My older brother (cousin, for the white folx, Hidatsa didn’t have cousins, just more sibs) Gerard Baker used to be the Superintendant at two of the most storied National Parks in the Midwest. Little Bighorn Battlfield, and Mount Rushmore.

Gerard is a big mountain of a Hidatsa

man, kind, FUNNY, intelligent, and sharp. I remember when he was at LBH, I visited him and he told me stories of how spooky that place was. I’m a daughter of a history teacher, so of course I was fascinated, but I was t messing with any spirits like that either
Anyway, one

year, Gerard courted some controversy when he observed the victory at Greasy Grass with a ceremony, counting coup on the marker where the battle occurred.

Counting coup, for those who don’t know, is touching an enemy in battle with a coup stick. It was an honored act, getting

tclose enough time an enemy to touch them.
To mark the day, teen actors of the historic event touched the marker with a coup stick. Seems kind of benign, given the overall history. But of course, Custer buffs and a lot of white folks were MAD. I remember him recounting the

threats he received from near and far. He took them in stride however, and didn’t back away, because he fully believed that the ENTIRE history of this country needed to be told. He still does.

I am really damn proud of him, and he’s been a primary role model since I was a kid.

That’s my story of the area known as Greasy Grass. The time my big brother counted coup on revisionist history.

Oh my goodness, so many typos, I think I was into the storytelling, rapid tweeting. Apologies fam.