Sand Creek Massacre NHS News Release

August 15, 2006

For Immediate Release

Craig Moore

  ANNUAL NORTHERN ARAPAHO RUN

The Northern Arapaho Tribe held its annual Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run on August 19, 2006.  This year’s event drew over 80 tribal members from Ethete and other communities on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. 

 Participants began the 550 mile drive from Ethete to Eads on Thursday morning.  Most of the Arapaho arrived in time for an evening meal held at the Community Building.  This year’s dinner, which featured Indian tacos and watermelon, was very well attended by people from throughout Kiowa County. An Arapaho drum group and dancers scheduled to perform during the evening were delayed in Laramie and unable to participate.    The Northern Arapaho apologize for any inconvenience and disappointment this may have caused.

 On Friday morning, some 60 Arapaho youth, accompanied by ceremonial leaders, arrived at the Sand Creek site preparatory to their annual Spiritual Healing Run.  Sand Creek Massacre Representative Gail Ridgely and traditional Arapaho leader Nelson White offered advice, instruction and encouragement to the runners.  The participants were reminded that the event, rather than a race, is meant to honor those that once suffered at the site.  The runners were also urged to remember the strength and importance of retaining Arapaho language, history and culture.  Following this ceremony, which included ceremonial purification, the runners by noon, were off in a cloud of dust, headed up County Road W towards Highway 287 and Limon.

 The Northern Arapaho Tribe extends its deep appreciation and thanks for the continued support and friendship shown to them by the Eads community and Kiowa County.  The National Park Service and the tribe want to acknowledge the generous contributions of Commissioner Vern Harris for mowing the monument road, Dawna Weirich for the Community Building, Jan Richards and KCEDF for coordinating fund raising at the dinner, Mandy and Jimmy Brown for the donation of water, Fran Pannebaker for her donation of tomatoes, and the families of Van Brown and Rod Johnson for lending support and materials.  Special thanks also to Fran Larrew, Peggy Sheldon, Sharon Johnson, Jeff Campbell, Ashley Brown, Theresa Horak and others who worked so hard preparing, cooking, and serving over 150 Indian tacos.

 For additional information about the Arapaho Run and the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, please call the park at 719-383-5051 or write to the National Park Service at 35110 Highway 194 East, La Junta, CO 81050.

NPS

  

           Photos courtesy of NPS