--- uuid: "8589287170982495002" title: "Crazy Horse Memorial" date: "2008-01-16" permalink: "/2008/01/crazy-horse-memorial.html" description: categories: ---
Photo originally uploaded by RaSchi

Thinking more about that Crazy Horse memorial in South Dakota.

I guess it kind of bothers me that they're no where near done. Christine wrote a nice post about why it still isn't finished. Above is a photo of what it's supposed to look like, and below is a photo of what it looks like now.

Crazy Horse

Not even close.

So, tell me. Is it better to shoot for the stars and fall short, or set a lower but reasonable goal and make it?

PLEASE leave a comment. I really want to know what people think.

It's a big balancing act, isn't it? I would never advocate settling for mediocrity because you were afraid of failure. On the other hand, not planning ahead is just dumb.

Lean too far one way and you're likely to get yourself in trouble, lean too far the other way and you're paralyzed by excessive worrying.

I guess if it's something that's important to you, you should go after it but acknowledge that you might not be successful...at least not in the world's eyes.

Christine, I totally agree with you. If you've visited the memorial and read the story about Korczak Ziolkowski's vision, how he began working on it and how it grew, you pretty hit the nail on the head. He had a vision and pushed it. He stuck to his principles when turning down federal money multiple times. He got his whole family and many more excited about and commited to his vision. And eventually, I strongly believe, that it will be successful. In certain aspects, he has already been successful. At least he has achieved that people like you and me are reminded of Crazy Horse and with him, of the general history of the Native American tribes. Isn't that already a reasonable success?

If it takes three more generations to finish it, and three more generations are actively working on it, that means that three generations will learn about the Native American tribes the Crazy Horse memorial stands for.
Great thought, raschi.

This monument is representative of a Western cultural way of thinking - not the Lakota.
I think if the Native American culture thought this monument was important to them - it would be finished by now.
I say - accept the money from wherever it comes - and finish it as an icon to Native and Non Native American history. It represents Truth.

Look what the government did to the Native Americans. Korczak wanted nothing from the government in this creative & cultural monument to the first people and all people who look upon it. It's a beautiful work in progress and shouldn't be rushed for those with little patience and little to no
perseverance. If the carving's not done in your lifetime, perhaps in your children's. We would do well to think of future generations as do the Native Americans.......

Through modern equipment and technology and the laser-scanning for measurments, they will be able to block and carve the Crazy Horse Memorial more faster now. They are blasting the 7th bench of 11 that wraps around the horse's head. When the blocking of the horse's head is finished, the crew members will begin carving the details. They have also been working on the rider's torso to the right elbow. The memorial will not be all done in 10 years, but we will see the horse's head. It would be nice to see the torso done, but that is many years away I'm afraid. Remember this monument is being worked on without the help of the government's money. This project can only be completed by the generous donations (small or large)from the people. You can donate by visiting the site in person, online at www.crazyhorsememorial.com/
or by mail.
Even $5 dollars would be appreciated. They will send you a newsletter full of updated information and recent pictures.

crazy horse is my hero only getting killed by soldier so he can could say yeah i killed him and another way native americans got &^^**% i was there about 15 years ago and i was moved by whole thing so now i do all i can to help pine ridge reservation and funny thing is i am not american

wow this is amazing! i find it interesting that the crazy horse memorial is already considered to be the largest sculpture in the world. also, what happens if some sort of rockslide happens and the whole thing falls to pieces? it'll be like a western Sphinx =P. it is mind-boggling that we might not live to see the crazy horse memorial finished!

Yes. I guess I won't live long enough to see the Crazy Horse Memorial completed as well. I would like to see the neck and man's torso finished as that would really give the monument its character, but they are concentrating on blocking the horse's head at this time. In 2008, all I could see is that they did more blasting and clearing the way lower. I know that they have faster, modern equipment and more new staff. I hope the next newsletter I receive by mail will give an update.
In regards to radioactive~penguin's statement about a rockslide or pieces falling from the monument, I found an explaination made by Engineer Rich Barry, "We will do much like orthopedic surgeons do. We'll pin blocks together to hold them together to meet the artistic intent".
Ruth Ziolkowski, the wife and widow of Korczak Ziolkowski, the creator and sculpture of Crazy Horse, will be 83 this June 26, 2009, and I am sure she would like to see this memorial completed to. It was her husband's life work and now her grown children and grandchildren are involved. It is so important that they keep working faster, but safer. Maybe they need more blasts in shorter time and be able to clear the rock pieces and roadways faster. Maybe they need more experienced people to help them. Maybe it is time for them to accept a grant to speed up the process.
They will not accept government funding for their project, but we can help by sending in a donation by postal mail, online, or by our paid admission price when visiting there. The site is: http://www.crazyhorsememorial.org/