Photos: Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication

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Mankato, MN, USA — Carl Maza, right, and other riders listen to a speaker at the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication in Mankato, Minn. on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — A Dakota elder watches the riders and their horses gather at Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Minn., on Dec. 26, 2012. Some people at the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication wore a green ribbon in memory of Newtown, Conn. shooting victim Jessica Rekos, whose dream was to ride a horse. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Riders lead their horses along Riverfront Drive to the front of Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Minn., on Dec. 26, 2012, for the start of the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Riders lead their horses along Riverfront Drive to the front of Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Minn. for the start of the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication on Wednesday morning, Dec. 26, 2012. With temperatures in the single digits, riders needed to bundle up to stay warm. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Ice forms around the nose and mouth of a horse as temperatures were in the single digits during the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication on Dec. 26, 2012. The dedication also marked the end of the Dakota Wokiksuye Memorial Ride that began two weeks ago in South Dakota. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Crowds braved the cold, single digit temperatures to attend the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication held on Wednesday morning in Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Minn. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Elson Two Hawks, center, sings a traditional song with other Dakota members around a drum during the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication held at Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Minn. on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. (Jackson Forderer) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Peter Lengkeek pauses for a moment during a prayer at the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication in Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Minn., on Dec. 26, 2012. As is tradition, Lengkeek passed down his staff to another Dakota member, after carrying the staff for four years. The dedication marked 150 years since 38 Dakota people were hung at the end of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 and was held in conjunction with the annual Dakota Wokiksuye Memorial Ride and Memorial Run. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Peter Lengkeek, right, hugs Perry Little after Lengkeek handed down his staff to Little during the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication held at Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Minn. It is tradition for the staff to be passed along to a new carrier every four years. (Jackson Forderer) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Burning sage was passed by members of the Color Guard and others before the start of the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — An elder Dakota member addresses the crowd at the Dakota 38 Memorial Dedication at Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Minn., Dec. 26, 2012. A memorial has been placed at the park with the names of the 38 Dakota people who here hung in 1862 during the U.S.-Dakota War. (Jackson Forderer) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Dwayne Doc Wanna, a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Vietnam Veterans Kit Fox Society, poses for a picture in front of the Dakota 38 Memorial in Reconciliation Park in Mankato, Minn. The memorial lists the names of the 38 Dakota people who were hung at the site 150 years ago during the U.S.-Dakota War. The dedication of the memorial took place on Wednesday morning, and it took place in conjunction with the annual Dakota Wokiksuye Memorial Ride. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo

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Mankato, MN, USA — Gus High Eagle, left, and Carl Maza sit on their horses amongst other riders from the Dakota Wokiksuye Memorial Ride as they observed the dedication of the Dakota 38 Memorial on the sesquicentennial of the execution in Mankato, Minn. (Jackson Forderer for MPR) (Jackson Forderer for MPR) link to this photo