[acoustic guitar & mandolin
play, bright in tone]
(man)
IT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING.
(man) GOT IT?
(woman)
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE
LEWIS AND CLARK
AND TURN IT A BIT ON ITS HEAD.
SINGERS COME OUT HERE,
LOOK AT THE FLOOR SPACE.
(woman)
THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY
ONE OF THE BEST SIGNATURE EVENTS
ALONG THE WHOLE TRAIL.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
USHERING YOU IN.
(man)
THAT'S WHAT'S SO COMPELLING,
THE STORY OF PEOPLE.
THAT'S YOUR GREAT, GREAT
GRANDFATHER UP THERE.
(woman)
PRODUCTION FUNDING
FOR "NORTH TO THE MANDAN NATION"
IS PROVIDED BY A GRANT
FROM USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT
AND BY THE MEMBERS
OF PRAIRIE PUBLIC.
WELCOME TO NORTH DAKOTA!
AND WELCOME TO THE NATIONAL
LEWIS AND CLARK BICENTENNIAL
SIGNATURE EVENT.
TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY,
A PROUD DAY FOR NORTH DAKOTA.
(Byron Dorgan)
THIS HAS BEEN LONG
IN THE PLANNING,
BUT NOW AS IT'S
BEGINNING TO UNFOLD,
I THINK IT'LL CREATE A GREAT
DEAL OF TOURISM IN OUR STATE,
AND I BELIEVE THAT
WITH THIS SIGNATURE EVENT
WITH THE SIGNATURE EVENT
WITH 3 AFFILIATED TRIBES,
I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA SEE A
DRAMATIC ENHANCEMENT IN TOURISM,
AND IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD FOR
OUR STATE, GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY.
BUT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT,
IT'S JUST GOOD FOR THE SOUL
TO BE THINKING
ABOUT WHO WE ARE,
WHAT OUR CULTURE IS,
HOW WE RELATE
TO ONE ANOTHER AS PEOPLE.
THIS IS JUST
A GREAT MOMENT, I THINK.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT
NORTH DAKOTA IS THE ENGAGING WAY
THAT LEWIS AND CLARK SPENT THEIR
TIME HERE. . .WITH PEOPLE.
THE MANDAN AND HIDATSA,
IT'S OUR UNIQUE STORY,
AND, OF COURSE, IT JUST
DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN
A YOUNG TEENAGE GIRL WALKING
INTO FORT MANDAN ONE DAY,
SEVERAL MONTHS PREGNANT
WITH HER HUSBAND
WHO'S OFFERING HIS SERVICES
TO THE EXPEDITION,
COUPLE OF BUFFALO ROBES
BROUGHT AS GIFTS, AND
FROM THAT DAY FORWARD SACAGAWEA
STEPPED INTO IMMORTALITY.
SHE WAS PROBABLY
16 OR 17 YEARS OLD
AND VERY EARLY ON
ALREADY...
(David Borlaug)
WE TALK ABOUT HER TODAY
200 YEARS LATER,
THIS YOUNG, INDIAN GIRL WHO THEN
JOINED THEM ON THE EXPEDITION,
CARRIED THAT BABY ON HER BACK
ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
OUT TO THE WEST COAST
AND BACK AGAIN.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE STORY!
YOU COULDN'T MAKE IT UP
AND GET AWAY WITH IT.
YET IT'S A STORY THAT ORIGINATED
RIGHT HERE IN NORTH DAKOTA,
AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO COMPELLING,
THE STORY OF PEOPLE, NOT JUST
PRETTY LANDSCAPES AND A RIVER.
THAT'S ALL GREAT, AND THAT'S
A VERY BIG ATTRACTION FOR US,
BUT IT'S ABOUT THE HUMAN DRAMA.
THAT'S THE STORY WE HAVE TO TELL
THAT WILL FOREVER ENGAGE PEOPLE
AND DRAW THEM TO OUR PART
OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK TRAIL.
[plays a bright
dance tune]
[loud CRACK!!]
(Amy Mossette)
HERE IN NORTH DAKOTA WE HAVE
TWO NATIONAL HERITAGE
SIGNATURE EVENTS.
IN ORDER TO BE AWARDED A
SIGNATURE EVENT YOU REALLY
NEEDED TO HAVE CAPACITY, AND
YOU NEEDED TO HAVE A STORY
THAT REALLY ROSE TO THIS
NATIONAL LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE.
ARE WE GONNA DOCK?
GREAT JOB GUYS.
