Ben Larsen - Black Hills

The Black Hills, located in western South Dakota, is considered the heart of the Lakota people. One of the most commonly know sections of The Black Hills is Black Elk Peak, previously called Harney Peak. Reaching an elevation of over 7,000 feet, the sheer rock face of the mountain can be seen for miles. In 1868 the Laramie Treaty exempted the Black Hills from further settlement by white people. However, in 1874 gold was discovered in the area and quickly overrun by miners. 
The Lakota refer to the land as Paha Sapa, which translates to "the heart of everything that is". The hills are home to thousands of archiological sites which findings span 12,000 years, detailing how long this site has been inhabited by indigenous people, and how this land is truly embeded in the history of the Lakota people. In 1980 the supreme court ruled the land rightfully belonging to the Lakota nations, however rather than return the land the government offered the original valuing of the land plus interest. Now the sum of money is equvalent to over $500 million, despite there being an estimated $4 billion being extracted in natural resources. To this day the Lakota people have refused the money, and will not put a price on the sacred land.

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https://sacredland.org/black-hills-united-states/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hills

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