Pawnee Nation Beautifies Sacred Grounds Through Native Flowers, Plants

Over the next several days, the Pawnee Nation will honor veterans during its longstanding Homecoming Powwow Celebration. 

It’s a tradition that started back in the 1940s as a ceremony to dance for the brave soldiers who died in battle and honoring those returning home. It’s held every year around the Fourth of July Holiday, although paying tribute to warriors is something the tribe practices year around.

The Pawnee Scouts Cemetery is sacred ground. It’s the final resting place for 16 U.S Army Soldiers, known as Pawnee Scouts, who served in the Civil War.

“These aren't a complete set of human remains. These are the heads of Pawnee Scouts,” said Pawnee Nation 2nd Chief and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Matt Reed. 

Reed said 15 of the men laid to rest in the Scout were killed in 1868 by settlers in Central Kansas as the scouts made their way home from war. He said the Army left the bodies, but took the heads to study.

“The Army had standing orders that any dead natives that they came across, or even graves, that they were supposed to exhume them, and send the crania the Army Medical Museum,” Reed said.

In the 1990s, the government gave the remains back and they were buried in the far northeast corner of Pawnee’s Highland Cemetery.

All but one is nameless. 

Reed said the named soldier, White Fox, died of natural cause while traveling to Sweden with a Wild West show in 1875. Reed said a Swedish scientist staked claim to the body, skinned the corpse and put the remains on display in a museum. 

Like the 15 murdered scouts, White Foxe's remains were returned to the Pawnee Nation in the 1990s and buried in the Pawnee Scouts Cemetery. Since they knew his name, he was given an Army-issued tombstone. 

“They're our veterans, they're our warriors, so with us especially that idea of warrior tradition is extremely strong with our tribe, still to this day. We put a lot of stake in people that serve,” said Reed. 

That is why taking care of the small section of cemetery is so important to tribal citizens, like Monie Horsechief.

“Pawnee's are known for is celebrating our veterans and lifting them up high. That’s something we wanted to do as a whole was lift up this cemetery and the Scouts that served,” said Horsechief.

She serves on Pawnee Nation's Cultural Board and is part of the tribe's Seed Preservation Society Project, which aims to revitalize the tribe's culture. Part of that project is to beautify sacred Pawnee spaces with native flowers and plants.

“It's healing for those that may have family that may be here. They can come out and sit and look at the beautiful flowers. And they can sit and reflect and think about what [the Scouts] have gone through and the sacrifices that they made that allowed us to be here,” said Horsechief. “They served in the military to fight for our ability to speak our language, to be among our own people and be comfortable and sing our songs.”

With each seed she plants, Horsechief sings a song in the Pawnee language. 

“We thank to God for the blessings we may have and that's "thank you, God Creator,” she said. 

Horsechief’s great-grandfather was also a Pawnee Scout, who lived until 1927. His grave is in a fenced area across from the Pawnee Scouts Cemetery. 

Even though she never met him, or any of the other scouts, she still feels a connection and obligation to honor them always.

“This is sacred to our people. Our veterans are sacred to our people,” said Horsechief.

Pawnee Nation is hosting its Homecoming Celebration Powwow now through the Fourth of July at the Pawnee High School Football field.

It’s free and not just to honor Pawnee Nation veterans, but all veterans.