Attending the 2024 Oglala Lakota Nation Fair and Rodeo Parade
- anthonykathol
- Aug 3, 2024
- 3 min read
Good evening District 27. As this day comes to a close, I want to showcase a few photos and say how much I appreciated attending the Oglala Lakota Nation Fair & Rodeo parade in Pine Ridge. I had the opportunity to meet many Native people from within District 27. Apparently, there was a shooting at the pow-wow last night and according to the press release from the OST President Frank Star Comes Out the isolated incident is under investigation and the victim is in serious but stable condition at Monument Health (1). My heart and prayers go out to the victim and his family. I would not let the shooting discourage me from participating in the parade. After all, the Oglala Lakota Nation Fair and Rodeo is an opportunity for all of us to gather as one people to celebrate our past achievements and future goals. It is also a time to be with family and friends to honor the cultural traditions and values of the Oglala Lakota people. The OST President said there will be an increased presence in security measures for the next two days as a result of the incident. I tip my hat to OST DPS Highway Safety law enforcement personnel and Indian Health Service first responders who were on site today to make the parade a safe event to attend.
Speaking of the parade, it was bigger than I had anticipated with many people in attendance - the largest parade I have attended to date. The Oglala Sioux Tribe - OST did a great job of showcasing their Native Pride in the various parade floats lined up east of town, all the way out to the airport. At parade time, it was 102 degrees. I was sweating from walking from one side of US 18 to the other side meeting and sharing my informational rack card with the locals and throwing out my campaign flying discs which were a hit with the kids standing along the parade route. Special thanks to Michael McMahon who volunteered to assist me in assembling my parade float and driving my vehicle while I walked behind the float. He also kept me hydrated with all the ice-cold water and Gatorade on hand since it was a hot day for a parade.
After the parade, Michael and I walked the pow-wow grounds and I met tribal leader and former acquaintance Ernie Little from Oglala whom I had the good fortune of working with over the many years while at Indian Health Service. It was heartwarming to meet Ernie since I had not seen him for many years.
Ernie and I together had a close partnership in wanting to support the housing needs of the Oglala people. The field office in Martin was responsible for providing technical assistance to the Oglala Lakota Housing Authority (OLSH) regarding the design and construction of water and sewer facilities in support of the various OLSH housing needs across the reservation. Ernie said he came looking for me after he saw my sign on top of my vehicle. He is retired now and misses the work. I also had the pleasure of working with his brother Paul at the Oglala Sioux Rural Water Supply Service in Kyle. Both brothers serve as role models of what it means to give back to their community.
After the cordial conversation with Ernie, I was on a hunt to find a good Indian taco. I haven’t had one in years and Michael and I went to Buche Foods where a food stand in the parking lot was serving them. Afterward, we tore down the float and headed back to Martin.
As I reflect on this day, I recognize that though there may be cultural differences across District 27, however, we all strive for the same thing: the desire to preserve our roots and history to pass down to our children and grandchildren. If elected your state senator, I will do what is necessary to preserve South Dakota values and make South Dakota the greatest place to raise a family. God bless.
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