Sioux tribes upset over sale of sacred site

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota (AP) — It's advertised as a one-of-a-kind deal: Nearly 2,000 acres (800 hectares) of prime real estate nestled in the Black Hills of South Dakota for sale to the highest bidder.

But the offer to sell the land near Mount Rushmore and historic Deadwood has distressed Native American tribes who consider it a sacred site. Although the land has been privately owned, members of the Great Sioux Nation — known as Lakota, Dakota and Nakota — have been allowed to gather there each year to perform ceremonial rituals they believe are necessary for harmony, health and well-being.