Dakota 38 Analysis

Instead of going to an outside speaker, I watched the documentary Dakota 38. Dakota 38 is a 2012 documentary about the killings of 38 Native American warriors, and a group of Dakota Native American’s ride their horses 330 miles to go home (to Minnesota). Everything started when Jim Miller a Native American spiritual leader and former war veteran had a dream, where he was riding on horseback through South Dakota and he ended up in Mankato, MN were he saw 38 of his Dakota ancestry.
On December 26, 1862 the day after Christmas, 38 Native American Warriors were hung in Mankato, MN. President Abe Lincoln was expected to hang 300 Native Americans, but he ended up hanging only 38. This was considered and still is considered the largest mass execution in American history. Some people were surprised that Abe Lincoln would do such a thing, since he ended slavery. Before the 38 Native American Warriors were hung, they acted like they were going on a short journey and they would be right back. They also shook hands with each officer before they were hung. Other Dakota tribe members knew that someday they would be able to meet again. Two years after the hangings, two other Native Americans were hung and years later the bodies were dug up for science purposes.
The riders started the Dakota 38+2 memorial ride on December 10th, and would conclude their journey to Mankato, MN on December 26th. The riders knew going into the memorial ride that the weather was going to be harsh. There was a few times along the ride where producers and staff said it was too dangerous to continue riding in a snow blizzard. There was a riderless black horse which was known as the spirit horse, “because it represents the ancestors who have walked on during the past year”, (Nativenewsonline.net) along with the 40 Native Americans who were