(Amy Mossette)
IT'S FITTING THAT
NORTH DAKOTA HAS
MORE THAN ONE SIGNATURE EVENT
BECAUSE LEWIS AND CLARK SPENT
MOST OF THEIR TIME HERE.
THIS WAS THEIR DESTINATION.
[plays slow & melodically]
(Tracy Potter)
THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF
THE LEWIS AND CLARK BICENTENNIAL
PUT OUT A CALL
FOR PROPOSALS
FOR SIGNATURE EVENTS
AROUND THE COUNTRY,
AND I WAS TAGGED TO BE PART
OF A VERY SMALL COMMITTEE
TO PLAN WHAT BISMARCK/MANDAN
AND OUR AREA WOULD DO
FOR THAT EVENT, AND WE CAME UP
WITH THIS CONCEPT
THAT WE CALLED
THE CIRCLE OF CULTURES.
. . .LEWIS AND CLARK TRAIL,
AND PEOPLE WANT TO GO BACK
TO THE PLACES LEWIS AND CLARK
VISITED 200 YEARS AGO,
AND DURING THIS COMMEMORATION,
PEOPLE ARE WANTING TO GO BACK
AND SORT OF EXPERIENCE
THE SAME ADVENTURE THAT
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPERIENCED
WITH THE NATIVE PEOPLES
200 YEARS AGO.
(Marion Houn)
WE ARE GOING TO
TAKE LEWIS AND CLARK
AND TURN IT A BIT ON ITS HEAD.
WE WILL HAVE ALL THE REENACTORS,
THE SCHOLARS, THE ENCAMPMENTS,
BUT WE'RE GONNA ADD
A LOT MORE TO THE STORY.
WE'RE GOING TO TELL 'EM
ABOUT THE NATIVE AMERICAN
HOSPITALITY,
AND HERITAGE AND CULTURE
THEY FOUND WHEN THEY GOT
TO WHAT IS NOW NORTH DAKOTA.
SO BESIDES PRESENTING
THE EXPEDITION'S STORY,
WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT THE STORY
OF THE THRIVING, TRADING
AGRICULTURAL-BASED SOCIETY
THAT THEY FOUND
WITH THE MANDAN, HIDATSA,
AND THE ARIKARA,
AND WE'RE GOING TO TELL
THE STORY OF THEN,
AND WE'RE GOING TO TELL
THE STORY THAT NOW THESE NATIONS
STILL EXIST HERE IN NORTH DAKOTA
AND ARE PROSPERING.
WELL, MANY OF US NATIVE PEOPLES
ARE THE DESCENDANTS TODAY
OF ALL OF THOSE TRIBES
THAT LEWIS AND CLARK MET
200 YEARS AGO,
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN PLACES
ON THE LEWIS AND CLARK TRAIL
THAT ARE STILL THERE
THAT YOU CAN STILL VISIT.
(Marion Houn)
SO WE HAVE LEWIS
AND CLARK HISTORY,
WE HAVE NATIVE AMERICAN
HISTORY, WE HAVE SONG,
WE HAVE DANCE, WE HAVE SCHOLARS,
WE HAVE DEMONSTRATIONS,
WE HAVE REENACTORS.
PEOPLE WILL BE ENTERTAINED
WHILE THEY'RE LEARNING, AND IT'S
GOING TO REALLY PRESENT NORTH
DAKOTA IN THE POSITIVE LIGHT.
CLAY JENKINSON OR
AMY MOSSETTE AT 2:30.
AMY MOSSETTE IS SO AWESOME,
BUT SO IS CLAY JENKINSON.
THE NUMBER ONE REASON PEOPLE
COME TO NORTH DAKOTA IS
THEY COME TO ATTEND
A FESTIVAL OR AN EVENT.
WELL THAT'S AFTER VISITING
FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.
NUMBER ONE REASON
FOR TRAVEL WORLDWIDE
IS VISITING FRIENDS
AND RELATIVES.
BUT PEOPLE THAT COME
TO VISIT NORTH DAKOTA,
THE NUMBER ONE THING THEY DO
IS ATTEND A FESTIVAL OR EVENT.
YOU COCK IT BACK,D
YOU PULL THE TRIG,
AND IT'S GONNA
MAKE A SPARK. [SNAP]
I THINK WE ALL FEEL THAT THIS IS
GOING TO BE REALLY
ONE OF THE BEST SIGNATURE EVENTS
ALONG THE WHOLE TRAIL.
THIS IS WHERE CAPTAIN LEWIS,
HE STAY HERE,
AND CAPTAIN CLA,
HE STAYS HERE.
