Popular Categories

DAKOTA 38 RIDE




LISTEN
Amelia Woler carrying water. John Heminger photo.

Amelia Woler carrying water. John Heminger photo.

MANKATO, MN – This was the 15th year the Dakota 38 Memorial Ride successfully completed another journey. The ride started at Lower Brule and went all the way to Mankato Minnesota.

The ride begins every year on December 9, 2019 and concludes on Dec. 26, 2019, the day 38 Dakota men were hung in 1862. Jim Miller had a dream of 38 Dakota relatives hung. He didn’t know of the history or the ancestry that was involved with an actual hanging when he had that dream. The number 38 was synonymous with many different aspects of his life. He was unaware of the dark history the United States of America has in Mankato Minnesota. In his dreams, as a part of healing, a healing journey was asked of him and many others would make this 15-year reparative journey happen.

Very little people know of the history in Crow Creek/Lower Brule area; ancestors sought refuge in this area after that traumatic event. This was to be the starting point of the 330-mile journey to Mankato Minnesota. It wasn’t very much resources on the tiny reservation for such a trek. However, in Miller’s dream, this was the process to begin healing. Not only was it to bring awareness of a dark covered history but it was the process to recover identity and heal.

The Dakota Prayer Ride and Water Walk remembered Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women. Chief Arvol Looking Horse leads a white horse carrying a baby cradle was in honor of Savanna Greywind. John Heminger photo.

The Dakota Prayer Ride and Water Walk remembered Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women. Chief Arvol Looking Horse leads a white horse carrying a baby cradle was in honor of Savanna Greywind. John Heminger photo.

“I don’t know how we do it every year but the support grows bigger year,” stated Josette Peltier. She is a core logistic helper. She’s been involved since 2007 making sure that the riders and helpers are supported on this 330-mile ride. She makes contacts along the route so there’s a place to eat and sleep; as well as shelter, food and water for the horses.

It can be very difficult to find accommodations for roughly 100 people stop but Peltier makes it happen. Even if it involves just staying on side of the road. She’ll cook and make sure that everyone is fed. There are individuals and communities all along the route that have taken to the ride. They understand that this is a healing journey and a part of their own obligation to help our relatives heal.

Jim Krants of Howard S.D. is a prime example of that generosity. At the time he was the Extension Officer for the South Dakota State University in Miner County. They open the extension office so the horses and the people on them could have a point of rest and assurance that the horses will be taken care of. Since his retirement, Maria Fledhous has so graciously extended the generosity Krants initially extended.

Another contact that Peltier made was with Bill Karch, who one day watched the riders pass through his town and asked Wilford Keeble, another core volunteer, what the ride was about. Keeble filled him in and Karch was happy to help by opening up the Dakota State University livestock sales barn. These types of resources are precisely what a ride like this can use. Riders and supporters were also fed by the Sioux Chef, Sean Sherman at DSU. Sherman, Oglala Lakota, has been supporting this effort by sending chefs and food so that proper nourishment is given to the group. Sherman has been the poster child for indigenous cuisine for the past few years; a movement that has been another version of healing for indigenous peoples across Turtle Island.

This year they were over 45 riders and roughly 30 support people that make sure this vision was a success. “This is the biggest year we’ve had in which youth have accompanied the entire journey” said Miller. “Four boys rode the entire way. 330 miles on horseback is not an easy task for any man, let alone four young boys from Crow Creek who are descendants of the people that fled and relatives of the 38 hung.”

This year many officials from the town of Mankato were present at the conclusion of the ride. Including the Governor of Minnesota himself, Mark Dayton. The New Creation Church has supported the people involved by providing bed and meals during the conclusion of the ride.

“I’m going to continue to do this as long as people want me to.” Miller concluded.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.