WASHINGTON DC, USA. On the 2019 anniversary of the battle of Little Bighorn, Manny and Renee Iron Hawk (two of the Lakota hosts and organizers of the 2019 Zen Peacemakers Bearing Witness Plunge) joined US Rep. Congresswoman Deb Haaland (D-NM1) and a delegation from Pine Ridge and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe reservations to petition a bill to honor their ancestors who were killed in the 1890 Wounded Knee massacre.  The group requested that the medals of honor given to the US Cavalry who participated in the massacre be revoked. Congressman Denny Heck (D-WA 10th District) has labeled the bill « Remove The Stain, » referring to telling of the Native American blood stains on the snow at Wounded Knee Creek following the battle.

The delegation included Sylvester & Dena Waloke, Marlis Afraid of Hawk, Manny & Renee Iron Hawk, OJ Semans, Phyllis Hollow Horn, Airport guy, Marcella LeBeau & Barb Semans.

The delegation shared moving personal stories of their ancestral history and of the present-day trauma resulting from that fateful event. They acknowledged the service and sacrifice of other army servicewomen and servicemen on behalf of the United States, and offered a prayer of healing for all those related to the massacre, and for peace for our world.

Watch the entire 50min presentation here:

A report on the event was published on Stars and Stripes.