(Annette Schilling)
EVERYONE WANTS A CHANCE
TO PUT THE SPOTLIGHT
ON WHERE THEY LIVE
AND WHY THEY LIVE THERE,
AND WHAT IT MEANS TO THEM
TO HAVE VISITORS THERE.
HOLD 'EM AGAINST EACH OTHER,
AND NOW THE KIDS START
TWISTING ONE WAY AND THE ADULTS
TWIST THE OPPOSITE WAY.
(Annette Schilling)
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING
FOR A REAL ADVENTURE,
AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR
AUTHENTIC KINDS OF EXPERIENCES.
JUST A SECOND!
(girl)
LOOKS LIKE
THE AMERICAN FLAG!
SO THEY'RE GONNA START
TO TWIST UP.
(Amy Mossette)
PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAVELING TODAY
DON'T WANT TO JUST SIT
AND WATCH, AND THEY DON'T WANT
TO READ TEXT OFF OF SIGNS.
THEY WANT TO DO THINGS,
AND SO HOPEFULLY
WHEN PEOPLE COME INTO
OUR PART OF THE WORLD,
WE'LL BE ABLE TO ENGAGE THEM.
HE'S GOTTA BE IN
THE RIGHT FAMILY .
THEY'RE A WEASEL?
THESE ARE CALLED ERMINE.
TOURISM IS THE 2ND LARGEST
INDUSTRY IN NORTH DAKOTA.
TOURISM GENERATED OVER 3 BILLION
DOLLARS IN 2002,
FASTEST GROWING, MADE UP 29%
OF NORTH DAKOTA'S ECONOMIC BASE.
HIS NAME IS 4 BEARS. HIS ENEMIES
I BELIEVE CALLED HIM THAT
BECAUSE HE WAS VERY,
VERY FEROCIOUS IN BATTLE.
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD NAME
TO HAVE DON'T YOU THINK?
(Sara Otte Coleman)
80% OF FOLKS THAT TRAVEL
THAT WILL TAKE IN
A HISTORIC, A HERITAGE,
OR A CULTURAL ATTRACTION OR
EVENT WHILE THEY'RE TRAVELING.
THEY MAY DO THE WATERSLIDES
AND GOLF TOO,
BUT THAT IS A BIG PORTION
OF THE ACTIVITIES AND THE AGENDA
THEY'RE PLANNING WHEN THEY'RE
COORDINATING THEIR TRAVELS.
(crowd) 1, 2, 3!
YEA! [applause]
WOW! THERE IT IS!
ISN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL?
THAT'S HER GREAT, GREAT
GRANDFATHER UP THERE.
(Tracy Potter)
THE GREAT THING ABOUT TOURISM
FIRST OFF, HERITAGE TOURISM
PARTICULARLY,
IS IT GIVES YOU
THE ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION
TO DO THE THINGS
YOU WANT TO DO ANYWAY.
YOU WANT TO BUILD THESE MUSEUMS
AND HAVE THESE LIVING HISTORY
FACILITIES,
AND YOU WANT TO TURN BACK
THE PAST, YOU WANT TO
MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THINGS
FOR YOUR GRANDCHILDREN.
WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA
AND WHAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE
TO IT IS, IT'S UNSPOILED,
CLEAN, YOU KNOW,
WONDERFUL PLACE, SAFE PLACE.
IF WE GO IN THE REALM
OF TOURISM,
WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT.
WE CAN INVITE PEOPLE IN,
PICK THEIR POCKETS,
AND SEND 'EM HAPPILY
ON THEIR WAY WITH THE MEMORIES
OF BEING IN
THIS WONDERFUL PLACE,
BUT WE DON'T END UP WITH
OVERCROWDING, POLLUTION.
TOURISM IS THE CLEANEST INDUSTRY
THAT CAN BE BROUGHT TO US.
IT'S TOUGHER TO PARTICIPATE
IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY
OF SELLING WIDGETS,
BUT IT'S VERY EASY
TO PARTICIPATE IN A GLOBAL
ECONOMY OF SELLING MEMORIES,
AND WE'VE GOT
GREAT MEMORIES TO SELL.
(man) SO WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
THERE YOU HAVE IT--
FIRE FROM A FLINT STEEL.
(Tracy Potter)
WE CHALLENGED THE COMMUNITY.
WE SAID RIGHT OFF THE BAT,
WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE IDEAS.
WE'LL PUT ON THIS CORE PROGRAM,
BUT WE THINK THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
SHOULD BLOSSOM
AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO
COMMERCIALIZE IT AND HOW
TO ADD TO THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE
OF THE PROGRAM.
AND PEOPLE HAVE REALLY
CAUGHT THE SPIRIT.
