Road Trip to Sturgis Why is No One Is Talking About This?

For my ride to Sturgis this year, I'd be doing something different. I'd be riding with the Medicine Wheel Ride. Medicine Wheel Ride. A women's motorcycle riding group. I didn't know this when I rode the famous Sturgis Roads last year, but the Black Hills of South Dakota are incredibly sacred to natives. There are seven sacred sites in the Black Hills, including the famous Devil's Tower and Bear Butte Mountain. And that is where our Sturgis group ride would start. That was one of the charity rides. They ride to Sturgis to raise awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous people. The U.S. Department of Justice states 83 percent of natives have experienced some form of violence. They face rates of assault and murder at four to ten times the national average. A majority of these cases remain unsolved, forgotten by criminal investigators and the media. So I wanted to follow them and share their stories. First ride to the casino is going to be police escorted. I am at Scorpion Harley-Davidson picking up my heritage. We are leaving Scorpion Harley-Davidson. There's T. She was in the calendar years ago. I don't do the calendars anymore. She's probably my favorite picture in that whole calendar. I had no idea she'd be here. It was such a nice surprise. It's 113 degrees. I found the Medicine Wheel ride through this woman, a documentary photographer of the Ojibwe Nation. She responded to a call I posted on Instagram. Is anyone in my audience native? On my cross-country trip, I'd go to these stunning state parks and I'd often see a small sign saying how natives use this park for religious purposes. And I wondered, where were they now? It didn't feel right to make a series exploring the U.S. without highlighting natives somehow. I just didn't know how. I didn't know any natives. Samantha connected me with the Medicine Wheel ride and after some conversations, they agreed to let me ride with them to Sturgis. Really? I'm like, that was toasty. How about pulling that on? It must be working. The riders of the Medicine Wheel ride come from all around the country. So they meet in Arizona to head to Sturgis, stopping at events all along the way to share their stories. This was the first year they also had a documentary made about them and it would be shown at these events. The final event would be the group ride at Sturgis. If anything came up, the plan could change. And it would, more than once. There's a fatal accident. So they've completely closed off the highway. So we're just waiting it out. We left at 5 30 trying to beat the heat, but looks like we may get in it for a little bit. So what happened? Cold bottle of water down my shirt. Well, I bet you feel really good. I do. I'm actually quite jelly. Okay, so what are all the ribbons? This one is my brother, Shaggy. We use yellow for suicide. Unfortunately, in the documentary that's out right now, it just finished, has Khalid. This last week, they found him. I used black for my great-grandmother, who was hung in Mexico, left for murder. This is the aunt, the auntie of Khalid, who the documentary is about. She's still missing. Going on almost two years, I think now. And then there's Arlie Garcia Adesalinas, who they've been trying to find her still. They've had no help with resources. And I've been trying to reach out to them to get medicine, to have them reach out to us so we could try to help them. And this one is from Maui, Marrera Mo Monsalve. She was murdered by her boyfriend. She's still missing. Is it just me, or is it like every native knows someone that has someone close to them? I'm sure that if it's not somebody who's missing a murder, it's suicide. And I think that's the things we tried to help with, because they're all related in some way. You know, this is his aunt that he was looking for. During the documentary, he's in it. And then this happens. Thank you for listening. You're welcome. I'm actually, I'm not native myself. I've just noticed that people aren't talking about it in the media. Like, Black Lives Matter is trending. Trans rights are trending. LGBT, the rainbow. But what about the indigenous people? Hey. Dear God, I ask you where our relatives are at. Our brothers, our sisters, our children. Hey. All right. I dare everybody to go jump in the water. It is hot. I'm coming. Is it cold? Do I want to know? Oh, no. Get used to it in like two seconds. Yeah, it's hot. Then it's nice. Just be careful. Just a little bit. Oh, you crazy. Oh, you crazy Indians. That felt good. I know. I'm very jealous. Oh, no, you're gonna be hot. Ride's gonna feel real good back now. Hey, Jack. If you want. That would be great. No, if no one's using it. Or we're going to use it. She has two. She has a small one. Yeah, that would be awesome. We made this journey for a purpose. For all you guys that are here that have lost a loved one. We're a voice for the ones that no longer can have a voice. For me, it hits deeply. I lost my son two years ago. To this day, I don't have no closure. Don't know what happened to him. His body was found out in the middle of the desert somewhere. And I carry my son with me every time I ride. We just want to know where our relatives are. Is there a plan for what's happening? We're gonna check into our rooms, go to end of the day. People can't wait to read and find out where dinner is. Dinner in BC. You're not here? No. Are you sure? I am, yeah. Now it's a whole train. I'm coming in. See, Becky? I've got my, I got my bandana like you all. I've got my band, this. I'm starting to look indigenous. Are we on a reservation? This is the Wind River Reservation, yes. Oh, okay. When I was, because I was in there and she goes, are you tribal? And I said, not that I know of. This morning when you were introducing yourself to us