I would like to tell you a little about Crazy Horse before I post about our jobs.....
Crazy Horse Memorial is a non profit organization originated by Korcjak and Ruth Ziolkowksi. Korcjak was a sculptor and was asked by Chief Standing Bear in 1939 to carve a mountain memorial of Crazy Horse. He thought about this for 7 years and accepted the offer. He began in 1949 with building a little one room shack for a home after living in an Army tent for 7 months in the SD winters. His wife was one of the volunteers on this project and at 84 still runs the organization. There are 10 children in the family and 5 of them still work at the memorial. When we arrived last week we found out that one of the daughters had suddenly passed away. The funeral was at the memorial on the family plot which Korcjak had built. He knew when he began building this memorial he would never get to see the final result. He made the Crazy Horse sculpture from suggestions and drawings several tribal leaders as there aren't any pictures or drawings of Crazy Horse. Crazy Horse was killed by a soldier under a flag of truce. Crazy Horse had died on the same day at Korcjak Z. was born. The Native Americans believe this to be an omen.
They are still working on the monument and no one is sure when it will be accomplished. We did find out yesterday that they are going to begin working and blasting on the hand/fingers this summer then begin the horse's head work.
Crazy Horse is one of the 7 wonders of the world and the tallest sculptural undertaking of the world. Mt.Rushmore's faces would fit in the face of Crazy Horse.
This is a family operation/organization. "Mrs. Z" at age 84 as I stated before still runs the business and lives onsite. She answers the phone and even makes the daily schedule of all the workers... She knows everything going on in this complex!!! Pretty amazing woman at that age for sure! the restaurant is the only schedule she doesn't really do so I will know my schedule weekly and we are hoping it coincides with Bill's! We originally requested Friday and Saturday's off and I think it will work that way once more people get here and get started. Their oldest daughter is another one who is always onsite and is in and out every day, she pretty much runs the restaurant also. Their son is the only son who is working on the carving and blasting daily. Another son runs the rock quarry of the rock that has fallen and takes care of the roads etc of the complex. I think the youngest daughter is the creative one in the family and is on top of the mountain working with her brother. Blasting is done every 2 weeks from what I'm told.
There is a welcome center, and amazing amazing Native American Center that has thousands of artifacts donated and given to the center. It is awesome! They have a large gift shop and a Cultural Center where there are more artifacts and where they will have native Americans bringing their wares, making and selling them this summer. They even have Crazy Horse's peace pipe there!
They also are beginning a school for the Native Americans. It is ran in the summer only and for 3 hrs. college credit this year 34 young people will come to Crazy Horse and work in the gift shops, restaurant and welcome center. This is the 2nd year and the number of students was increased from 18 to 34. These students are selected by grades and phone interview before being chosen to come.
It will be a busy place this summer and we are looking forward to being a part of it!
Now for our jobs!
Wednesday I began my job by preparing a fruit tray for the funeral dinner on Thursday. I cut up fruit and veggies and made some dips. It was a long day and I stayed until 7:30 helping get things prepared for the funeral dinner. I also made deviled eggs for the family when they had a viewing on Wed. evening. They had or'duerves (sp???) .
Randy is the head chef and tells us what we need to do but Betty is my rock! She tells us what we need to do and has shown me how the buffet bar will be set up and what needs to be filled etc. It is a pretty laid back kitchen and we work hard but still have fun! Randy( Native American) had made something new to me called Ojabe..pronounced whoa-job-eh..... it is made with berries..he used blueberries, raspberries and sugar. Cooked it down and then drained it ...added water to it and cooked it again.... it became a sauce and they use it on hot Indian fry bread . The Ojabe and fry bread is hot...it was delicious!!! Betty teased him that the white folks like it with ice cream! yummy!!!! I know I have not spelled it correctly but it was soooo good no matter how you spelled it!
Thursday am Betty and I got to work at 6:30 to prepare for the funeral dinner to be served at noon. We prepared the salad bar and the line cooks or the cooks prepared the meats.. Betty made twice baked potatoes the day before and scooped out potatoes all day that day it seemed! I was asked to help "run" with Betty and keep the salad bar filled during the dinner and was given a white shirt to wear! We worked until about 2:30 then began to clean up and put things away.... they had guys there to wash dishes so we didn't have to do that..which really helped. There were a ton of people at the funeral and I heard later the Gov. of SD was even there.... have no idea who he was or if I saw him!
Bill began his duties as bus driver on Wed. also. He thought he was going to be riding with someone for a few days to learn the "ropes" and the talk they give on the way up the base of the mountain. But they had him ride a couple of times and told him he could go on his own. So he has been on his own since Wed. afternoon! We received information about Crazy Horse and the organization so he has been reading and studying what he was going to say. We have talked to so many people here and everyone has been so helpful!
Friday morning, we and about 12 others had "orientation" at 9AM. So most of the morning was spent telling us about the organization and what our jobs would be... of course Bill and I had already started.... after lunch Bill had to go to work until 6.... he would not get to ride to the top of the mountain! The weather was gorgeous yesterday and it was awesome! This ride is available for $125!!!! We took vans up and got out and walked out on the arm of Crazy Horse!!!! Be being somewhat afraid of heights...I was hesitant but it was wonderful! They have built roads to get the equipement up there and around so far up..... here are some of the pictures!---
This is a cart which they take things up to the head and wherever they need it.
Here is a picture of some blast holes....
When we walked out a little farther past the blast holes our guide said do not look around to the face just yet..... so we walked out and he said "turn around"..... there it was the HUGE face of Crazy Horse!!!!! What a sight!!!
The view from above!
This is the GPS marker at the edge of the end of the arm.
Looking up Crazy Horse's nose!
This is where I just was!!!
What an exciting day! The weather was gorgeous and it was finally warm out!
But that didn't last long.....
This am we woke up to cold cold temp's....like 29 degrees and snow!!! YES,.... SNOW!!!! Bill had to go to work today and work from 9-6 so I was going to run to town and get some groceries and check out Custer..... But Steve called and said they were going to run into town and then ride through Custer State Park.... so I rode with Steve, Betty and Bill and Bobbie. Bill and Bobbie worked at Amazon last fall in picking but we really didn't ever see them much. They will begin to work here tomorrow they think! We had a nice ride and saw lots of buffalo, donkey's, mountain goats, antelope and turkeys today. It reminded me so much of Estes Park and our rides through the National Park. But by the time midmorning came rolling around the snow had stopped and the clouds were breaking and the sun was shining some...it is cloudy and cool but at least not still snowing. Thursday, the snow really came down but didn't stick... very cold though so I guess that is Spring in the Hills!
Tomorrow we work again and it is going to be a big day..... I have to be at work at 8 AM and we are fixing Buffalo Beef Stew for 1000 people. Betty, Bobbie, and Randy are going to be in a "hot dog cart" outside in the parking lot serving it..... they are having a big function dedicating a new Lakota helicopter. We have been told when helicopters are made they are given the names of one of the Native American tribes.... this one is Lakota and this is going to be a big deal.... so stay tuned! I can't wait to taste Buffalo Stew!
I hope you have enjoyed visiting today and hope you have enjoyed our pictures.... we have really enjoyed our time so far and I'm sure it will get really busy...so stay tuned...hang with us..... always and adventure will be the ticket this summer I think!
Until next time!
BJ
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