awarded to a tribal government.[2][3] The funds covered the complete cost of the purchase and development of the cemetery.[2]
The groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 19, 2011, and included ceremonies performed by the Red Leaf Singers, Sicangu Lakota Warriors, and the Wild Horse Butte Tokala.[2] The cemetery officially opened on Memorial Day 2013.[3]
In 2021, the remains of six Rosebud Sioux children who died and were buried at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in the 19th century, were reinterred at the cemetery.[4][5] Their remains were wrapped in buffalo hides before being interred.[6][7]
Description
editThe cemetery sits on a 74-acre (30 ha) plot of land on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Mellette County, South Dakota, at 27404 U.S. Route 83[8] between White River and Mission.[2][1]
Tipis feature prominently in the architecture of the cemetery, including the entrance gate, administration building, and committal shelter.[9] The cemetery is shaped to resemble a turtle, an important symbol in Lakota religion.[3] Unlike other veterans cemeteries, which contain a plaque inscribed with the Gettysburg Address, the plaque at Sicangu features a quote from Crazy Horse: "My lands are where my relatives lie buried".[9]
The initial development prepared 14.4 acres (5.8 ha) of the total cemetery property and included 600 burial plots, 544 spots to inter cremated remains, and 32 niches in a columbarium.[2]
Tribe members eligible for burial in the cemetery include those who served in the United States Armed Forces and received a qualifying discharge, and spouses and dependent children of those veterans.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Garrigan, Mary (August 18, 2011). "Rosebud getting veterans cemetery". Rapid City Journal. p. C1. Retrieved July 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Groundbreaking held on Rosebud Reservation for Tribal Cemetery". Lakota Times. September 21, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Rosebud Sioux Tribe Veterans Cemetery Nearly Complete". ICT News. December 4, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ Morin, Brandi (August 6, 2021). "These Indigenous children died far away more than a century ago. Here's how they finally got home". National Geographic. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ Waln, Vi (July 15, 2022). "Rosebud holds memorial service for boarding school relatives". ICT News. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ Todd, Annie (July 19, 2021). "Remains of 9 Rosebud Sioux children finally come home". Argus Leader. pp. A1, A2. Retrieved July 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Fox, Charles (July 30, 2021). "The Journey Home". The Philadelphia Inquirer. pp. A1, A12. Retrieved July 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Find A Cemetery". National Cemetery Administration. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Melnyk, Les' (November 23, 2022). "NCA partners with tribes to honor Native American traditions and culture" (Press release). United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved July 23, 2024.