If you’ve ever spent time on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, you’ll likely hear German, as well as Lakota and English, spoken.
Each year an untold number of German visitors, mostly young, make their way to Pine Ridge, Kyle, Wounded Knee other reservation communities. They camp in people’s yards, stay in homes and delve deeply into Native American culture.
In fact in Rapid City, around the Black Hills and across Western South Dakota, you’re likely to run into deeply tanned, very happy German visitors.
A couple of years ago I met two teen-age German brothers near American Horse Creek. They had been living in a tepee all summer, riding horses and learning Native American crafts. They had saved money for years to pay for the trip.
And they were happier than I thought was humanly possible.
Ask a German tourist why he came halfway around the world to visit, he’ll likely tell you he was attracted by the wide-open spaces, the sense of freedom and the friendliness of the Lakota people.
Indeed, there’s plenty of all three. But what brought the Germans here in the first place? Often, the answer is Karl May, the adventure writer who penned children’s books a century ago.
Children in Germany grew up reading May’s tales of Winnetou, Old Shatterhand and other noble characters of the American West. Although May died in 1912, his books have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. His books have been made into movies, and there are even Karl May-inspired theme parks in Germany.
Which brings me to this question: with the euro at an all-time high against the dollar, could we see even more visitors from Germany this summer? Could be.
Am I overstating Karl May’s influence? If any of you think I’m off base, please post a comment and fill me in.
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I confess that I’ve never heard of Mr. May before, but I’m a little curious about how the Germans continue to make their way out here. When visiting other countries, I’ve noticed that it can be very difficult to get in touch with the real local flavor, rather than the tourist hot-spots. Everyone knows that when you go to the Black Hills you should visit Mt. Rushmore and Custer State Park, but I guess I’ve never really thought of the Reservation as a visitor destination. Is there some sort of organized program that can be tapped into, available specifically to Germans or maybe also to other visitors?
I’m not sure if he has any information specifically for Germans, but Ivan Sorbel at the Pine Ridge Chamber (605) 455-2685) can put you in touch with some of the Germans who have made the reservation their home. As far as local flavor, it’s everywhere. The Prairie Wind Casino is about the only tourist hot spot. Everywhere else is pure Pine Ridge.
That is quite interesting that an author’s words influences people from around the world to come out and visit the native people of America.
I hope we get more tourist here and that they spend lots of money, hopefully that will help th economy.