Commentary: Massacre site offers historical truth
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The Rev. Carol Lakota Eastin views the marker at the Sand Creek Massacre
National Historic Site near Chivington, Colo. A UMNS photo by Eliida
Lakota.
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A UMNS Commentary
By the Rev. Carol Lakota Eastin*
May 7, 2007 | FARGO, N.D. (UMNS)
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People gather for the April 28 memorial dedication. A UMNS photo by the Rev. Carol Lakota Eastin.
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It was an honor to represent the United Methodist Commission on
Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns at the April 28 memorial
dedication of the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site near
Chivington, Colo.
Chivington is a small, dusty town that has no retail businesses
whatsoever and only a few sand-beaten dwellings. This town is named for
Col. John Chivington, who led the 1864 massacre of Cheyenne and Arapaho
innocents.
It is because of Chivington that I, a United Methodist, found myself
in this remote territory. A strange tie binds me to Chivington and the
200 who died at Sand Creek.
My tie to Chivington is that we are both Methodists and both
preachers. I am left with questions: By what set of circumstances did
this Methodist Episcopal pastor give up his Christian ministry and
choose a path of violence — not a battle, but a vigilante massacre? And
what happens to a man’s spirit that he looks upon the perfect little
faces of Indian children and says, "Nits make lice," ordering his men to
kill them all?
I am not sure, but I am reminded that sin abides in us all, and evil
can and will assert itself even through the very vessels which hold the
souls of Christians.
My personal connection to the Massacre of 1864 is that I am Native
American as well as a Methodist. My knowledge of the massacre dates back
to my teen years, when our pastor showed the movie "Soldier Blue" to
our youth fellowship group. The graphic images of that film have stayed
with me over 35 years.
Another connection is that I had a friend, Dee Wright, a Pawnee
Indian who was one of the last living members of the Pawnee Bill Wild
West. I remember him telling me about a good friend of his who had
escaped the Sand Creek Massacre at the age of 7. Dee said this friend
had hidden in the creek, breathing through a reed for a day and night
before daring to move. You don’t forget images like these.
Descendants of the massacre survivors — Northern and Southern
Arapahos, Northern and Southern Cheyenne — made the pilgrimage to
Colorado, camping and praying along the now-dry creek bed.
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Descendants of survivors of the massacre set up camp.
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The singers, with steady drumbeat, sang old songs, including the actual
death song of White Antelope, which he sang while lying at the edge of
Sand Creek. It is still remembered in this most sacred oral
tradition.
About 2,000 persons attended the ceremonials, which lasted from early
morning until dark. In the evening, we were honored by descendants who
danced gourd dances and round dances.
Darrell Flyingman, governor of the Southern Arapaho and Southern
Cheyenne tribes, described the days of encampment and ceremonies by
noting that "we were welcomed by our ancestors and our relatives." U.S.
Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., brought the words "I apologize deeply.
Forgive us."
It has become clear that words are not enough. At the 1996 United
Methodist General Conference in Denver, a resolution was adopted to
support government restitutions to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes for
wrongs against humanity, but the statement offered only words from our
church. A new resolution is being brought to the 2008 General Conference
seeking financial support for this national historic site.
As a nation, we have come to this good day when we do acknowledge and
remember what happened at Sand Creek. A monument will be built at the
site, and perhaps of equal importance, a research center is being
established in the nearby town of Eads, dedicated to not only this
particular event, but also to the study of genocide. The park service is
providing matching funds for donations to the project.
We envision Indians and non-Indians coming to the site to remember
what happened at Sand Creek. We envision scholars and students, pastors
and church folk coming to learn the truth of history and to continue
raising the important questions lest we repeat the sins of our
forebears. It is time for more than words.
*Lakota Eastin is the pastor of the Native American Fellowship —
Dayspring United Methodist Church near Peoria, Ill., and a director of
the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious
Concerns.
News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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Resources
Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site
John Chivington
Seven Circles Heritage Foundation | 
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