The photo above is of Dakota Chief Little Crow. Ta-Oyate-Duta who led the six week, 1862 War, Uprising, Troubles, or whatever other name it is known by. He did not want to fight, but after being called a coward by some young warriors he decided to fight.. He was born in Kaposia, had a withered wrist (some say 2) from a fight he had with his brother over who would be the next chief after their father, and was not always liked by other Dakota. Here he is holding a staff I believe in 1858 when he visited the President in Washington DC. Four years later the war happened, one reason was that some Dakota thought that the Civil War down south would keep the soldiers busy if they started a war. However Little Crow was worried because he had seen with his own eyes how many people there were in the East.and guessed that the Dakota could be over-run even with the soldiers elsewhere in the war. After the six week war Little Crow and a number of his band escaped to either South Dakota or Canada, he stayed there for a while but came back to MN when he felt it was safe to do so. He was wrong, by this time there was a bounty of Dakota scalps and so people were ready to shoot a Dakota if they saw one. Little Crow was shot and killed by a farmer in a field in Hutchinson in 1863, his body was shown around various places, and eventually in 1971, he was buried in Flandreau, SD. The Ride stops at Little Crow's grave each year to pay their respects before heading off to Pipestone.

This is where he was killed in Hutchinson. The red staff was put there by a friend of mine who does a walk each year to honor Little Crow. He also leaves a staff each year at Little Crow's grave.

His speech is on this page

Little Crow is the +3 on some ceremonies, especially back in the 90's. Another personal story from me. Chuck and myself were working on a committee for Reconciliation in 1996, and during a break we went down to the Minnesota River on the Lower Sioux, Morton. he went off for a walk and I stayed looking at the river, when all of a sudden I heard a voice, asking me why he wasn't included in the meetings we were having, he said, 'You have Medicine Bottle and Shakopee, but not me. I was killed as well you know.' he also said, 'I want to be included in the plus people.' He sounded very indignant and a bit sad, so I said I would see what I could do, and went and found Chuck and told him what had happened. He said, 'You had better tell the Committee.' So back we went and I did tell the Committee what had happened, I think I was so sad about what had been said to me that the Committee had a quick talk and then said, 'Ok we will have the plus 3 from now on.' And so we did. I think he was happy because he didn't speak to me again for quite a few years, in Flandreau at his grave site, where the Ride will visit today. But that is another story!

On one of my friend Michael's walks the following photo came up at the death site:

As soon as I saw it I knew what it was, you may see it too.

Little Crow himself on the walk for him.
Below is a photo of Michael (Mendota Dakota) and my friend Janine (now sadly passed) in 2007.
Note the orb on the staff. Orbs showed up all the time of the walks.

This is what Little Crow's gravestone looks like. Note the staff from Michael:

Today the Women on the Ride are riding for the women who were affected by the 1862 war, by the hangings of their men, the forced march to Fort Snelling and the deaths and displacement of family and friends. For the women who even today still carry the emotional scars from their ancestors.
Women's March in November - every other year
An Eye witness report of the March
(You will see on this page the name Mr. Fred Pearsall, he was Chuck and Alice's great grandfather. An English man who married a Dakota woman, who spoke perfect Dakota all of the time, and expected his family to do the same.)

One of the named flags that are put on mile markers along the route of the forced march by the Woman's March every other November.

They are also riding for those Indiginous women, and girls, from both America and Canada, who have been murdered, or who have been abducted and are still missing. This is something that more people should know about as the victims have reached numbers that are jaw dropping. Some are found, most aren't. They are forgotten, but should be remembered, they are daughter's, mother's, sister's. All are treasured by their families.
The links below go to sites that educate about the missing women

REDress Project
Walking with Our Sisters
In Canada: The Faceless Dolls project

Thanks to all of our Riders who support these women.