August 04, 2006

How non-Indians "respect" Indians

Indigenous Ceremony at Bear Butte Faces Disruption, ‘Desecration’The Broken Spoke [Saloon] website touts its new venture as a campground where "patrons can enjoy a bit of respite and transformation from a beautiful oasis." Allen emphasized in a statement that he originally planned to call the site "Sacred Ground" and display an 80-foot statue of a Native American and a rentable "teepee village," to "promote the culture and educate riders about American Indians and Bear Butte." Though those plans were scrapped amid opposition from native communities, he maintained, "This is a property-rights issue. I have a right to do what I'd like with my land. I'm a respectful neighbor."For Sacred Indian Site, New Neighbors Are Far From WelcomeMr. Allen estimated the cost of his 22,000-square-foot, three-story bar and adjacent campground at $3.5 million. The bar will allow motorcyclists to ride through it, and it will feature a regular “Best Breast” contest. A separate rock music amphitheater, he said, will face away from the mountain to reduce noise.

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