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Medicine Wheel Ride Highlights the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Crisis
MEADE COUNTY, S.D.– Before day three of the rally kicked off on Sunday, a group of riders gathered at Bear Butte in Meade County for the fourth annual Medicine Wheel Ride.
A Movement to Bring Attention to the Crisis
The Medicine Wheel Ride was started in 2019 and has visited communities all across the United States annually as organizers work to bring attention to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives crisis. This crisis has been largely overlooked, with more than 5000 cases of missing Indigenous women and girls reported in 2020, according to the Crime Information Center.
Raising Awareness for the Cause
Sunday morning’s ride started at Bear Butte in Sturgis and proceeded with a law enforcement escort all the way to Crazy Horse Memorial. The participants included families and friends of the missing and murdered, as well as anyone wanting to show their support.
“How many native women, native men go missing daily, even in our area that are just not even thought about,” Head of Volunteers Connie Brushbreaker said. “I think with this ride, we are creating so much awareness and helping people do on-the-ground searching. So it is really getting a lot of attention now, which I think is really needed.”
A Tribute at Crazy Horse Memorial
At the end of the ride at Crazy Horse, organizers and riders gathered for a viewing of a new documentary about the medicine wheel ride, entitled “We Ride For Her.”
