Dakota Memorial Horse Riders continue legacy of former annual tradition

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A group of Native American horse riders are continuing a legacy by traveling hundreds of miles from South Dakota to Minnesota to remember a dark chapter in American history.

Prayer ride honors ancestors and carries on hope for next generation

The backstory: On December 26, 1862, 38 Dakota men were hanged in Mankato, and two others were hanged a couple of years later.

From 2008-2022, there was a Dakota 38+2 Memorial Ride honoring those lives lost in an execution after the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.

Wilfred Keeble, who was a member of that ride, said the dreamer who inspired that annual tradition urged him to move forward with the next generation.

"We ended 38+2, but he said the ride needs to go on for the coming generations," said Keeble, "We have a young group with us, they’re excited. They want to continue on."

Timeline: The new ride launched in 2024 is called Makatoh Reconciliation and Healing Horse Ride.

The group of about 20 horse riders set out on December 10 from Fort Thompson, South Dakota for the first year of this new ride.

They are scheduled to pass through about a dozen locations before reaching their final destination.

"December 25th, when we get into Mankato, we will accomplish our first year of the new ride," said Keeble.

What you can do: If you would like to learn more or get involved, visit the ride’s website here.