The South Dakota Cowgirl

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November is National American Indian Month

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The Crazy Horse Monument, Rapid City, SD. Photo by Meg Zeller
The Crazy Horse Monument, Rapid City, SD. Photo by Meg Zeller

From “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee“:

Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pocanoket, and many other once powerful tribes of our people? They have vanished before the avarice and the oppression of the White Man, as snow before a summer sun.

Will we let ourselves be destroyed in our turn without a struggle, give up our homes, our country bequeathed to us by the Great Spirit, the graves of our dead and everything that is dear and sacred to us? I know you will cry with me, “Never! Never!”

-Tecumseh of the Shawnees

The accomplishments and traditions of American Indian and Alaska natives are celebrated during November, recognized as National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. American Indian Heritage Month was officially recognized in 1990 when Pres. George Herbert Walker Bush signed it into Public Law. Though, its roots can be traced much further. The full article can be read here.

You learn something new everyday.  And I’ve learned so much about Native American History since I’ve moved to South Dakota. There’s so many nasty, gory little details left out of the history books. We really should be ashamed.

I would recommend reading the aforementioned book if you’re interested in at all in Native American History.

About ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~

Jenn Zeller is the creative mind and boss lady behind The South Dakota Cowgirl. She is an aspiring horsewoman, photographer, brilliant social media strategist and lover of all things western.

After a brief career in the investment world to support her horse habit (and satisfy her mother, who told her she had to have a “real” job after graduating college), she finally took the leap and stepped away from a regular income; trading the business suit once and for all for cowgirl boots, a hat, and jeans. She has not looked back.

When Jenn first moved to The DX Ranch on the South Dakota plains, she never imagined she’d find herself behind a camera lens capturing an authentic perspective of ranching, and sharing it with others. Jenn has always been called to artistry, and uses music, writing, images, home improvement, and her first true love of horses to express her ranching passion.

Horses are the constant thread and much of her work centers around using her unique style of writing to share her horsemanship journey with others in publications such as CavvySavvy, the AQHA Ranching Blog, the West River Eagle, the family ranch website, and her own website.

Using photography to illustrate her stories has created other opportunities -- Jenn’s brand “The South Dakota Cowgirl” has grown to the level of social media “Influencer”. This notoriety has led to work with Duluth Trading Company, Budweiser, Wyoming Tourism, Vice, Circle Z Ranch and Art of the Cowgirl, to name a few. She also serves as a brand ambassador for Woodchuck USA, Arenus Equine Health, Triple Crown Feed and Just Strong fitness apparel. Her photography has been featured by Instagram, Apple, TIME Magazine, The Huffington Post, and Oprah Magazine. Jenn’s work has been published internationally, has been seen in several books and has graced the covers of several magazines.

Jenn became a social media influencer by accident when she started to explore Instagram as a way to share her life on the ranch with folks that don’t get to experience it. It’s grown into an incredible platform that she uses to empower women, create an environment for self improvement and share life on the ranch.

When she’s not working, she loves to drink coffee, play with her naughty border collie named Copper, start ranch colts, and run about the country chasing cans. Her mother still thinks she doesn’t have a “real” job.

Give your horse or dog, or cat the gift of mobility.

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Comments

  2. Kelly says

    Hello, this is completely random and not related to this article, but the United Org of the Horse is facilitating a questionare about the current status of the horse industry and how the elimination of the slaughtering facilities has effected the horse industry. I think it is really important for everyone involved in horses to participate. Wondering if you, with all your connections on your website here, would pass this along? I am not affiliated with this group I just think it is an important survey and they also have petitions available for people to sign, who are in favor of reinstating the horse slaughtering facilities in the US.
    http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001bjW2zZbXAktsJV6EQBU98Mf7YZ-JfaWaiqVM8PQZdTEdykonmg82ELe9ka5KHJPmseOS45mm3JzB9vEQO4fxjZtJGXsXvFCPvDzJ4nhEs3g835yRXZIcahQpVGnN4WY41HaS7OM3qQo-pXdZBvBDOE8Iy1935wiBfrey8c4EyT0=

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