and
Unity Ride '96
Unity Ride '96 will start at Wahpeton Dakota Reservation, Prince Albert,
Saskatchewan, Canada on May 3rd, 1996 for ceremonies.
The ride ends on June 21st, 1996 at Grey Buffalo Horn Butte (PTE SAN HE
PA HA), Devil's Tower, Wyoming, U.S.A.
First of all we would like to welcome all riders. Everyone is welcome to
join us in a very spiritual journey.
These rides began with the Chief Sitting Bull - Chief Bigfoot Memorial
Rides held on December 15th through December 29, 1986 - 1987 - 1988 -
1989 and the WIPING OF TEARS/MENDING THE SACRED HOOP RIDE in 1990. These
rides were foretold through visions and dreams of several
Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Men who dreamed that the mending of the Sacred Hoop
of the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Nations was at hand and it was time to
prepare the Sacred Seventh Generation for their part in fulfulling the
Prophecies of the Medicine People of the past. A Wopila Ride was held in
1992 to thank the spirits for giving safe passage for the Sitting Bull -
Bigfoot Riders when they rode the Sacred Spirit Trails from the site of
the Sitting Bull's murder to the site of the massacre at Wounded Knee.
The Sacred Hoop of the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota was broken at the time of the
massacre on December 29, 1890. The prophecies of the Elders was that it
would take seven (7) generations before that Sacred Hoop would be mended
and that time is near. Our children and grandchildren will be a part of
that Seventh Generation. We must ride/run to show them the way to
spirituality and sobriety for the future of our nations.
The Sitting Bull-Bigfoot riders completed their sacred rides with the
Wopila Ride held in December of 1992. At that time members of the
Seventh Generation of the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota were given the vision to
ride into Canada to meet their relatives who have been living there for
the past hundred years or more. The purpose of this ride was to fulfill
the prophecies of the Elders and to reunite the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota
Nations. These spiritual rides became known as the "Unity Rides".
The first "Unity Ride" started in 1993 at the Medicine Rock located on
the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota and proceeded north
four hundred miles to the Birdtail Dakota Reserve in Manitoba, Canada.
This spiritual ride was the first time in over a hundred years that
Lakota/Dakota/Nakota rode united into Canada since the return of Chief
Sitting Bull in 1881.
The second "Unity Ride" in 1994 started at the Rosebud Sioux Reservation
in South Dakota and proceeded north eight hundred miles to the Pheasant
Rump Nakota Reserve in Saskatchewan, Canada. Riders from the
Lakota/Dakota/Nakota were joined by riders from the Mandan/Hidatsa/Arikara
and Chippewa/Ojibway Nations. This was the first time in hundreds of
years that these nations have united and rode together as foretold
through dreams/prophecies.
The third "Unity Ride" in 1995 started at Pheasant Rump Nakota and ended
approcimately 450 miles later at Wahpeton Dakota Reservation in Prince
Albert, Saskatchewan. The riders camped on 15 different First Nations
Reservations during this ride. The tribes united were Nakota, Ojibway,
Cree, Dakota with sweats and other ceremonies held throughout.
The schedule for the 1996 "Unity Ride" is attached --- The entire ride
will be held in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, Montana and ending
in Wyoming, U.S.A. (Grey Buffalo Horn Butte, Devil's Tower).
These spiritual rides are being done to prepare the nations for the 1996
"Unity Ride" to start at the Wahpeton Dakota Reserve near Prince Albert,
Saskatchewan, Canada and proceed south through Chief Sitting Bull's camp
site at Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan south through Montana to the site of
Big Horn Medicine Wheel and east to the Sacred Grey Buffalo Horn Butte
(Devil's Tower). A gathering of Nations is planned at this site on June
21, 1996 to set a direction for the Seventh Generations and to fulfill
the prophecies of the Elders.
Having the greatest respect for this spiritual ride and feeling honoured
to participate in the prayers and ceremonies the Elders will be holding
along the way. We are ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDING any alcohol, drugs or
firearms. Each day on this spiritual journey is filled with prayers and
songs, and should be thought of as a ceremony in itself. All along this
journey we are going to be riding through Sacred sites, old camp sites,
etc., so keep your thoughts good ones, and be aware that the person
riding next to you may be in Prayer.
The road may be hard at times but keep an open mind and good heart. Tru
to sacrifice without complaint and remember that humor is contagious.
MITAKUYE OYASIN
UNITY RIDE '96 - REGULATIONS
There is a few things that should by stated due to the lenght of this
ride. Conditioning of the horse, makes it a lot easier on the horse and
rider. The horse will have shoes (gravel, roads, rough terrain, etc.).
