Fix Madonna Thunderhawk's Fire Ravaged Home

Lakota elder, activist and matriarch Madonna Thunderhawk’s home was almost destroyed two weeks ago when a fast-moving prairie fire headed directly for them on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. She and her family fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs.  They stood from a distance and watched in horror as the fire progressed.

            And then, miraculously, her house was saved! Thankfully, the electricity has been restored and they are now back home. 

            But their community is razed, her neighbors’ homes burned to the ground, and the prairie is blackened for miles.  While her house was spared destruction, the exterior is badly damaged from smoke, water and fire retardant. After family members scraped the old wood they found it was too far gone for only primer and paint, as hoped. The exposed and damaged wood remains a hazard in the event of a new fire, and needs new siding. 

            1000 Grandmothers for Future Generations said, “We will do this!” Madonna has devoted her life to saving the land for her people and to environmental justice. Now she needs our help to restore her home damaged by drought-driven fire exacerbated by climate change. Winter comes early in South Dakota and we want to get this done as soon as possible. Madonna has requested that her daughter DawnDeCora be the beneficiary for this Fundraiser. Dawn will manage all the money which is needed to purchase needed supplies, and to pay for
hauling, dumping and fuel for long distance travel.



 

How Will Money be Used

 

Your donation will pay for the costs of siding, trim, 2 windows, paint, a saw, additional labor (family members will be helping), hauling, dumping and gas for traveling long distances. Dawn DeCora, Madonna's daughter, will be the project manager and beneficiary for this fundraiser.

 

Please donate whatever you can afford. If you can help lighten this lift with a $500 or $1000 contribution, it will really help to get us to our goal. Whatever you can give is greatly needed.

 

 

 

More Background:

This is Madonna’s home on tribal land and will be passed to her children, grandchildren and generations to come. There is a huge housing shortage on the reservation, and she and her family do not have another home to go to. 

 

Madonna, 81, has been a leader at the heart of the native[PG1]  movement since the occupation of Alcatraz and the siege at Wounded Knee. She was a leader among the water protectors at Standing Rock, joined the 1000 Grandmothers contingent to protest the Line 3 Pipeline in Minnesota in May, and continues to contribute to her people and to be a powerful voice for justice.

. (https://collectiveliberation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Castle_Madonna_Thunderhawk.pdf, 

https://www.warriorwomenfilm.com) 

 

When asked why she lives in such a remote part of the reservation, Madonna answered, “This  is as close as I can get to the Missouri River and the community of my youth which now lies beneath Lake Oahe.”  In the 1950’s, the Army Corps of Engineers decided to dam and flood reservations along the Missouri River to protect the mostly white towns from flooding. Millions of acres of prime reservation land, towns, burial grounds, and communities were drowned. People were dispersed and relocated.  Now, her community faces the trauma of fire, drought and all the impacts of climate change.

 

Please contribute what you can. Every dollar will bring us closer to ensuring that Madonna and generations to come will have their home and not be displaced.

 
With your help we can do this.

Thank you

1000 Grandmothers for Future Generations

www.1000grandmothers.com