TO SOME DEGREE,
IT'S ALMOST SCARY.
(man)
SO EVERYBODY BE READY!
SOME OF THESE
WE HAVEN'T DONE YET.
[women sing
in their native language]
(Deborah Paint)
THE SIGNATURE EVENT ITSELF
WHAT WE HOPE TO BRING IS
THE PERSPECTIVE
FROM MANDAN, THE HIDATSA,
AND ARIKARA.
THE DAKOTA PLAINS DANCERS
STARTED BACK IN 1992,
AND IT COINCIDED WITH THE
NORTH DAKOTA'S BICENTENNIAL.
WHERE'S MIKE? EAGLE DAN.
WHAT'S AFTER THAT?
(Deborah Paint)
WADE BAKER WHO WAS
THE DANCE CAPTAIN
FOR THE AMERICAN INDIAN
DANCE THEATER,
WADE HAD COME BACK
TO NORTH DAKOTA AND WAS
INTERESTED IN GETTING
A GROUP STARTED THAT WOULD
BE ABLE TO DO DIFFERENT
DANCE INTERPRETATIONS
OF THE TRIBES OF THIS REGION.
THAT'S AH, RIGHT THER,
THAT'S GOOD RIGHT THERE.
CAN YOU GUYS REMEMBER THA?
[men sing
in their native language]
(Deborah Paint)
I THINK WHAT SETS THIS
DANCE PERFORMANCE APART IS
THAT THIS REALLY WAS
A GRASS-ROOTS EFFORT.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IN THE CAST
WE HAVE A GOOD DEAL OF THEM
WHO ARE IN EITHER JUNIOR HIGH
OR IN HIGH SCHOOL,
THEN WE STILL HAVE SOME OF
THE REMAINING ORIGINAL MEMBERS
WHO ARE NOW ADULTS, AND SOME OF
THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE DANCING
IN ONE OF THE SCENES
THAT WE HAVE,
AND THEY'RE LIKE, TODDLERS
UP TO MAYBE GRADE SCHOOL.
SO IT HAS BEEN
A GROWING EXPERIENCE FOR US
NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF
OUR OWN EMOTIONAL GROWTH
BUT ALSO IN THE DANCING THAT
A NUMBER OF THESE DANCERS
HAVE WENT ON TO BECOME
CHAMPION DANCERS.
[ceremonial drum beats steadily]
[men sing
in their native language]
FOR ME, I HOPE THE LASTING
LEGACY WILL BE THAT THE YOUTH
NOW GROWING UP WILL COME TO
APPRECIATE THE SACRIFICES
OUR ANCESTORS, OUR GRANDPARENTS
HAVE MADE FOR US
SO WE WOULD STILL HAVE A
CULTURAL IDENTITY THAT'S INTACT
AND THAT WE'RE PROUD OF.
SO IT WOULD BE GREAT THAT
WE COULD HAVE MORE VISITORS,
BUT WHEN THEY'RE GONE,
WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE HERE,
AND I THINK THAT'S THE THING
THAT I WANT TO CARRY ON,
IS THE PRIDE THAT WE HAVE
IN WHO WE ARE.
THIS IS AN ARIKARA LODGE.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE
ARIKARA FROM WHITE SHIELD.
WE ROASTED IT
BEFORE WE DRIED IT.
I'M SURE ALL OF YOU GUYS--
IF YOU'RE FROM WHITE SHIELD,
YOU'VE ROASTED CORN.
(Annette Schilling)
ECONOMICALLY IT'S GOING
TO CERTAINLY BE A BOOST
TO BUSINESSES AND RETAILERS.
AND ALL OF THAT COMES RIGHT BACK
TO THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA.
SO ECONOMICALLY IT WILL
CERTAINLY HAVE AN IMPACT,
BUT THERE'S ALSO
A LASTING LEGACY.
THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON
FOR THE SIGNATURE EVENT
ARE NOT GOING TO
NECESSARILY JUST GO AWAY.
WE'VE GOT EARTH LODGES
THAT ARE BEING BUILT,
AND THOSE WILL NOT ONLY BE AT
OUR SIGNATURE EVENT IN BISMARCK,
BUT THEY'LL GO UP TO
THE NEW TOWN SIGNATURE EVENT,
AND AFTER THAT, THEY'LL BE
DONATED TO THE TRIBES THERE.
SO THOSE EARTH LODGES
WILL BE A LASTING LEGACY.
THESE ARE BUILT BY THE WOMEN,
THE WOMEN OWN 'EM.
