South Dakota

The tour went from Minnesota to South Dakota, with day visits at the Rosebud Reservation and Pine Ridge Reservation. There were no public performances, only private, community visits.

Date: Friday, April 11
Location: Rosebud Reservation
Our first stop was at the Rosebud Wind Energy Project --
A 750-megawatt wind turbine has just gone up on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation and is the first Native American-owned and operated large-scale turbine in the country. According to Pat Spears, President of the Intertribal Council on Utility Policy, the Rosebud Tribe sees "utility-scale renewable energy generation as a 'no-regrets' sustainable, homeland economic development strategy, with a positive impact on carbon dioxide emission reduction. The Rosebud wind project is leading the way in bringing tribal utility scale wind power on line."

Rosebud Sioux Tribal President William Kindle states: "We have spent many years studying our wind resource and planning our first wind turbine installation, and are pleased that the combination of the Tribe's efforts, Native Energy customer support and special assistance from the DOE will allow us to construct this first wind turbine."

Afterwards, we went to Todd County High School - a school, which draws primarily Native youth from the Reservation - and Amy and Emily performed a brief acoustic set after a local group performed and we had students fill out several hundred action cards to their Senators, asking for increased support for renewable energy development. These were the first political action cards most of these students had ever filled out - it was a great opportunity to have fun and do grassroots education.

After the high school visit, we went out to the Rosebud Sioux Buffalo Restoration Project and had a tour of the land in the backs of the rangers' pick up trucks. The Rosebud have a healthy and large herd of buffalo that roam on 6,000+ acres on the Reservation.

After dinner, we had a quick visit to the controversial hog farm site - controversial on an animal rights level as well as around regional water access issues. The tribe is working hard to shut down this hog farm.

Action Cards
Alternative Energy Action Card
Bear Butte Action Card
Grassland Action Card

Date: Saturday, April 12
Location: Pine Ridge Reservation

Amy, Emily and Winona did an in-studio performance and interview at KILI Radio, the largest Indian-owned and operated station in the country.

We visited the Wounded Knee massacre site (site of the 1890 massacre and the 1973 conflict) and then drove out towards the badlands to the White Plume Tiosapaye, where we discussed local community issues and worked on Honor the Earth's plans for two wind turbines on the Reservation. Joining us were youth organizers who are working to protect a sacred site in Badlands National Park.

Action Cards
Alternative Energy Action Card
Bear Butte Action Card
Grassland Action Card