The Crazy Horse Memorial mountain carving northwest of Custer is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the first blast this weekend, and wraps it up today with a full day of speakers and events.
The main program begins at 10:00 on the Main Stage in the Upper Parking Area with a flyover by UH-72 Lakota helicopters from the South Dakota National Guard,
Kevin Phillips and Ruben Little head are co-Emcees, Crazy Horse Foundation CEO Whitney Rencountre and Cheyenne RIver Sioux Tribal Chairman Ryman LeBeau will offer remarks, and Crow Creek Sioux Chairm Peter Lengkeek will recognize veterans.
The group Stampede will perform an honoring song for the veterans, Crazy Horse board member Sid Goss will speak briefly about the history of the carving project before the keynote address by Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills.
Mills, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and a native of the Pine Ridge Reservation, is the only American man to win the Olympic 10,000 meter race – doing it at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.
A traditional and fancy dance performance will follow, then Crazy Horse Director of Mountain Carving Dr Caleb Ziolkowski, grandson of the late sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski – the man behind the project.
Wrapping up the morning session will be closing remarks by Whitney Rencountre and an honoring song by Uriah Little Hoop and Stampede. The afternoon session at 1:00 begins with the Crazy Horse Song by Marlon Kelly, then 3 hours of individual dances.
There will also be a series of talks and performances starting at 1:00 at the Welcome Center Theater with performances at the Veranda Stage at 9:00 and 4:30 by flutist Michael Laughing Fox Charette.
     Hand games begin at 9:00 in the Mountain View Room, and June Artist-in-Residence Sheridan MacKnight will be working all day in the Native American Cultural and Educational Center.Â
JUNE 4, 2023
Main Stage – Upper Parking Lot Area
10:00AM Main Program begins
• Scheduled Lakota Helicopter Flyover
• Kevin Phillips and Ruben Little Head, Co-Emcees
• Lakota Prayer – Dr. Gerald Yellow Hawk
• Welcome by Whitney A. Rencountre II, CEO Crazy Horse
• Remarks from Tribal Chairman Ryman LeBeau, Cheyenne River Sioux
• National Anthem – Gabriella Knife
• Veterans Recognition from Chairman Peter Lengkeek,
Crow Creek, USMC Veteran
• Veteran Honor Song – Stampede
• Dance Performance Demonstration – Grass, Jingle and Stampede
• Crazy Horse Memorial History – Dr. Sid Goss, Board Member
Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation
• Keynote Speaker, Billy Mills, Olympic Gold Medal Winner
• Dance Performance Demonstration – Traditional and Fancy Dance,
Stampede
• Mountain Presentation, Dr. Caleb Ziolkowski, Director
of Mountain Carving
• Closing Remarks – Whitney A. Rencountre II
• Honor Song – Uriah Little Hoop and Stampede
12:15 – 1:00PM Intermission
• 1:00PM – Welcome Back
• Crazy Horse Song – Marlon Kelly
• 1:15 – 4:20 Individual Dance Performances
• Drum & Song Group – Stampede
• Grass Dancers – Jon Taken Alive and Jackson Taken Alive
• Traditional Dancers – Ruben Little Head, Jr and Emily Little Hoop
• Tipi Knowledge – Charlie Cuny
• Jingle Dancers – Uriah Little Hoop, Gabrielle Knife
and Israelle Knife-Pederson
• Hoop Dancer – Dallas Chief Eagle
• All-Dancer Performance
• Hand Game Winner announced
• Closing Remarks
Welcome Center Theatre
• 1:00PM – Welcome from Andrew Dunehoo, Director of Museums and Cultural Affairs,
Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation
• 1:00 – Jeffery Not Help Him – Dewey Beard Family History Presentation
• 1:30 – Donald Montileaux, Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation Board Member, Artist
• 2:00 – Michael Laughing Fox Charette, Flute
• 2:30 – Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation Board Panel
• 3:00 – The Indian Museum of North America® Presentation – Andrew Dunehoo
• 3:30 – The Indian University of North America® Staff and Student Panel
• 4:00 – Dewey Bad Warrior – Descendants of Crazy Horse the Man Presentation
Throughout the Crazy Horse Complex
THE VERANDA STAGE
• 9:00AM– Michael Laughing Fox Charette, Flute
• 4:30 – Michael Laughing Fox Charette, Flute
MOUNTAIN VIEW ROOM
• 9:00AM – Hand Games, hosted by Marlon Kelly –
the 2023 Crazy Horse Memorial® Descendants of the Battle
of Greasy Grass Hand Game Championships will begin
THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER
• ALL DAY – June Artist in Residence, Sheridan MacKnight