Prayers for Today as the Dakota Return to their Homelands.

Prayers up, tobacco down, asking for health, strength and guidance for two legged and four legged. All helpers, providers, and support included

Carol Bearss

Wopila Tanka rider's.. horse's and relatives. Pilamaya for your strength and endurance. Pilamaya for your courage and remembrance of our ancestors who made this long cold journey. Without this ride each year.. our relatives would be forgotten. Many prayers across the trail.

Holona Romero

Prayers for all to be Safe & have a Blessed journey! May their 4 legged stay strong & also be safe!

Sylvianne Horned Eagle Sherman

Gloria Hazell Derby
17 December 2010
I felt so honored today, when I had the pleasure of leading the Ride people and horses (in their vehicles) back from the Monument to the Center. I felt Chuck sitting next to me, and he was so pleased that we were doing this. Great group of people some coming back tonight for an Inipi at the Center, the rest staying in Flandreau. Thanks to all who helped with the food and support.

I'm the blonde woman with the green coat on (bottom right). 2010

Today the Ride will go 17 miles, just over the border of Minnesota to Pipestone, first to the Monument, and then for food and warmth to the Little Feather Center, that my late husband, Chuck, and myself used to run. Chuck's sister Alice now looks after it and every year feeds the Riders when they come through. A promise made to Chuck by us both, that we would continue to help the Ride in what ever way we could, while we could. This is our 13th year of keeping that promise. Chuck died in 2010 of cancer. The total miles will be 174.

Chief Little Crow's Grave in Flandreau.
Today the Ride starts at Little Crow's (Ta-Oya-Te-Duta) Grave in Flandreau, the Cemetery is located almost opposite to the Flandreau Indian School.

If you look at the grave stone you will see a story etched in it of Little Crow's ending.
In 1863 he was killed in a field in Hutchinson while collecting berries with his son. A farmer saw him and as there was a bounty of the scalps of the Dakota at that time, he shot him. His son Wo-wi-na-pe escaped. Little Crow's body was then put on show all around America. He was eventually found in a museum I believe, in 1971, and was buried in Flandreau. 108 years later!.

Such a disgraceful story of how the people back then treated him. Their hatred of the Dakota must have been so dire that they thought his treatment was acceptable. I don't understand it, never have, never will.

When I lived in Pipestone, I along with a few friends used to go and smoke our Pipes at Little Crow's grave, during the 90's, until I came home to England in 2011. We had a number of strange happenings there that we could not logically explain. Spiritually we could. but it depends how you feel about such things, as to your thoughts on it. One example was that we aways left a space for him to sit between us, we would pass the Pipe around, and when it came to his space one or other of us would hold the pipe for him. So you can imagine our surprise when we held it for him, smoke rose from the bowl and the stem as if he was actually smoking it. It became a regular occurrance, with quite a few people, Native and non-Native experiencing it. We had a number of experiences at that grave site with him.

Little Crow's Speech

The Little Feather Center

The Riders will be staying at the Royal River Hotel in Flandreau again tonight.
The horses will be at the Pipestone Fair Grounds
Breakfast and Lunch will be at Eastman Hall with the Chuck Wagon
Dinner will be with Alice at The Little Feather Center in Pipestone.

Thanks to all who have helped in the area.