Thread by @AnnieTodd96

🧵 This weekend, I covered the return of nine children to the Rosebud Sioux tribe after 142 years. The return is part of a deeply tragic history where the US government would rip indigenous children away from their families, tribes, traditions to give them a white man's education

The nine children, along with so many others, died at the Carlisle Industrial Indian School. It took 142 years for them to come back home and was part of a six-year process kicked off by the Sicangu Youth Council to return the remains.

On Friday, the caravan carrying the children stopped in Whetstone Landing, which is the last place the kids saw their families before getting on a steamboat. An emotional ceremony was held where relatives were able to have the first meal with the children. argusleader.com/story/news/loc…

We followed the caravan to Mission, SD, which was the final stop on the children's long journey. It felt like the entire town came out to greet the caravan and children returning home. Orange balloons and signs saying "welcome home, you're never forgotten," were everywhere.

Throughout Friday night, there were speeches and prayer ceremonies. One man told the story about how when he was taking a nap at Carlisle a few days ago, a little girl knocked on the window of the car asking if it was time to go home. He woke up and knew the spirits were ready.

Friday ended with an unexpected rainstorm with insane lighting. The next morning, a Lakota elder spoke about how the rain was a cleansing, and when he looked up in the sky, he could see the children playing.

Saturday was filled with more prayer and speeches as relatives of the children told stories about their lives. Some also spoke about their own experiences at boarding school. In the afternoon, the children were prepared for burial.

Some of the kids went to family plots and the rest went to the veteran's cemetery so they could be protected by the warriors of today and the future, one man said. argusleader.com/story/news/loc…

I think it's important to remember some of these kids were just that—literal children who were taken from their homes. Some were teens. It took over 140 years for them to come home but there are so many more waiting to come back to their homelands. 🧵/end

Also please go check out @EEBormett photos! She captured the raw emotion that everyone was feeling over the two days. argusleader.com/picture-galler…