Dakota 38+2 Ride continues with a new name, new generation

Now called the Makotah Reconciliation and Healing Horse Ride

Carleen Wild
Posted 12/18/24

For decades, riders on horseback traveled through Moody County each December on their way from Lower Brule to Mankato. Known as the Dakota 38+2 Memorial Ride, it served as a symbol of hope, healing, …

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Dakota 38+2 Ride continues with a new name, new generation

Now called the Makotah Reconciliation and Healing Horse Ride

Posted

For decades, riders on horseback traveled through Moody County each December on their way from Lower Brule to Mankato. Known as the Dakota 38+2 Memorial Ride, it served as a symbol of hope, healing, and education about Dakota history while promoting forgiveness and unity.
The ride commemorates 38 Dakota men hanged in Mankato, Minnesota, on Dec. 26, 1862, following the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, as well as two more executed two years later.
It marks the largest mass execution in U.S. history.
Jim Miller, a Lakota spiritual leader, founded the ride in 2005 after a dream inspired him to honor the men and raise awareness of the historical events that shaped the present. The annual ride began in 2008 and concluded in 2022 with Miller’s passing.
This year, after a one-year hiatus, the ride has returned with a new name and a growing number of youth participants dedicated to continuing its mission.

Now called the Makotah Reconciliation and Healing Horse Ride, it is one of several similar events promoting education and healing between cultures across the region.
Josette Peltier of Flandreau, Miller’s sister, expressed gratitude for the legacy her brother created.
“We all need to reconcile with what’s gone on in past generations,” she said from the warmth of her vehicle, awaiting the arrival of riders this past weekend as they traveled from Madison to a two-day rest stop in Flandreau.
“We can never take away that hurt that we felt as Native people, but we can look forward to future generations and help our young ones remember and heal,” Peltier said.
She offered that intergenerational trauma is sincere, and science shows that such a traumatic past for the native population is surfacing more with this generation.
“They don’t know why they feel the way they do, why substance abuse is rising, and suicide, but it’s that intergenerational trauma. So much of our history has not been told. Many of our young ones have questions: why did these things happen? And you can’t just say, ‘that’s in the past, let it go.’ We need to be able to talk about it. It’s time for people to wake up and bring the truth out. Shake hands, be a good relative to one another. We all share this planet and need to take care of her and start helping one another. This reconciliation and healing, we all need it,” Peltier said.
The young riders, most of whom are from Lower Brule, agreed. While it was difficult for them to explain why the journey meant so much, they knew it carried deep significance.
Communities along the route are encouraged each year to engage and connect with those on the ride. A dinner is held annually at Eastman Hall locally, offering an opportunity to visit with riders and the support team.
More on the ride and its history can be found on Facebook at Makotah Reconciliation and Healing Horse Ride. The journey concludes with a ceremony in Mankato on Dec. 25.