The Lakota framework understands the nagi as continuing separately from the physical remains, making the exact location of the remains less central to ongoing spiritual well-being than it would be in some other frameworks.

This does not mean the physical remains are unimportant — clearly the family understood their protection as important — but it means that the significance of the burial location is somewhat different from the significance of a grave in a tradition that ties resurrection to physical remains.

His Legacy In The American West

Crazy Horse’s legacy in the broader American West — beyond the specific Lakota community — is a complex phenomenon that has both honored and distorted the historical person.

His image appears in popular culture in ways that range from respectful to exploitative.