- We will actually jump to a video
so we can learn about the rich, cultural heritage
of the native indigenous peoples of this land
and how caves relate to their culture.
So how about the video?
- Hi, I'm Christopher Koeppel
Now the Forest Service, we have lots of lands
that we manage, and most of those lands,
if not all of those lands, were once ancestral lands
to Native Americans.
Native Americans have been here on our continent
for at least 15,000-17,000 years, maybe even older.
They've been managing, and using, and enjoying
the resources of this great nation for millennia
and many of those lands, of course, are managed
by the Forest Service.
Now, we also have other resources that
other people like to enjoy, so we need to balance
our commitment to the American public
but also to our Native American partners.
And in finding that balance, we have to find a way
that we can be respectful of Native Americans
spiritual beliefs and religious beliefs,
as well as let people come to our forests and recreate.
Now I'm not Native American.
I work for the office of Tribal Relations and so
when I speak to you today about the sacredness of caves
what I'm doing is I'm imparting the messages that
Native American tribes have partnered with us
have asked that we remember.
Some caves and their relationship to Native Americans
go back millennia and for many Native Americans today
caves are sacred spaces.
In the Dakotas, along the Black Hills, are many caves
one in particular called Wind Cave,
that for the Lakota people is their origin.
It is the place that they have told the Forest Service
they come from millennia ago.
There are caves that have been explored by Native Americans.
You may have heard of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.
Well, Native Americans have been exploring
Mammoth Cave and getting resources for at least 6,000 years.
That's a very very long time ago.
Ancient Native Americans have put rock art in caves.
This could be pictographs, this could be
forms of animals, ancestral images, plants, anything
that's spiritually significant to those people at that time.
And even though that was done a very long time ago
it is still significant to Native Americans today.
For some Native Americans, caves can be origin places
for others they can be places where ancestors are resting.
For others they can play an important part
in their oral history and the tales that elders
impart to children.
So caves have been an important part spiritually
and physically of Native American culture.
In the past, certainly, and we've talked about a lot
of the ancient uses of caves, but they're
also sacred places today.
They're part of a living, holistic larger sacred landscape
that is significant to Native American tribes
and our partners who are tribal nations.
At the Forest Service we try and find a balance
and work with our tribal partners
to make sure that we respect that sacredness
and respect and balance the many uses
that people come to our forest to enjoy.