YOU CAN SIT ON 'EM,
YOU MOVE THIS AROUND,
LEAN BACK AS FAR AS YOU WANT.
I HAVE A REAL COMMITMENT TO
TRYING TO BUILD THESE THINGS
AS HISTORICALLY ACCURATE
AS WE CAN OUT OF RESPECT
FOR THE PEOPLE
THAT ORIGINALLY DID IT
BECAUSE I DO HAVE
A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THEM.
THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THINGS
THAT WE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME
DUPLICATING EVEN WITH ALL
THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE.
AND ON ACCOUNT OF THE SMALLPOX
EPIDEMIC YEARS AGO,
A LOT OF THE ORAL
TRADITION INFORMATION
THAT THE MANDAN INDIANS HAD
HAS BEEN LOST.
SO REALLY, WE HAD NOBODY THAT
WE COULD ACTUALLY GO TO
AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT
SO WE HAD TO DO
A LOT OF RESEARCH.
I JUST DID HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS
OF HOURS OR RESEARCH,
LIBRARIES, EVEN AS FAR AS
SMITHSONIAN.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,
THOSE PEOPLE WERE IMPRESSIVE.
AS AN EXAMPLE, IN HONEST LAND
VILLAGE WE KNOW THEY HAD
TO BE DOING BETWEEN 8 TO 10
EARTH LODGES PER YEAR
IN ORDER JUST TO KEEP UP
WITH THE NATURAL, THE DECAY.
THEY ONLY HAD
8 TO 10 YEARS LIFESPAN.
SO THE AMOUNT OF MATERIALS
IN WORKING WITH THE KIND
OF TOOLS THEY HAD, I MEAN,
I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN
A FLY ON THE WALL BACK THEN
TO SEE HOW THEY WERE DOING IT,
BECAUSE EVEN WITH OUR EQUIPMENT,
AND WE HAVE TRUCKS INVOLVED,
THERE'S TRACTORS,
THERE'S SAWS AND EVERY MANNER
OF TOOL, BASICALLY ANYTHING
THAT YOU COULD WANT TO
DEAL WITH THESE KIND OF LOGS,
AND WE CAN STILL
ONLY DO IT SO FAST.
AND I JUST AM CONTINUALLY AWED
BY WHAT THEY DID
WITH ONLY BONE TOOLS
AND STONE TOOLS.
(female narrator)
OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE
LIVE IN 86 LODGES.
SOME AREAS OF THE VILLAGE
ARE DENSELY PACKED.
WOMEN OWN ALL
OF THE DOMESTIC ARTICLES
AS WELL AS THE GARDENS AND DOGS.
MEN OWN THEIR WEAPONS,
CLOTHING, PIPES, AND HORSES.
THE VIRTUAL VILLAGE IS A
ONE-OF-A-KIND UNIQUE PROGRAM
TO NORTH DAKOTA, AND THAT WILL
CERTAINLY BE A LASTING LEGACY
AND SOMETHING AGAIN
THAT THE NATION WILL BE ABLE
TO LEARN ABOUT, ESPECIALLY
WITH TECHNOLOGY GOING SO FAST.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND.
THROUGH THIS WAY
THERE WILL BE A BOX
FOR YOU TO DEPOSIT
YOUR 3-D GLASSES.
WE CAN'T TRAVEL BACK IN TIME.
WE CAN KIND OF BRING TIME UP
TO US, IN A SENSE,
AND WE CAN CREATE THIS WORLD
THE WAY IT MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE
AND DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN
TO GIVE YOU THE FEEL
FOR BEING IN THAT TIME
AND PLACE.
A FEW YEARS AGO WE GOT
INTERESTED IN
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
IN ARCHEOLOGY,
WAYS OF CREATING
HIGH-LEVEL VISUALIZATIONS
THAT COULD BE USED TO HELP
UNDERSTAND THE PAST.
WE STARTED USING LASER SCANNERS
TO SCAN ARTIFACTS
AND CREATE 3-DIMENSIONAL MODELS,
CREATING DATA BASES ONLINE
FOR PEOPLE TO GO IN
AND SEE THOSE MODELS.
THAT GOT US INTO THE IDEA
OF TRYING TO RE-CREATE THE SITES
FROM WHICH THESE OBJECTS
ORIGINALLY CAME.
AND ON A SLANT,
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ACTUAL SITE
YOU'D HAVE TO RECONSTRUCT
THE ENTIRE VILLAGE
WITH ALL THE MATERIALS INSIDE,
AND EVEN THEN, IT'S NOT GOING
TO BE THE SAME BECAUSE
A LIVED-IN SPACE IS DIFFERENT
FROM A MAINTAINED SPACE.
