Rocky Boy to celebrate its first century

Russell Standing Rock is the great-grandson of Little Bear, one of the founders of Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.

Little Bear was head of the Crees who had immigrated to Montana from Canada to avoid persecution. Homeless, they roamed around the state, camping at other reservations or near communities such as Helena and Havre.

They united with Rocky Boy’s band of Chippewa in searching for a homeland, a reservation where they could settle down.

On Sept. 7, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation to designate part of the abandoned Fort Assinniboine to be the reservation.

Russell Standing Rock was concerned that the centennial would go uncelebrated, so he put up posters around the reservation and asked people to show up for a meeting.

More than a dozen showed up, and he was promised support from others. And they have started preparing a yearlong program to celebrate the reservation’s first century.

The people are discussing things such as a rodeo, a basketball tournament, a Bull-o-Rama and other social events to make the 100-year anniversary.

But the emphasis, he hopes, will be on the historical, social, cultural and religious aspect of the reservation.

For instance, he said, they are talking about having a horse train from Wild Horse to Rocky Boy, recalling the trek of the Cree from Canada to the reservation.

The end of the year could be marked by a powwow, he suggested. There will be special celebrations on Sept. 7, marking the actual anniversary, he said.

Standing Rock said he hopes the celebration will be a sign of unity on the reservation that has been divided by politics and corruption in recent years.

“This should be a celebration of our culture,” he said.

“We want this to be a communitywide effort,” he said. He hopes to get the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce involved and many non-Native groups, as well as the Chippewa Cree.

“It should be a celebration for the entire community,” he said.

Standing Rock urged people to attend the group’s next meeting, 6 p.m., Wednesday, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church.