Fifth Annual Northern Cheyenne Spiritual Healing Run a Success

Property to be Transferred to Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma

  Photo Courtesy of NPS

Fifth Annual Spiritual Healing Run:

The Fifth Annual Northern Cheyenne Spiritual Healing Run, held in commemoration of the 139^th anniversary of the Sand Creek Massacre, was held on Thanksgiving Day, with the participation of many community members. The run was initiated with blessings held at the Massacre site early in the morning. The runners then ran from the site into town, where they joined many community members for a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. Between 150 and 200 people shared dinner together at the Multi-purpose room of the Eads High School.

From Eads the runners proceeded to Limon and spent the night, and the following morning went on to Denver where additional commemorative activities were held. At the Riverside Cemetery, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe was joined by the public, a representative of the Colorado Army National Guard, and numerous television crews for a graveside honoring of Captain Silas Soule, one of the Colorado volunteers who exposed the atrocities committed at Sand Creek and was later gunned down in a Denver street. Following the honoring, the group proceeded to the steps of the State Capitol where additional honor songs were sung and many speakers gave presentations. It was really wonderful to hear the Northern Cheyenne representatives thank the Eads community for its hospitality on Thanksgiving Day, especially with so many reporters present! The week’s events concluded with a powwow held at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Denver.

The National Park Service wishes to second the Tribe’s thanks to the community, especially all those who came to the Massacre Site early in the morning and everyone who joined the tribal members for dinner. Special thanks also go to the following for making the occasion a great success:

Fran Larrew; Betty and Steve Cahill; Eads High School Superintendent Glenn Smith and Eads High School staff Pam Cole, Phyllis Barlow, Darryl Adamson and helpers Austin Adamson and Adam Saffer; Bill Woelk; Jeanne and Chris Sorensen; Kiowa County Economic Development Foundation; The City of Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation Department; Safeway Inc.; the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Department; Rod Johnson; and volunteers Jeri Zimmerman, Ari Kelman, Lindsay Calhoun, and Jeff Campbell.

Deed to Former Dawson Property to be Transferred to Tribes:

During the course of the week’s events, Tribal and NPS officials learned that the ownership of the former Dawson property, currently belonging to Southwest Entertainment Inc., will be transferred to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma in a ceremony to be held at the Massacre Site on December 19. Plans are still being made, but additional information will be provided as planning progresses. The long awaited transfer of the deed is a major step forward in the official establishment of the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site.