GRASS IS GROWING UP
OVER THE LODGES AND EVERYWHERE.
WELL, IT WOULDN'T
HAVE BEEN THERE.
PEOPLE LIVE THERE, THEY'RE
CRAWLING UP ON TOP OF THE LODGE
OR SITTING UP THERE.
THEY'RE MOVING AROUND,
HORSES GOING THROUGH, DOGS.
YOU CAN'T CAPTURE THAT IN
A PHYSICAL RECONSTRUCTION.
SO WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE IS THE
CONTEXT FOR ALL THAT TO OCCUR.
SO IT'S CONTEXT,
IT'S CREATING THE EXPERIENCE,
SOMETHING OF A FEEL FOR WHAT
A VILLAGE MAY HAVE BEEN LIKE
THAT YOU CANNOT GET.
AS NICE AS THE PHYSICAL PARK IS,
YOU JUST CAN'T GET IT WANDERING
THROUGH 2, 3, 5 EARTH LODGES.
IN MEMORY OF ALL THOSE
YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN
WHO USED TO LIVE HERE
MANY YEARS AGO.
THOSE YOUNG MEN,
THOSE YOUNG WOMEN
WERE OUR ANCESTORS,
OUR FAMILIES, OUR RELATIVES,
OUR FRIENDS.
THERE WERE SEVERAL ELEMENTS
THAT WE HAD TO GET RIGHT,
AND FIRST AND FOREMOST WAS
SCHOLARSHIP.
WE WANTED THE SCHOLARS THAT CAME
IN, AND JUST A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE ABLE TO PRESENT
THE INDIAN SIDE OF THE STORY.
HONEY, IN THE EVENING
WHEN THE SWEET GRASS
SMELLS SO STRONG
GO WALKIN' BY THE WILLOW,
HONEY, THERE I'LL BE ALONG
[sings in his native language]
(LaDonna Allard)
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE,
SING THE SONGS IN THE LANGUAGE.
WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO HOLD ON TO OUR LANGUAGE
AND OUR WAY OF LIFE.
SOMEBODY HAD ONCE TOLD ME,
WELL, YOU CAN'T BE TRADITIONAL.
YOU GUYS DRIVE CARS,
YOU'RE ON COMPUTERS,
AND I THOUGHT WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?
CULTURE IS MORALS, AND VALUES
AND HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE.
I HOPE THAT PEOPLE ARE INSPIRED
TO UNDERSTAND, TO LEARN,
TO EMBRACE INDIAN CULTURES.
I HOPE THAT
THE AMERICAN INDIAN PEOPLE
FEEL STRONGER
ABOUT WHO THEY ARE.
I THINK THAT ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS
THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS, WE HAVE
TO GET CHILDREN INVOLVED.
I THINK THAT OUR YOUTH
HAVE TO BE INSPIRED
BY WHO THEY ARE AS WELL,
THAT WHEN THEY START TO SEE
THEIR ELDERS, THEIR COMMUNITY,
THEIR CULTURE VALUED BY PEOPLE
FROM THE OUTSIDE RATHER THAN
HAVING TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE
TO FIND THAT VALUE, YOU KNOW,
IT'S AT HOME, IT'S SOMETHING
THAT THEY CARRY WITH THEM,
THAT WILL MAKE IT STRONGER.
WERE THOSE THE MEDICI?
THESE ONES WERE THE MEDICINES.
THESE ARE THE MEDICINE BAGS
THESE ARE THE TRUNKS, RIGHT,
TO CARRY BIGGER ITEMS.
THESE ARE USED
FOR THE SMALLER ITEMS.
AND THESE ARE ALL HANDMADE
BY THE STUDENTS.
I KNOW RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE
INTEREST IN LEWIS AND CLARK,
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST
IN ORAL TRADITION, ORAL HISTORY.
WELL, WE'VE GONE THROUGH
A LOT OF CRISES
STARTING WITH
THE SMALLPOX EPIDEMICS
AND UP THROUGH
THE RESERVATION SYSTEM PERIOD
WHERE THE GOVERNMENT
SEQUESTERED US HERE
ON THIS PLOT OF LAND WE CALL
THE FORT BERTHOLD RESERVATION,
IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS,
I GUESS, AND WE ARE ON OUR WAY
TO I GUESS, REESTABLISHING
OUR POPULATION.
THIS BICENTENNIAL'S OPENED UP
A LOT OF DIALOGUE
WITHIN COMMUNITIES AS PEOPLE
START TO LOOK AT WHO THEY ARE.
