| |
The
Resisters by Judy Larson
In 1919, the United States Department
of Interior ordered the Crow Indians to kill all wild horses on
their reservation land, sacred ground that had been leased by the
government to cattlemen. No Crow could abide by this order, a demand
akin to asking a man to kill his own brother. In 1923, following
a final ultimatum, the United States government hired local cowboys,
joined later by Texas outfitters, to kill the horses on a bounty
basis-four dollars for the tip of a horse's ear. During the next
seven years, the hired guns killed more than 40,000 horses, including
the Crow's personal mounts. By 1930, the great and powerful Crow
tribe was bereft of its horses, its culture severely damaged. To
the Crow, whose livelihood depended on their prized horses, this
tragic event was more devastating than a military defeat.
The Resisters is the third offering
in Judy Larson's "On the Run" series, a selection of images focusing
on animals caught in dire circumstances.
|
|