|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, May 15, 2010
CONTACTS: Roger Campbell, Director, South Dakota Office of Tribal
Government Relations, 605-773-3415
WOUNDED
KNEE MEMORIAL MOTORCYCLE RUN
Honoring the Trail of Chief Big Foot
Event
held in conjunction with the Year of Unity
PIERRE, S.D. – In conjunction
with the "Year of Unity," the annual Wounded Knee Memorial
Motorcycle Run will be held Friday and Saturday,
Aug. 6-7, 2010. The event, which follows the Trail of Chief Big
Foot, will begin in Fort Yates, N.D., continue to Eagle
Butte, S.D., and end at Wounded Knee.
The mission of the
Wounded Knee Memorial Motorcycle Run is to preserve the memory of the
innocent Lakota People who suffered and died on December 29, 1890. Participants will honor the
ancestors through prayer and ceremony by remembering and paying their
respects. Educational programs coordinated throughout the Run will be
presented by Descendents of the Wounded Knee Massacre, bringing awareness to
all people; then healing and unity can be achieved.
South
Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds declared the Year of Unity in February to commemorate
the 20th anniversary of the Year of Reconciliation, which was
proclaimed in 1990 by Gov. George S. Mickelson. In addition state government
activities, Gov. Rounds encourages tribes and communities across the state to
devise and participate in Year of Unity events. He says individuals must get
involved, too. “Government and tribal organizations alone
cannot bring people closer together,” the Governor noted. “The Year of Unity
also must be carried forward in the hearts and minds of individuals.”
The Standing
Rock, Cheyenne River & Pine
Ridge Reservations assist by collaborating on programming for the Run. Riders
from other Tribal Nations as well as non-native riders from all over the United States come to ride in
honor of those buried at Wounded Knee. These riders
are drawn to the Run because of the traditional respectfulness and integrity
that is shown and given throughout the duration of the event.
Registration for the Motorcycle Run will be
on Friday, Aug. 6, at the Prairie Knights Casino along North Dakota Highway
24 at Fort Yates from 9-11 a.m. CDT and will continue
on Saturday, Aug. 7, at the Eagle Butte powwow grounds from 7-8 a.m. MDT. Organizers
ask for donations of $20 for riders and $10 for passengers (cash only).
Proceeds from the event will benefit charitable organizations on the Standing
Rock, Cheyenne River, and Pine Ridge Reservations. The
Motorcycle Run is an alcohol- and drug-free event. For more information, contact Bruce Hansen
(262-903-086 or hansen@elknet.net), Dave Janis
(605-441-3058 or davejanis@hotmail.com), Roger White Eyes
(605-441-9857 or ishtaska@yahoo.com), or Glenn Gunville (605-365-6110 or gunvilleranch@yahoo.com).
The goals of the Year of Unity are to promote active engagement of all
races and cultures in South Dakota, promote education
about racial and cultural diversity and history in South Dakota, improve
communication and coordination among all South Dakotans, and address shared
challenges and opportunities.
|
