Indigenous leaders gather at Crazy Horse to turn traveler curiosity into cultural respect

CRAZY HORSE, S.D. — Native American culture is far from a relic of the past. Instead, it s a living history that can be meaningfully engaged with to this day. This was one of the central concepts discussed at the Third Annual Native American Tourism Summit hosted at the Crazy Horse Memorial Wednesday, Nov. 4. In line with the memorial s mission to preserve and promote indigenous culture throughout the Black Hills and Badlands region, the summit was an opportunity to hear a variety of speakers on the growth and power of Native American tourism, an industry projected to contribute $67 billion to the global economy by 2034. The event s keynote speaker was Sherry L. Rupert, the CEO of the American Indigenous Tourism Association, the only national association dedicated to indigenous tourism. Sherry L. Rupert, CEO and president of the American Indigenous Tourism Association, addresses the crowd of the Native American Tourism Summit. Zac Zwaschka / Forum Communications R