In May, 2008, Barack Obama was adopted into the Crow Nation and honored with the name "Black Eagle." Earlier today, in a moving and uplifting ceremony, President Obama Black Eagle awarded Joseph Medicine Crow the Presidential Medal of Freedom, highest civilian honor of the land, along with fifteen other worthies. For more, see:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/A-Thank-You-to-Some-of-the-Finest-Citizens-in-the-World/
I drove through the Crow Nation and saw the grounds of the Little Big Horn back in the 80s. It was a haunting, yet strangely inspiring place to visit. I always had the feeling that Custer, who died there, headed West after the American Civil War on a crazed and reckless anti-tribal crusade because of his upbringing in Monroe, Michigan -- site of the Battle of Frenchtown (or River Raisin Massacre), a victory for British General Harry Proctor and Shawnee Chief Tecumseh in 1813, decisively won after their capture of Detroit in 1812. I'm guessing that Custer vowed "revenge" -- and ended up the way he did. Not irony, exactly, but worth noting.
Today's Rune: Wholeness.
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"Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go . . ." -- Iggy Pop
From "Crow tribal historian to receive Medal of Freedom," LORNA THACKERAY, Billings Gazette.
"You know that President Obama is my clan nephew now," Medicine Crow noted. "I met him here on the Crow Reservation when he was adopted by the parents of our current chairman, Mary and Hartford "Sonny" Black Eagle."
Obama was campaigning for president last year when he made a stop on the Crow Reservation.
"I sang Senator Obama a praise song, and now I know the song worked. Now that Barack Obama is the president of the United States, he is entitled to the victory song that was given to me by my grandfather, White Man Runs Him, who was General Custer's scout."
Medicine Crow gained his warrior chief status while fighting in Europe during World War II. Last year, he was awarded the Bronze Star by the U.S. Army for his war service. At the same time, the government of France made him a knight of the French Legion of Honor.
Born in 1913, Medicine Crow was the first of his tribe to earn a master's degree, which he received from the University of Southern California in 1939. The title of his thesis was "The Effects of European Culture Contacts upon the Economic, Social and Religious Life of the Crow Indians."
He was working on his doctoral dissertation at USC when World War II ended his academic career. USC awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2003. He also received honorary doctorates from the University of Montana and Rocky Mountain College.
Over the years, Medicine Crow has written several books on Crow history and culture, including his latest, "Counting Coups," published by National Geographic, Kortlander said.
Kortlander, founder of the Custer Battlefield Museum at Garryowen and a longtime friend of Medicine Crow, said he will accompany the Crow honoree to Washington next month.
"He is approaching 97 years of age and continues to be mentally sharp as an arrow," Kortlander said. "I am so proud for Joe that President Obama recognized him with this high honor."
I did not know that about Obama. Cool!
In the dictionary above the word vainglorious is Custers picture.
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