Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee

I couldn't find a post for this already, so i thought i would make one. Also please forgive me for any mistakes etc, as this is the first thread i have created, with the exception of an introduction.

Has anybody else read Bury my heart at wounded knee? What do people think of it? I read it about 2 years ago now and it moved me more than any book ever has.

I didn't know much about Native Americans and the many different tribes and their history and culture but i was interested and i really wanted to read about them, especially having a great interest in history. This book fascinated, angered and disturbed me. Overall it fired my interest in Native American history and the events in the book really stuck with me.

reply to post by Kram09
Hi there Kram
I went to wounded Knee 2 years ago. It has always fascinated me as well.What really strikes you about the place is it's very poorly signed and difficult to find.It's almost if the americans don't want you to go there.
There is a plaque up that has graffiti over it and we were the only tourists there.
Up a hill is a graveyard type monument, very understated.
I found it a very spiritual place, I admit it I did cry.
A small indian stall, selling jewellry,is near the parkin place.I bought as much as I could afford.
They live in poverty,they have very little.It 's in the middle of nowhere and we travelled many miles to reach it.

reply to post by uk today


Hello, thanks for the reply.

Wow, that is really sad. I am shocked, but then not entirely surprised that it would be that way. Its terrible that such history seems to have been swept under the rug. Are you American, if you don't mind me asking? I didn't look at your location.

Yes when i read the book i almost cried. Not that i am some cold heartless monster or that i don't want to admit that i cried at a book, it was just almost. Bury my heart at Wounded Knee, Auschwitz and The Rape of Nanking are the only books to have made me feel in such a way.

If ever i have the money or opportunity i intend to visit Wounded Knee. Infact i think it would be one of those "things to do before you die."

reply to post by Kram09
Hey again, I'm from the uk but we drove across the USA and made many detours, wounded knee being one of them.
I chatted for a long time to the indians there --they showed me where the massacre had taken place, quite a way away from the monument so its quite a walk.
They also said the film "soldier blue" was not authentic, in fact they seemed to despise its depiction of events.
In contrast to wounded knee, we went to see the site of "Little big horn"--Custers last stand. This was a different ball game---well signed and no expense spared.
Wounded knee did change american history forever though but its a period of history the americans are obviously ashamed of.

reply to post by uk today


I suppose i should have realised that you were from the UK, by your username but i am really tired and didn't bother looking to be honest. I heard of the film Soldier Blue recently. I heard it was very graphic and disturbing.

Yes, well the Americans should be ashamed of it in my opinion, their actions were genocide.

I am not surprised about Little Big Horn. Its a disgrace man.

I remember when the Australian Prime Minister apologised to the Aboriginal people and it made me think of Native Americans and how they were treated. The American government should apologise to them in my personal opinion. At least acknowledge what they did.

reply to post by Kram09
It was a complete disgrace , the indians were promised the land and would have lived in peace. The white man was very much the baddie here.
There is no love lost between the two even to this day from what we saw on our travels.
It blows me away that a country as big as the USA can't share the land and wealth.
Everywhere you go in america it's the same story---shanty indian reservations and stalls by the roadside to try and make a living.
It really is heartbreaking.
Love to talk more but got to go out---i'll come back to this another day.

reply to post by Kram09
Hi again. You say you would like to visit wounded knee someday. I felt the same but be warned it took a massive detour for us to find it . There really is nothing else of major interest to see for hundreds of miles. I think you may be disappointed as well for the amount of effort it takes to reach it.
I love motoring so long distances don't bother me personally but some days, including the wounded knee day, we were on the road from 6.00am thro till 9.00pm.
anyway if you do go over there watch out for rattlers, theres loads of them certainly at custer! I encountered one.

I've read Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee. It still has a place on my bookshelf, 27 years after having bought it. It is a disgraceful part of U.S. history that I am not proud of at all. The U.S. Government often went about breaking the treaties sometimes even before the ink was dry on some of them. Many of the tribes did try to live in peace with the whites, even going so far as to show some how to subsist off of the land that was then stolen from them.