Legacy of Their People

Sonja Pretty Flower couldn't understand how her husband, Billy Bad Feather, could be so mistaken.  His fights in town only led to one more night in jail.  This was 1972; surely, he could see he wasn't going to be able to do what their warriors at the time, when their Lakota nation had been at its strongest, could not.  Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull thought together they could drive the white man from their land.  With all their warriors, they fought and lost.  Both were killed after surrendering in peace.  How did Billy now think he would win their land and way of life back? Sonja questioned. For Billy, however, he would fight the descendants of those who had committed those wrongs against his people.  He believed he would be remiss if he didn't, as he came from a long line of warriors.  Their sacred Black Hills had been illegally taken against their treaty rights, and their way of life destroyed.  This was the legacy of their people, which Billy couldn't accept, even though their medicine man, Old Smoke, called for peace with the white man.  Billy wouldn't listen; the old men always spoke for peace.  He was young and strong, and he had Jumping Bear to fight with him.  Chico would join.  It was in their people's sacred place that the three got drunk; however, Billy and Chico fought one another.  This desecration of their sacred ground would have long-reaching consequences.