AFTER THE BICENTENNIAL,
I ANTICIPATE WHAT WE'RE
ALSO BUILDING OUT THERE ARE
ADVOCATES, THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING
TO HEAR ABOUT INDIAN PEOPLE,
INDIAN CULTURE AND THEY'RE
GOING TO RESPOND IN A WAY
OF KNOWING, OF UNDERSTANDING,
AND WE'LL BE PREPARED TOO
BECAUSE THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
OUR STORIES READY FOR THEM.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR CULTURE,
OUR HISTORY READY
FOR PRESENTATION ON OUR TERMS.
[men sing in native language]
WE'RE HOSTING
A SIGNATURE EVENT IN 2006.
THE ANTICIPATION IS THAT WE'RE
PROBABLY GOING TO BE
LOOKING AT HIGH NUMBERS
OF TOURISM SIMPLY BECAUSE
OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE 3 TRIBES
THAT ARE ACTUALLY HOSTING
ONE OF THE 15 SIGNATURE EVENTS.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO PLAN FOR.
THE AREA WHERE WE'RE HAVING
THE SIGNATURE EVENT IS
THE PENINSULA AREA WHERE
THE 4 BEARS CASINO
AND OUR TRIBAL ADMINISTRATION
OFFICE IS LOCATED,
AND IT'S JUST
A BEAUTIFUL AREA THERE.
(Amy Mossette)
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT
WE DON'T LIVE IN THE SAME PLACE
THAT LEWIS AND CLARK
ENCOUNTERED US,
OR WHERE THEY MET US.
WE'RE STILL ON
THE MISSOURI RIVER, OUR HOME,
BUT WE'VE ONLY BEEN IN THIS AREA
FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS.
SO WE'VE SORT OF BEEN IN
THIS PROCESS OF REBUILDING,
AND SO TOURISM
INFRASTRUCTURE
WAS REALLY NOT
A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY
FOR THE MANDAN, HIDATSA,
AND ARIKARA NATION.
BUILDING SCHOOLS AND ROADS
AND HOSPITALS
AND THE NECESSITIES HAS BEEN
THE PRIORITY FOR OUR TRIBE.
BUT WE REALIZE THAT TOURISM
AND CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM
AND NATURE-BASED TOURISM ARE
ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING
INDUSTRIES IN NORTH DAKOTA.
AND SO KEEPING THAT IN MIND,
WE REALIZE THAT WHEN PEOPLE
COME THROUGH HERE,
THEY WANT TO LEARN
ABOUT THE MANDAN, HIDATSA,
AND ARIKARA NATION.
THEY WANT TO LEARN ABOUT
OUR TRADITIONAL
AND CONTEMPORARY CULTURE
AND LIFE WAYS,
AND IN ORDER TO PRESENT
THAT STORY
FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW,
FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE,
WE NEED TO HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE DO HAVE A VERY NICE CASINO
WHICH HAS ADDED SOME ROOMS ON,
AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE
OTHER HOTELS IN TOWN.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK
AT SMALLER TOWNS THAT ARE
SURROUNDING THE NEW TOWN AREA
AND LET THEM HOPEFULLY
BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME
OF THE INFLUX OF THE PEOPLE.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW
WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL
SIGNATURE EVENT COMMITTEE,
THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT
IN THE RECONSTRUCTION
OF AN EARTH LODGE VILLAGE
RIGHT ALONG THE RIVER.
AND THAT'LL BE
A REAL-LIVE EARTH LODGE
WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY
RENT IT OUT LIKE A MOTEL.
WE'RE LOOKING AT REALLY
ESTABLISHING OUR RV PARKS.
THE RV PARKS, WE'RE GOING TO
REALLY DO SOME HIGH MAINTENANCE
ON THEM, PAVING THE ROADS
AND FIXING THE SIDEWALKS
AND MAKING SURE THE ELECTRICITY
HOOKUPS ARE THERE.
WE'LL ALSO PUT UP
A TEPEE VILLAGE,
WE SAY 50 TEPEES--
THAT'S 50 ROOMS.
(Edward Hall)
ONE OF THE THINGS TOURISM DOES
IS IT ADDS TO
THE EXISTING ECONOMY.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE
VERY LACKING
IN RURAL TRIBAL ENVIRONMENTS,
OF COURSE,
ARE JOBS AND
THE BUSINESSES.
THIS ADDS THE DYNAMIC
OF OTHER INCOME COMING IN
SO THAT PEOPLE CAN DEVELOP
THE SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THEY
WILL THRIVE FROM THE STANDPOINT
OF HAVING ADDED INCOME.
