Join the Journey
Discover the history and present of the Makatoh Reconciliation and Healing Horse-Ride .
Join the Journey
Discover the history and present of the Makatoh Reconciliation and Healing Horse-Ride .
Makatoh Reconciliation and Healing Horse-Ride
Our Beginnings
Jim Miller, a Lakota spiritual leader, founded the Dakota 38+2 Memorial Ride after a dream in 2005 inspired him to commemorate the 38 Dakota men hanged in Makatoh, Minnesota, following the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. The annual horseback ride, which began in 2008 and concluded in 2022, served as a powerful symbol of hope, healing, and education about Dakota history while promoting forgiveness and unity. Makotah Reconciliation and Healing Horse Ride continues in the tradition of the Dakota 38+2 Ride that concluded in 2022.
Learn about the inspiration for Healing Horse Ride
This documentary captures the story of story of the Dakota 38+2 ride—through blizzards, the support of communities, and the healing they seek by confronting a painful past.
A Spirit of Healing
This ride is more than a physical journey—it is a spiritual and emotional journey toward healing. The riderless "spirit horse" accompanies the riders, representing the ancestors and honoring those who lost their lives.
The ride promotes:
- Healing from historical trauma for Dakota communities
- Remembrance of the 38+2 and all who suffered
- Education about Dakota history and the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862
- Reconciliation between Dakota and non-Dakota peoples
- Unity through shared commitment to justice and understanding
About the Route
The 330-mile route from South Dakota to Minnesota follows paths that connect to the historical events of 1862. Riders traverse:
- The Great Plains - Open prairie lands that were Dakota homeland
- Small towns - Communities built on land once inhabited by Dakota people
- Sacred sites - Including the Jeffers Petroglyphs, ancient Dakota rock art
- The Minnesota River Valley - Site of the 1862 conflict and its aftermath
Historical Context
The U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 began when treaties restricted Dakota lands to an area that could no longer sustain them. Promised compensations were slow or nonexistent, and the Dakota people faced starvation. The conflict lasted six weeks and resulted in the deaths of hundreds.
Following the war:
- 303 Dakota men were sentenced to death in rushed trials
- President Abraham Lincoln reviewed the cases and commuted many sentences
- 38 men were hanged in Mankato on December 26, 1862
- Two additional men (Sakpedan and Wakan Ozanzan) were hanged at Fort Snelling in 1865
- Thousands of Dakota people were exiled from Minnesota
The ride honors all who suffered and works toward healing these deep wounds.
Support the Makatoh Reconciliation and Healing Horse-Ride
Your donation plays a vital role in safeguarding the heritage and future of the healing and reconciliation taking place through the Makatoh Reconciliation and Healing Horse-Ride.