The Black Hills of South Dakota aren’t just picturesque landscapes for Lakota artist Marty Two Bulls Jr.; he perceives them as bearing an open wound in the universe’s core. The Hills hold significant cultural and spiritual meaning for several tribal nations, including his own, and signify the enduring struggle for Indigenous land rights and the sanctity of sacred sites.
For the Lakota, Mount Rushmore stands as the most conspicuous scar, overshadowing the hills, with an old gold mine beneath exacerbating it. This latter fueled Two Bulls’ mission to purify the site through his art. The concept of “land back,” symbolizing Indigenous calls for self-governance and reclamation of ancestral lands, is interpreted diversely. Two Bulls aims to reshape dialogues on territory management, rights, and treaty obligations through his work.
The Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people named the hills “He Sapa” or “black ridge” due to the optic illusion the green treetops create against the blue sky. This land holds the cradle of their creation story but has suffered from generations of gold extraction, marring its purity.
Presently, the Homestake Gold Mine, with its extensive 300-mile tunnel system within the Black Hills, hosts the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). The mine now serves as a base for cutting-edge research in particle physics and dark matter thanks to the protective granite surroundings.
During his tenure as an artist in residence at SURF, Two Bulls was both drawn to and disheartened by the history of the mine. He recalled the sorrow of witnessing the site’s desecration, prompting deep personal reflection on how one could mend such a historical defilement.
Despite the pain, Two Bulls revered the scientific endeavors taking place and sought to connect researchers with the significant historical and cultural value long preceding gold extraction. His chosen method to achieve this was a traditional smudging ceremony.
In Indigenous cultures, smudging is a widely practiced act of purification involving the burning of plants like sage and cedar. Using sage from communities ranging from Pine Ridge Reservation to the West Coast, Two Bulls engaged in a ceremony, symbolizing collective prayers through the smoke. He conducted this for an hour, purifying the entrance of the former mine while observing eagle feather rituals.
SURF’s internal monitors, located nearly a mile underground, recorded the smoke penetration. The ceremony stirred deep reflections in Rylan Sprague, a botanist from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and cultural advisory chair for SURF, who praised the transformative nature of Two Bulls’ art.
Two Bulls believes Western science often fails to grasp Indigenous worldviews and origins. His project “Azilya,” representing the Lakota term for smudging, envisions merging scientific and cultural perspectives. Currently, the associated artwork is showcased at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Witnessing the smudging ceremony, several researchers and SURF employees grasped the immense spiritual importance of their workplace to Indigenous peoples. The environment remained hushed as smoke and prayers intertwined and descended into the earth’s depths.
Two Bulls acknowledges the common disconnect, citing that the facility is typically viewed merely as a work site. Through his art and ceremonies, he aspires to instill an awareness of its sacredness, ensuring the profundity of its cultural meanings permeates beyond the scientific research conducted there.