THOSE ADDED JOBS THEN
ARE EXPONENTIAL
BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE
IN THE RESERVATION
HAVE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS
TO SPEND AS WELL.
I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT
PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE
ABOUT THE MANDAN, HIDATSA
AND ARIKARA
AND REALLY ALL TRIBES
ALONG THE TRIAL
IS THAT TRIBES WERE
VERY GENEROUS.
THEY WERE VERY HOSPITABLE,
AND THEY WERE VERY KIND
TO LEWIS AND CLARK.
AND WHEN PEOPLE TRAVEL
THROUGH TRIBAL NATIONS TODAY,
I THINK THEY'RE STILL GREETED
WITH THAT SAME HOSPITALITY
AND GENEROSITY.
THEY'RE STILL WELCOMED
INTO INDIAN COUNTRY
AND THE NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE
CONTINUE TO SHARE SO MUCH,
AND I THINK WE HAVE
A LOT TO SHARE
IN OUR HISTORY AND OUR CULTURE.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY
TO COME TO STANDING ROCK,
COME SEE ME. I CAN TELL THEM
A WHOLE WORLD OF HISTORY
BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE
MY LAND AND MY PEOPLE.
(Brenda Hall Dvorak)
WE'RE HOSTING
A SIGNATURE EVENT IN 2006.
WE'RE HOPING WHEN THE PEOPLE
LEAVE FROM OUR SIGNATURE EVENT,
THEY'LL GO BACK AND TELL
PEOPLE THAT THEY KNOW,
COME OUT TO THE MANDAN,
HIDATSA AND ARIKARA NATION,
THE MISSOURI RIVER
TRIBAL PEOPLE
AND SEE THEY HAVE
A LOT TO OFFER.
I THINK THEY'RE
GOING TO FIND OUT
THAT NORTH DAKOTA IS NOT
SOME REAL COLD ICEBERG
AND THAT WE DO HAVE REALLY,
REALLY BEAUTIFUL LAND.
I THINK THEY'RE GONNA HAVE
A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE
COMING TO NORTH DAKOTA!
[applause]
WELL, MY DEAR CITIZENS,
GOOD MORNING.
LET ME SAY FIRST
HOW PERFECTLY DELIGHTED
I AM TO COME TO DAKOTA.
(Tracy Potter)
I'M A HISTORIAN, AND FOR ME
TO SEE PEOPLE READING HISTORY,
INTERESTED IN HISTORY,
TALKING ABOUT HISTORY,
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WOULD
HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME.
THIS IS GREAT!
(Marion Houn)
I WOULD LIKE THEM TO TAKE AWAY
A FEELING OF THE PRIDE
AND THE HERITAGE
AND THE CULTURE
THAT NORTH DAKOTA HAS
BOTH IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE
AND THE AREA AND THE HISTORY
OF THE INDIAN NATIONS
THAT ARE HERE.
WE HAVE A HUGE STORY TO TELL,
AND I THINK WE WILL BE
ENTERTAINING A LOT OF PEOPLE,
AND I THINK THEY'LL BE
LEARNING A LOT ABOUT US.
I'LL BE DARNED.
DID YOU MAKE THE PAPER AGAIN?
HE MADE THE PAPER! YEAH.
I THINK THE KEY THING
TO REMEMBER
ABOUT THIS BICENTENNIAL,
IT IS NOT THE CULMINATION
OF THESE PAST 12 YEARS OF
ACTIVITY MANY OF US HAVE PUT IN,
IT'S NOT THE PINNACLE OF
ANYTHING, IT'S THE BEGINNING.
THIS BICENTENNIAL LAUNCHES
THE BEGINNING OF A NEW WAY
THAT THE WHOLE WORLD IS LOOKING
AT NORTH DAKOTA, A STATE THAT
UP UNTIL NOW HAS BEEN
THE LEAST VISITED AMONG THE 50.
GENERATIONS FROM NOW
WHEN TOURISM
IS NOT OUR 2ND-LARGEST INDUSTRY
BUT OUR LARGEST INDUSTRY,
PEOPLE WILL LOOK BACK TO THE
LEWIS AND CLARK BICENTENNIAL
AND THEY'LL SAY
THAT'S WHEN IT STARTED.
THAT'S WHEN THE WORLD
DISCOVERED NORTH DAKOTA
WHICH IS A LAND OF LEGENDS.
(woman)
PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR
"NORTH TO THE MANDAN NATION"
IS PROVIDED BY A GRANT
FROM USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT
AND BY THE MEMBERS
OF PRAIRIE PUBLIC.
