Garryowen, Montana

Garryowen is the title of George Custer's favorite marching song for his 7th Calvary. This is the site of the Little Bighorn Battlefield where General Custer met his match.

That sounds rather flippant, but Jack and I have spent the past month touring various sites and museums across the Plains which left us feeling ashamed and sad at the American's government's treatment of Native Americans across the country.  In June, 1876,  nearly 12,000 Native Americans were encamped on the plains near the Little Bighorn River. Custer attacked them, and was surprised to discover that they fought back to protect their land, their families, and their way of life.

The National Memorial site is dignified, low key and very impressive. U.S. Calvarymen and Native warriors alike are memorialized here. As one walks or drives along the 5-mile battlefield trail, there are white marble grave markers placed where each Calvary fighter was found, and brown marble markers placed where each Native fighter was found.

Grave marker of Custer, and some of his soldiers. He is actually buried at West Point

Indian Memorial, commemorating the different tribes in a circular  stone monument

We have just finished our first month "on the road". We have traveled 3,500 miles, yet are less than 1,000 miles from our home in Portland.  It has been so enlightening, seeing all different types of cities, towns and villages, and talking to all different types of people. America is a great country, but certainly not homogenous. The stories of the people we have met would fill a book, and the environment and social contexts which influence one's world view are innumerable. But most of us make it work most of the time. That realization has been the greatest gift of this trip so far.