Lakota Riders Pass Through Boulder On 400 Mile Trek

This story was originally broadcast in September 2018. The Tipi Raisers are passing through Colorado July 15-19, 2019. Find their schedule here.

In July, the Tipi Raisers, a nonprofit working to enrich the lives of the Lakota people through aid projects and community building, rode through Boulder as part of a 400 mile horseback trek ending on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. This year, a total of 75 to 100 native and non-native riders of all ages joined the three week trip lead by executive director of the Tipi Raisers, Dave Ventimiglia, his kids and Oglala Lakota resident of Pine Ridge Waylon Belt.

KGNU’s Hannah Leigh Myers joined the 2018 Lakota Ride for a day of their journey and heard just how much the cross cultural relationships the trip fosters means to the people of Pine Ridge, struggling to survive in the community with the lowest per capita income and life expectancy in the United States.

A young Lakota Rider helps prepare for the day’s ride out of Boulder

Every morning each horse and rider is blessed with sage

Waylon Belt is a resident of Pine Ridge and one of the Lakota Ride leaders

Sierra Ventimiglia takes advantage of the oportunity to take swim with her horse

The youngest member of the Tipi Raisers joins the group circle

Oglala Lakota youth smugges with sage after the day’s ride

Adam Ventimiglia and other young riders cool down in Boulder Creek

The Tipi Raisers navigate busy street as the make their way through Boulder

The group pushes on after taking a quick lunch break

Some of the 75 to 100 riders that participated in the 2018 Lakota Ride

Longmont police begin escorting the Lakota Riders through town