Merry Christmas! The snow is falling softly outside, I am sipping on hot tea, Bella is lying nearby………..the cozy, comfort of my home. I feel blessed.
I had a lovely 2 1/2 days with my kids and their partners……….always wonderful to spend time with them.
I had a very meaningful experience with Mandy and Geordie in sharing the ceremony of the Reconciliation Riders in downtown Mankato yesterday, December 26th, 2012. The 150th anniversary of the hanging of 38 Dakota in that spot………..a mere 1 mile from where I currently am sitting and a spot that I drive past several times a week.
I had heard bits and pieces of this event but that is all.
There is a documentary that was put together that gives you greater knowledge about what the Reconciliation Riders are attempting to do. “Forgive everyone everything.” They, who have been so wronged in this country, have come forth to ask us forgiveness for their part of the War of 1862 in hopes of healing the deep wounds of their people.
It is a deeply moving documentary.
After watching this I was better prepared to experience the ceremony in the toe-chilling morn of December 26th. I could feel the weight in my heart as we parked near the library and made our way to Reconciliation Park across from the Blue Earth Library, in Mankato, MN.
There was a stage set up for the speakers, Dakota men, warriors who had fought in the wars of our country stood to the one side of the stage. An Indian drum and singers placed on the other side.
The newspaper said 500-600 people lined the streets. There was a quiet, a knowing that something special was going to happen. A feeling that we were a part of a special moment in history, as we waited for the 60 riders to appear.
I can’t put into words what it was to witness their arrival. They left Crow Creek, South Dakota on December 10th and though I was fighting the urge to move into a warm building after a mere 15 minutes, they had been riding in the elements of a Minnesota winter since the 10th.
One speaker said, (In my words, as I remember them) “You may think that we have just been riding horses these last several days to get here but this has not just been about riding horses. This has been a sacred ceremony, a prayer for reconciliation.”
They want people to know what happened.
This was not done in the Spirit of Anger but in the Spirit of “We Want to Heal Our Broken Spirits”.
I think that this was the 4th year of the Ride and that they intend to ride every year until…………..???
They want us to know what happened. They want the truth to be known.
I am sending 3 links. The first is a link to watch the documentary………..it is about 80 minutes long.
The second is the write up and video of the Ceremony here in Mankato on Dec. 26th, 2012
http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x1303500941/-Forgive-everyone-everything (can’t get this to work! You will have to paste in browser to find this link)
The third is my son’s Geordie blog posts that he has done around the War of 1862 (scroll down a bit to find the two blogs once you hit the link)
http://stateofnatureblog.tumblr.com/ (guess you will have to paste this in your browser to see it)
I hope that you take the time to watch and read.
We need to know.
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