Trifter

Everyone is familiar with the famed Mount Rushmore in South Dakota’s Black Hills. However, another monument is under construction in those same hills that when completed will be the largest sculpture in the world. This is the Crazy Horse Memorial.

The Native Americans’ decision to create the Crazy Horse Memorial was a response to the creation of Mount Rushmore. There had been disputes for years over the ownership of the land where Mount Rushmore was constructed and the Native Americans were offered around 17 million dollars in consolation, however this money was refused because as one chief put it,  “The land is not for sale.”

The same sculptor who created Mount Rushmore was the same man who began construction on the memorial in 1948. Korczak Ziolkowski however, didn’t live to see the completion of the monument. He passed away in 1982. However, construction still continues on the sculpture to this day

The sculpture is Ziolkowski’s own vision of what crazy horse would look like. Why didn’t he simply use an existing photo? That’s because Crazy Horse made a very strong stand against being photographed.

The final sculpture will show Crazy Horse emerging from the hills and riding a stallion. Crazy Horse will be extending his hand and pointing toward his people’s land. Ziolkowski chose to portray Crazy Horse this way because when Crazy Horse was asked where his people’s land was he was reported to have pointed ahead and said that his land was where his people were buried. The monument will be 641 feet wide and 563 feet high.

This is what the sculpture will look like one day in the future.

In this photo, the monument is set ablaze for a special celebration.

This photo shows dynamite being used to form the arm.

How long will it take to finish this project? That remains unclear, as the project is almost entirely privately funded through donations and other means by the Native American people and various supporters. However, one this is certain; Once this sculpture is complete it will proudly represent Crazy Horse and the Native American people of North America.

All photos are from www.CrazyHorse.org