Incident at Oglala Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota is in the southwest corner of South Dakota on the Nebraska border and covers 3,468 square miles larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined. This reservation is among the poorest in the nation.

The population of Sioux Indians is estimated at less than 40,000, most of whom live in small settlements and about 120 miles from the nearest city, Rapid City. Both the Mount Rushmore Memorial and the Crazy Horse Memorial are tourist attractions. In 2011 economic development still lagged. For instance, there are no banks or discount stores on the reservation.

Answer: Wounded Knee

The army lost 25 men and four cannons. It is believed that these were mostly the result of 'friendly fire' as the battle was chaotic. The situation is best summed up by General Miles who sent this telegram to Washington about 9 days before the massacre at Wounded Knee:

"The difficult Indian problem cannot be solved permanently at this end of the line. It requires the fulfillment of Congress of the treaty obligations that the Indians were entreated and coerced into signing. They signed away a valuable portion of their reservation, and it is now occupied by white people, for which they have received nothing.

They understood that ample provision would be made for their support; instead, their supplies have been reduced, and much of the time they have been living on half and two-thirds rations. Their crops, as well as the crops of the white people, for two years have been almost total failures.

The dissatisfaction is wide spread, especially among the Sioux, while the Cheyennes have been on the verge of starvation, and were forced to commit depredations to sustain life. These facts are beyond question, and the evidence is positive and sustained by thousands of witnesses."

Not much changed in a hundred years. In 1973 again the tribes had a 71 day stand-off with federal troops at Wounded Knee.

Answer: Robert Redford

Redford has had a long career as an actor, director, and producer in films. He is also a liberal political activist and issues such as the possible corruption of justice and racism are close to him.

Answer: American Indian Movement

AIM was formed in 1968. Russell Means was one of its more controversial leaders.In its simplest form it was an effort to unite diverse elements of persons of Native American heritage. This included urban Indians, reservation Indians, student and intellectual Indians toward correcting what they felt were abuses heaped upon Indians by the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. In 1973 AIM, again at Wounded Knee, orchestrated a 71 day stand-off with federal authorities about what AIM called "The Trail of Broken Treaties".

On the Pine Ridge Reservation at the time of the 'incident' AIM represented traditional values as opposed to being absorbed by the white majority.

Answer: Guardians of the Oglala Nation

Richard 'Dick' Wilson was the tribal chairman. The stand-off at Wounded Knee in 1973 centered on demands for his removal from that office. Backed by federal authorities, Wilson created his own organization, Guardians of Olgala Nation, which claimed to be a force opposed to the traditional values supported by AIM and called for modernization in areas of employment, business development, education, and closer working relationship with government, such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

But what it really was a federal government supported police force to control AIM. Violence was the means of control. True numbers may never be known but somewhere between 50 to 100 persons, AIM members or AIM sympathizers, either were killed or disappeared during this time. The federal government classed AIM in the same category as the Ku Klux Klan, militant student groups, and right-wing extremist paramilitary organizations. Few of the killings and disappearances were ever resolved.

Answer: Following suspicious pick-up truck believed being driven by someone who stole a pair of boots

The official explanation was that they were following a red pick-up truck that allegedly belonged to an AIM member. Given the level of paranoia on the reservation, the unexpected appearance was cause for great concern, given the unexplained deaths and disappearances in recent years. Gunfire ensued.

When the air cleared, both Coler and Williams were dead and well as Joe Stuntz, a local resident. While the death of the federal agents was investigated, nothing was done about the death of Stuntz. When the Jumping Bull house was stormed, they found Stuntz's dead body wearing Coler's FBI field jacket.

Answer: Leonard Peltier received two life sentences

Butler and Robideau received a separate trial from Peltier as he had gone to Canada as he felt he could not received a fair trial in the United States.

Butler and Robideau were acquitted. The case fell apart when a supposed key prosecution witness denied his previous statements and showed the FBI agents had threatened him and made him change his statement.

Only Peltier was left and the government case was largely circumstantial.

Answer: Eye witnesses clearly implicated Peltier

The ammunition required by Peltier's gun did not match the fatal wounds although a government ballistic expert testified differently.

Myrtle Poor Bear said she was Peltier's girlfriend and had been an eye witness. She later said that FBI agents came to her and told her if she did not help them, her children would be taken away and that she might be killed or disappear. She said she never met or saw Peltier until she saw him in the court room.

Other witness said they were coerced and intimidated in a similiar fashion.

The defense was not accorded full disclosure of the evidence and much was withheld from the jury as well. Many feel that Peltier is a political prisoner.

The bottom line would seem to be the Peltier was the scapegoat of a government vendetta aimed at AIM.

Answer: Thunderheart

Since "Thunderheart" was a fiction based on true events at Oglala and Wounded Knee, it was also to a great extent also filmed in the area. Likewise, it seemed appropriate to do a documentary of the actual incident. Some Native Americans who had fictional roles in "Thunderheart" told their true stories in "Incident at Oglala".

Answer: There has been no change

As of this writing (July 2011) Leonard Peltier remains in federal prison. His next parole date is 2024. Both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have refused to pardon him. His scheduled release date is 2040 at which time he will be 96 years old.

He ran for President in 2004 from prison but only got on the ballot in one state, California. Peltier also has a reputation as a singer and poet.