Everyone is responsible for their own horse. Feeding, watering ,
graining, grooming, along the way. Anyone with stallions has to be more
attentive. Try to insure the safety of other horses and riders. Because
we are crossing the International Boundary, the horse will need a blood
test (coggins) which is good for six (6) months and a health certificate
which is good for thirty (30) days. Your local veterinarian can do the
tests which must be stamped by a Federal Vet. Inquire about the cost at
your local vet. There is the time factor to consider about crossing and
reuturning to Canada (50 day ride).
Here is a short list of some of the things you may need.
Warm clothing (May 3rd, maybe some snow)
Rain gear
Tent or canvas bedroll
Sleeping bag
Mess kit (Plate, bowl, fork, spoon, knife)
Shaving kit
Soap & towel
Swinning trunks
Colored cloth, tobacco, sweet grass
** Everyone must have their own Horse
For More Information or Donations Towards The 1996 Unity Ride -
June 21st World Peace and Prayer Day, Please Contact:
Bonnie Freeman:McMaster University
Indigenous Studies
Chester New Hall 228/A
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1
(905) 525 -9140 ext. 27426
or
Gladys Looking Horse:Box 687
Eagle Butte, South Dakota 57625
(605)964-8439
UNITY RIDE '96 - SCHEDULE
SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA
Day 1May 1st, 1996-Arrive at Wahpeton (Prince Albert, Sask.)
Day 2May 2nd, "-Wahpeton
Day 3May 3rd, "-Ceremonies
Day 4May 4th, "-Wahpeton to Wilkinson's
Day 5May 5th, "-Wilkinson's to Okemasis Reservation
Day 6May 6th, "-Day of Rest
Day 7May 7th, "-Okemasis to Hague
Day 8May 8th, "-Hague to Wanuskewin (Saskatoon, Sask.)
Day 9May 9th, "-Wanuskewin to Moose Woods (Whitecap Reserve)
Day 10May 10th, "-Day of Rest
Day 11May 11th, "-Whitecap to Glenslide
Day 12May 12th, "-Glenslide to Douglas Provincial Park
Day 13May 13th, "-Douglas Park to Central Butte
Day 14May 14th, "-Day of Rest
Day 15May 15th, "-Central Butte to Chaplin
Day 16May 16th, "-Chaplin to Shamrock
Day 17May 17th, "-Shamrock to Lafleche
Day 18May 18th, "-Lafleche to Wood Mountain Reserve
Day 19May 19th, "-Day of Rest
Day 20May 20th, "-Wood Mountain Reserve to Rock Glen
Day 21May 21st, "-Rock Glen to Big Beaver
Day 22May 22nd, "-Big Beaver to Sitting Bull's hill (Canada/USA)
MONTANA, USA
Day 23May 23rd, "-Fort Peck Reservation (Day of Rest)
Day 24May 24th, "-Sitting Bull's hill to Eagles Nest
Day 25May 25th, "-Eagles Nest to Sitting Bull's Big Camp by #13
Day 26May 26th, "-Sitting Bull's Big Camp to Wolf Point
Day 27May 27th, "-Day of Rest
Day 28May 28th, "-Wolf Point to Rudy Haynie's Ranch
Day 29May 29th, "-Rudy Haynie's to Brockway Stockyards
Day 30May 30th, "-Brockway to Terry
Day 31 June 1st, "-Day of Rest
Day 32June 2nd, "-Terry to Tom Pezzarossi Ranch
Day 33June 3rd, "-Tom Pezzarossi to Erine Robinson's Ranch
(Northern Cheyenne Reserve)
Day 34June 4th, "-Erine Robinson's to Lame Deer
Day 35June 5th, "-Day of Rest
Day 36June 6th, "-Lame Deer to Hank Realbird's Ranch to
Lucy Realbird's, Garryowen
Day 37June 7th, "-Day of Rest
Day 38June 8th, "-Garryowen to Big Sticks
Day 39June 9th, "-Big Sticks to Soap Creek
Day 40June 10th,"-Soap Creek to Telegraph
WYOMING, USA
Day 41Jun 11th, "-Telegraph to Big Horn Medicine Wheel (Wyoming)
Day 42Jun 12th, "-Day of Rest
Day 43Jun 13th, "-Medicine Wheel to Dayton (Padlock Ranch)
Day 44Jun 14th, "-Dayton to Wyarno
Day 45Jun 15th, "-Wyarno to Leither
Day 46Jun 16th, "-Day of Rest
Day 47Jun 17th, "-Leither to Recluse
Day 48Jun 18th, "-Recluse to New Haven
Day 49Jun 19th, "-New Haven to Grey Buffalo Horn Butte
Day 50Jun 20th, "-Day of Rest
Day 51Jun 21st, 1996-WORLD DAY OF PEACE PRAYER