Unity Ride '96 will start at Wahpeton Dakota Reservation, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada on May 3^rd, 1996 for ceremonies.

The ride ends on June 21^st, 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 15^th 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 fulfilling 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 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 approximately 450 miles later in Wahpeton Dakota Reservation in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The riders camped on 15 different First Nation 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 [note: see page 2] -- 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 ABSOLUTELYFORBIDDING 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 a good heart. Try to sacrifice without complaint and remember that humor is contagious.
 
 

There is a few things that should be stated due to the length of this ride. Conditioning of the horse, makes it a lot easier on the horse and the 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 a time factor to consider about crossing and returning to Canada (50 day ride).

Here is a short list of some of the things you may need.

Warm clothing (May 3^rd, maybe some snow)
Rain gear
Tent or canvas bedroll
Sleeping bag
Mess kit (Plate, bowl, fork, spoon, knife)
Shaving kit (toothbrush, paste, etc)
Soap & towel
Swimming trunks
Colored cloth, tobacco, sweet grass