There have been a handful of books and articles over the decades that have focused on the history of what military scholars refer to as The Battle of Whitestone Hill. Yet what has long been missing is an in-depth, contemporary recounting of this history from a Dakota perspective that includes and honors the many oral accounts of “what happened” on September 3, 1863 that have been retained and passed down through eight generations. Our documentary project, Remembering Inya Ska (Whitestone Hill) seeks to share not only these stories but a record of the annual Healing and Reconciliation Horse Ride that has taken place each year since 2020. This small group of Dakota and Lakota horse riders and supporters—some of them descendants of those who died as well as those who survived the events of 1863—begin their annual journey in Ft. Thompson, South Dakota on August 28 and ride 230 miles to Whitestone Hill on September 3.
We are a team of Native and non-Native filmmakers, photographers, academics, riders, and volunteers who have been documenting the annual Whitestone Hill Ride since the summer of 2021. This page will share updates on this project (which we hope to complete in 2024) as well as the latest news related to Whitestone Hill Historic Site.
[Photograph by Elena Creef of lead filmmaker Dylan Shields and two assistants]