Cuny Table – in the Badlands.
Up with the lark, such a beautiful day after the wild storm and rain of the night before, breakfasted on delicious blueberry pancakes made by Charles, our Masterchef, and off to a nearby Visitors’ Centre to use toilets and brush teeth. 
Sully needed some persuading, as he claimed he didn’t know of this centre and wanted us to wait till later, some other stop. But Charles had told us about it, that it was nearby, and he’d schedule a stop there. Most others had braved the night and headed for a dip in the prairie landscape to use as a toilet – some even taking the shovel with them; I’d implemented mind over matter so I didn’t need to go in the night. However, by the time breakfast was done and we’d cleared up, we were all ready to trample each other to get to proper plumbing.
Toilets and Indian teepee apart, the White River Visitor Centre was very informative, especially the lady behind the desk who talked to me at length about the Cuny Table where we’d camped, and about the Stronghold in general, where the Ghost Dance had been performed countless times in the period leading up to the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890. 
The Ghost Dance, perhaps referred to in Western literature as the Indian War dance, was actually nothing of the sort. It was not a preparation for war against the American soldiers and settlers, but rather a ritual spiritual ceremony aimed at saving the land from the invaders and restoring the bison to the land and to the native tribes who so depended on them. Consequently, fear of Indian attack was uppermost and the Dance entirely misinterpreted; the result was panic at Wounded Knee when Indians who had gathered there to perform the ceremony were asked to surrender their guns. Allegedly, one deaf Indian misunderstood and refused as his gun had cost him a lot of money; he held it aloft and as an officer tried to grab it the gun went off and signaled the troops to start shooting. Hundreds of unarmed Indians, women and children included, were massacred. According to the woman at the Visitors’ Centre, those who escaped took refuge on Cuny Table and farther into the Badlands, and although pursued by soldiers, managed to remain hidden. So it became known as the Stronghold Table.
The Badlands National Park covers a huge area, much of it pure wilderness, and is a protected prairie eco-system. Fifty percent of the park forms the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and is co-managed by the Oglala Lakota Sioux Nation. Lots of them have their own land there, which they farm where possible given the poor soil, or keep cattle. The Cuny family on whose land we camped are typical of the native Americans who try to make a living on this fascinating but difficult terrain. Pine Ridge – second largest reservation in the States – has the highest poverty and alcohol-related death statistics in the USA. So, not an easy life.
After leaving the visitors’ centre, we headed off east and north… stopping at a strange little ghost town on the way. 
Just a gaol, a saloon, a store and a few other tumbledown buildings. Dusty and with stuff blowing across the road – just like in old movies. One of the buildings was coated in animal skulls. Another had carved eagles along the roof, together with sheet metal cut-out horses and cowboys. A sad place; I almost expected to hear plaintive mouth organ music somewhere….
A bit more Indian history: Crazy Horse, the Oglala Sioux leader who is now being commemorated in stone (see last post!) defeated Custer and his company at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. In 1877 he made demands that bison lands remain in Indian hands, but his request was misunderstood, a rumour arose that he wished to murder the general and as a result he was arrested and bayoneted in a tussle outside the jail. 
This all marked the end of the Indian wars. By this time, the Oglala Sioux had moved from their good hunting ground west of the Great Lakes to the poorer land of Missouri – the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota. In their place came European settlers, flooding into Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. According to the woman at the Visitors’ Centre, The Sioux were relegated to this poor land as it was regarded as worthless by the American government – until the Gold Rush, when thousands of prospectors raced in and forced the Sioux to relinquish their sacred Black Hills. 
The result of all this, was banishment to Pine Ridge Reservation – the only alternative being disintegration of the Sioux Nation. A very sad story and one which has lasting repercussions even today for the original natives. I was glad to see that so many traditions and skills have been preserved within the Oglala Sioux community at Pine Ridge – a very strong people who won’t be killed off.
Just north of this large prairie area is Wall – its claim to fame being Wall Drug, apparently known around the world as a pharmacy and veterinary supplies shop. 
I’d never heard of it. It provides the most disney-like contrast to the beautiful Badlands. 
Possibly the kitsch-iest place I’ve ever seen or been to, with its filmset frontages and bar-room brawl atmosphere. It even has a giant plastic dinosaur somewhere, which I didn’t see, thankfully. It apparently gets up to 20,000 visitors a day. America is truly crazy. Actually, there were some shops which were interesting, so I mustn’t damn the whole place. And they had good examples of Indian (and cowboy) art all over the place.
Next stop was back in the Badlands – another visitors’ centre; we parked the bus at a particularly beautiful spot, had some food and then Charles surprised us with a great, colourful birthday cake for Linda and Ben, candles and all! Such a nice touch! After clearing up we
went off to explore. Some took trails but I just stayed within a short distance of the bus, either sitting reading in a shady spot (taking care to avoid rattlesnakes) or around the rock formations, which, we found out, surrounded quite a deep crater. 
I actually managed a bit of rock clambering – easier to climb up than get back down with dodgy knees! My consultant would have a fit if he knew what I’d been doing with his lovely titanium knee. Lots of good photo opportunities, especially at sunset. We also did a group photo which was nice…
After this visit, we left the Badlands behind us, got on the bus for another overnight sleep-trip and headed for New Ulm, in Minnesota. This was a restful day. We arrived fairly early and had breakfast and dinner by the bus in a park with a very German name…which now escapes me.
This was our introduction to a pristine, manicured, freshly painted little community of German origin – obvious from the names of shops in town: Haar Friseure, Mietwaschsalon….usw.! If it hadn’t been for the German inflluence I’d have thought we were on the set of ‘Stepford Wives’. 
We spent some time in the laundromat, with bags of washing, and taking advantage of their sockets and wifi as we waited. Back at the park we showered thoroughly at the swimming beach (round, artificial with sand and lifeguards who forced everyone out of the water every ten minutes) and emptied out the bus on to the grass. People found odd socks, one pair of knickers… but not my purse with $160 in. So I’ll be looking for employment when I get home. 
As well as being able to give the bus a bit of a dust out, it also prompted me to pack a bit better and throw out stuff which I’d been harbouring for too long. All this work – and we’re supposed to be on holiday!
The bugs were biting badly that night and I woke up next day – another overnight on the bus – with huge bites on and around my face. But I woke in Chicago!! And at a hostel! Showers and a real bed!!
Patamateria 