Chairman Keith B. Anderson Statement on Passing of Chief Leonard Crow Dog

We join others of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires/Great Sioux Nation), from around Indian Country, and throughout the world in celebrating the life of Chief Leonard Crow Dog who recently passed. For many years, our Tribe and its leaders worked with Chief Crow Dog and many others of the Oceti Sakowin as we came together to protect and restore land known as Pe Sla, a part of the sacred Black Hills. Chief Crow Dog provided cultural and spiritual knowledge to tribal leaders and representatives that guided their work as the Tribes restored their rightful authority and care over the sacred land that was promised to the Great Sioux Nation in the Ft. Laramie Treaties of 1851 and 1868 and thereafter illegally taken. We know that Chief Crow Dog’s work with us on Pe Sla was one small part of his much broader impact and influence on the Lakota/Dakota Nations and beyond. With his gift, he helped many people for many years. Leonard lived and venerated the Sacred Lifeways and shared them with all people. We are proud to have stood with him and although we will miss him, we are happy as he begins his journey home to the spirit world of the ancestors. We offer our prayers and condolences to his family and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe for the loss of this remarkable man.

About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Dakota tribal government located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Following a Dakota tradition of generosity, the SMSC is one of the top philanthropists in Minnesota and is the largest contributor to other tribal governments and causes across the country. It is a strong community partner and a leader in protecting and restoring natural resources. The SMSC’s government, Gaming Enterprise and various other enterprises are collectively the largest employer in Scott County and attract millions of visitors to the region.