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Video of 400-mile relay: Tempest Little Coyote on Fort Robinson run

Opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline gather Nov. 1, 2023, in Bismarck ahead of a public meeting on an environmental impact statement. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe opposes the pipeline, citing concerns for its water supply. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Tempest Little Coyote on Fort Robinson Outbreak Spiritual Run
Tempest Little Coyote on Fort Robinson Outbreak Spiritual Run

I’ve been on the road with the Fort Robinson Outbreak Spiritual Run group, a gathering of 97 students and a hard working support team. The group is running to commemorate the spirit of their Cheyenne ancestors who were imprisoned at Fort Robinson in Nebrakska winter of 1878. While trying to force the Cheyenne into submission, troops starved the Cheyenne during freezing temperatures. Rather than freeze and starve and be sent to Oklahoma Indian Territory, the Cheyenne chose to face death during a late night escape in freezing temperatures. About half the group was killed as they fled into the nearby hills around the fort. A small group made it back to Montana.

Since I’ve been on this run with the youths, I’ve been inspired by their incredible enthusiasm. Some of them have been a part of this event since they were toddlers, carried by their grandparents. Keep the runners in your prayers. Today, the youths are running up to Bel Fourche,S.D.  since the “breakout” at Fort Robinson on Friday night. Last night, Marilyn Pourier and a group of women fed all the Northern Cheyenne runners at a community center in Rapid City. Scott Means and his brothers also sang an honor song for the group. Those men can sing! Beautiful, strong voices. The evening dinners have been a wonderful way to end the days. Each night, organizer Phillip Whiteman Jr., opens up the microphone and invites the youths to talk about the day. Many of them take the microphone and sing traditional songs.

I’ll post more later.

I also have posts on Twitter  (@buffalosfire) and Facebook. The links are on the homepage of this blog site.

Jodi Rave

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear is the founder and director of the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance, a 501-C-3 nonprofit organization with offices in Bismarck, N.D. and the Fort Berthold Reservation. Jodi spent 15 years reporting for the mainstream press. She's been awarded prestigious Nieman and John S. Knight journalism fellowships at Harvard and Stanford, respectively. She also an MIT Knight Science Journalism Project fellow. Her writing is featured in "The Authentic Voice: The Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity," published by Columbia University Press. Jodi currently serves as a Society of Professional Journalists at-large board member, an SPJ Foundation board member, and she chairs the SPJ Freedom of Information Committee. Jodi has won top journalism awards from mainstream and Native press organizations. She earned her journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

2 Comments

  • tim whistling elk

    hi my fren good to hear ur doin fine tried to call the #on ur bb fire card said it was diconnected can tou send me some pics of run the warpoyz{yellow} wish icould of seen you before you headed out e mail me or call406 477 3437 peace n maheo bless you my fren

  • :~*LittleCoyote*~:

    So your a native american thats pretty awesome me too yeah well thats my indian nickname to my dad gave me that name when i was little!!!

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