Sioux Nation of Indians established that the Black Hills had been taken illegally and that the Lakota were entitled to compensation.

The compensation — approximately $600 million at the time, now with interest exceeding a billion dollars — sits in a trust fund that the Lakota have not accepted.

The Lakota’s refusal to accept the money reflects a position stated in various forms by tribal leaders and community members: the Black Hills are not for sale.

The only satisfactory resolution would be the return of the land itself.

This legal and political dispute is directly relevant to the burial mystery.