Photo courtesy of John Kellen The Makatoh Reconciliation Healing horse riders make their final charge into Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Dec. 26, 2024. The time is approximately 10:30 am on Dec. 26 to coincide with the hanging of 38 Dakota chief and warriors in 1862. The largest mass execution in U.S. History.

NEW ULM — In a repeat of last year, the Makatoh Reconciliation and Healing horse ride will not only travel through New Ulm on Christmas Eve, but will spend two nights in the community.

The annual ride is intended to honor the memory of the 38 Dakota men executed in Mankato on Dec. 26, 1862, following the U.S.-Dakota War. Another goal of the ride is to promote healing between Dakota and non-Dakota people.

The horse ride began Wednesday at Fort Thompson on the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota. From the Crow Creek Reservation, the riders traveled east stopping in Wessington Springs, Woonsocket, Howard, Coleman and Flandreau. After Flandreau, the riders entered Minnesota. On Friday, the riders held a ceremony at Pipestone County Fairgrounds, where they kept their horses overnight. After the ceremony, the riders traveled to Slayton.

Today the riders are expected to leave Slayton for Westbrook, followed by Jeffers Petrogylphs and reaching Sleepy Eye by Tuesday. The riders will travel through New Ulm on the Wednesday and reach Courtland. On Christmas, the riders will travel from Courtland to Mankato. The ride will conclude on Friday at Mankato’s Reconciliation Park.

The idea for the Reconciliation ride came from Lakota spiritual leader Jim Miller. He dreamed of a ride to Mankato from the Crow Creek reservation, where the Dakota tribe of Minnesota was exiled after the war. Miller’s dream was of reconciliation and healing. The horseback rides began in 2008 and concluded in 2022. A few months after the 2022 ride, Miller died of cancer.

No ride was held in 2023, but after a year off, the event was revived as the Makotah Reconciliation and Healing Horse Ride in 2024. The 2024 ride was unique for New Ulm because not only did the riders travel through the city, but they also spent two nights in the city.

“Last year was historic,” said John Kellen, a member of the Makotah riders hosting committee. “It was the first time the riders stayed in New Ulm. Historically, they have shied away from New Ulm. They’ve ridden through, but never stayed here. I don’t know that they felt welcome given the history.”

This all changed after a chance encounter between Collen Hokenson of New Ulm and Wilfred Keeble, a Dakota elder from Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota. Hokenson offered to put up the riders and their horses if they ever came through New Ulm. Keeble took her off on that offer last year and a hosting committee was quickly formed in New Ulm. Despite a short turnaround, the committee was able to find a place for the riders and their horses to stay in New Ulm. In addition, a special screening of the documentary “Dakota 38+2” was held at Turner Hall during their first night stay. The public was invited to view the documentary.

Kellen said no one knew what to expect. No one was certain how many New Ulm residents would attend the screening, but in the end there was standing room only for the event.

Building off the success of last year, the Makotah riders requested to stay in New Ulm during this years ride and the hosting committee agreed to help.

Kellen said this year they had more time to prepare for the riders and secure donations. There are 14 volunteers working on the hosting committee. The goal is to make the riders feel comfortable while staying in New Ulm.

The schedule of events will remain the same as last year. The riders are scheduled to reach Sleepy Eye on Tuesday. The riders will stop at Sleepy Eye, then transport the horses by trailer to New Ulm. The horses will spend the night at Brown County fairgrounds. The riders will be transported to the Community Center in New Ulm to spend the night.

There will be a special Dakota dinner held at the Community Center on Tuesday. Kellen said tickets for this dinner have already sold out. After the dinner, there will be another screening of the “Dakota 38+2” documentary. This screening is open to the public.

On the morning of Wednesday, the riders and horses will be taken back to Sleepy Eye to restart the ride. The riders will pass through New Ulm on Wednesday, arriving on 5th N. Street from the west and heading south onto Broadway. The riders will stop for the night in Courtland. After stopping in Courtland, the riders and horses will be transported to New Ulm to stay a second night. Christmas Day, they will return to Courtland to resume the ride, which concludes Friday in Mankato at Reconciliation Park.

Kellen said it is exciting to have the Makotah riders return to New Ulm and stay. He sees it as a sign that the goal of reconciliation and healing is working.

“One of the intentions of the ride is educational,” he said. “It is to share the story and understand there is a different side and there is healing to be done on parallel tracks.”

He said in New Ulm, the focus of history has been from the settlers’ perspective, but before New Ulm existed, it was Dakota land.

“For them to come back and to feel comfortable coming back is a big deal,” Kellen said. “I think this is a really good thing for New Ulm. There is a connection, recognition and sharing of the story. It’s a way to show we are all human.”

Kellen said the local response to last year’s ride was overwhelmingly positive and the outpouring of local support from people committed to helping was wonderful to see.