July 1980: The Black Hills International Survival Gathering.

Lakota activists organize this international forum at the occasion of the USA’s proposal to mine uranium for the growing nuclear power industry out of the sacred land of Paha Sapa (the Black Hills). Understanding that the mining would seriously deplete the Water table of Paha Sapa, the Native Elders spoke astutely about issues of environmental genocide as parallel to issues of racial and cultural genocide (One such oration by Russell Means is titled For America to Live, Europe Must Die. Sandy Spieler teaches a puppet workshop at this conference in South Dakota, and meets Jim Ouray. Soon after, Ouray decides to move to Minneapolis to work with the In the Heart of the Beast theatre.

Enquiries

For you, or with you, I will: Teach, speak, work for the Water, create visual art for your special space, design a puppet, direct your show, midwife a performance or a special event, perform my current work, or do something else you propose. Contact Sandy.

Thank You

legacy logo MN State Arts BoardMany thanks to the MN State Arts Board for supporting the creation of this website through a 2014 Artist Initiative Grant with funds appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.