Crazy Horse

From Mt Rushmore with Four Presidents carved into the mountain…..to Crazy Horse – the World’s Largest Mountain Carving NOW in progress.

Crazy Horse Carving in progress.

The monument with a small version in the foreground.

Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski (1908-1982) was invited by Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear to the Black Hills to carve Crazy Horse (a hero of the Lakota Indian Tribe). Apparently he said “My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know the red man has great heroes, also.”  Work was started on this monument in 1948. Korczak died in 1982, but his wife and children have carried on the project, which continues today.

A 1/34th scale replica of what the monument will look like when finished.

A picture showing where the rest of the monument will be carved out of the mountain.

Above is a 1/34th scale model with the real mountain in the distance.  We aso visited the Cultural Centre and the Sculptor’s Studio-Home and Wokshop. What is amazing is how Korczak left detailed plans of the Sculpture, which a team of people are working on with great precision. Tourists can view blasting of the rock at various times throughout the year. The project is funded by people who visit the centre.

An Indian Tent

A painted bison which reminded me of the painted cow that Mrs Cheetham and the school kids did for the Brunswick Show.

The cultural Arts Centre with local artists selling their work.

After spending an hour and a half there, we thought we better check into a campsite, then come back for the light show, “The Crazy Horse Memorial Legends in Lights”. This show was a laser-light storytelling on the world’s largest screen (the 563 ft high Crazy Horse Mountain Carving.

Watching the laser light show on the mountain.

Not a great shot, but the lasers are lighting up a picture of Crazy Horse.

Words spoken by Chief Standing Bear.

True to our history of meeting lovely people in America, the laser show did not disappoint. We met a guy called Daniel, who was the car attendent for the show. He got talking to us (because of our Aussie accent) and we found him to be a wealth of knowledge and information about places we wanted to visit. As he worked and lived at the Centre, we even managed an early morning chat at our campsite (which was part of the Crazy Horse Memorial grounds.) We could have easily spent hours with Daniel…he is just one of those people who was interesting to be with.

A "third" of our family with Daniel. What a great guy to meet! Hope he makes it to Australia sometime soon.