Battle of Greasy Grass Victory Celebrated

Thousands of Indigenous people and their allies gathered in Montana to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the victory of the Battle of Greasy Grass, known in U.S. history books as the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The celebration involved a reenactment, with hundreds of warriors on horseback riding onto the field and circling together as one. This gave expression to the unity of the different nations present, while representing the unity at the Battle of Greasy Grass June 25-26, 1876.

At that time Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors achieved a significant military victory against the Seventh Calvary of the U.S. Army, including the defeat and death of Lieutenant Colonel George Custer. Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Gall, Two Moon, and others led this victory and played key roles in the resistance organized by Indigenous Peoples against the genocide perpetrated by the U.S. military.

For the Indigenous Peoples, the Battle of Greasy Grass was about honour and their right to be, a stand that has been passed down through the generations, especially within the tribes who fought in the battle.

The Lakota and Cheyenne were not seeking war. They were defending lands they had protected and nurtured for generations, guaranteed to them under the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. That treaty recognized the Black Hills and vast surrounding territories as belonging to the Lakota people. When gold was discovered in the Black Hills, the U.S. broke the treaty, as it did with the many treaties it signed with Indigenous Peoples.

The celebration served to honour resistance and foster the collective memory of the courage of the ancestors who stood together against overwhelming odds to defend their sovereignty and way of life.

The victory itself was short-lived. Within months, the U.S. unleashed a massive military campaign against the Lakota and Cheyenne. Indigenous Peoples faced relentless attacks, starvation, imprisonment, forced relocation and genocide. The Black Hills were seized despite treaty protections. But the memory and recognition of the victory at Greasy Grass, and the unity, strength, wisdom and determination shown remains firm today, as Indigenous Peoples continue to affirm their rights and reject U.S. genocide.

(With files from Native News Online)

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This article was published in

Volume 56 Number 5 - July 4, 2026

Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/TML2026/Articles/TS56054.HTM

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