and you said, oh, my ancestry is the Dominican and I don't really know this and that. But that in itself is a really important story too about what happened to all the peoples throughout the Caribbean. Some archaeologists argue that the Taino bloodline no longer exists. I believe that too. And even mentioned it in my show, Land History for Morons. So Columbus enslaves all the Tainos until he exterminates them. And that, my lovely morons, is called the Caribbean Holocaust. Historians in the PR government claim the Taino people have been conquered and wiped out. But Bibi Naneke and Pluma insist that that's a myth. I mean, honestly, I never thought about it until coming here. Yeah, yeah. I was like, wait a second. It's a, you know, it's a different story than like the Native American, you know, each of our, you know, there's a thousand tribes in North America, United States and Canada. But that part of the Caribbean is like a little piece of Turtle Island also. Where exactly are we here? This is Gagwana, one of our ceremonial centers. The government has basically said it's theirs and there's no more Native people here. So they are the ones to take care. They see this as a dead place. Every part of this area is sacred. It's the same fight of Indigenous people all up and down North and South and Central America. Just like other people's feelings, you know, you just feel them. This is whip. This is whip? She's the toughest? Who's the toughest here? Her government side makes her tough. What do you, what do you mean, what do you mean government side? I don't know, that's what she keeps telling us. That'd be her. Tina's in the, was in the military. Were you in the military too? Tara's the toughest. She's the meanest on a bike. I know you're, you're, you're a firewoman, right? Or you were? Used to be. Used to be when I used to work at a power plant. Damn. Are you single? I'm married. How many are married? Do you guys have kids together? No. No kids together? Well, we're getting all personal now. Well, we have, we have all together 11 children. We have blended and we have other children that are neither of biologically ours. All right, indigenous. Okay. Or other. That box is not usually there? Indigenous isn't usually there? No, no. It's either Hispanic, American. Sometimes it'll say Native American, Alaska, Pacific Islander. It just depends. What's the difference? White? Yes. My birth certificate says white. So does mine. My birth certificate says white too. We're not white. Why does it say white? Hell, I don't know. That's what, that's what the government did. Even those crossing the border. You know, I think it was like, uh, it wasn't part of the racist tactic too. Nope, mine. I was born on the rez, so. In high school, they called me Indian taco. Because my mom was Indian and my dad was Mexican. So my grandmother was indigenous and my grandfather was Spaniard. And he had the blue eyes and the fair skin. So he always told my grandmother, me India. I was born in India. I really want to spend the night in the tipi. But I feel kind of sick. And if I say to spend the night in there with Tina, it's pretty much a guarantee that she's going to have whatever I have. So I don't know. I'm trying to find out where I'll sleep tonight. But it might not be a tipi. Tipi. Are you three the tipi ladies or just you two? I'm taking a bed. You're taking a bed? You two. We're doing the tipi. I'm so jealous. That's cool. I'll regret it if you slip into a coma because you got COVID from me. I will. I'll be in a coma doing what I want. I'll finally get some rest. She's got her headlamp on. She's going to go out here. I'm ready. What about the big snakes? I'm not ready for that. How about the big locusts? I'm not ready for that either. They like go... Why are you doing this to me? So I'm gonna give... I'm gonna give the tipi a shot. Yeah, I'm only like halfway committed. Like if a bug lands on me, I'm out. As I was making this thing, two locusts or whatever... Grasshoppers. Grasshoppers landed on it. I think once you shoo them out, they'll stop coming in. Okay. Going to see what's in the Hogan. Oh, come. We heard. Welcome to our humble abode. Oh, it's on the ground. Isn't it beautiful? Aren't you so impressed? On the ground like that. Yeah. The doodle adventure. You're right by the door so you can dart? Yeah. Oh, I could use some of that. 34. You are not 34. Yes, I am. I'm a grown-up. What is so funny? I would not have guessed you were that old. I thought you were like... That old? That's what I keep experiencing here. Like I thought she was my age and I find out she's almost 50. Is that a secret? No, but was it 47? We're 47. We're not quite 50 yet. We're still in 40s. Give me that marker so I can write your name on it. And she caught this guy pleasuring himself. There was. There was young girls across the street. Oh, it was a community. It's the beginning of the street there. That public setting, there were kids there. Yeah, there was. I mean, it was a community event. And that's what happens is everybody knows who's doing creepy. And then they just kind of let them and not talk about it and not say anything and... Perpetuating the plan. Because of what happened, there'd be a change of plans. So I didn't sleep in the teepee. Tina's snoring was so loud. Even my earplugs couldn't block it out. This is the shortest cold I've ever had. I'm already feeling so much better. Just a little congested, but... So that's nice. I don't know. Maybe these native ladies did something for me and I didn't even know it. Darn, if I have to stay in this beautiful place while my laundry is drying, I guess I'll force myself. So today's last day before we get to Sturgis. Some of the ladies are going to go back into the town we were last night because they want to officially report what one of them saw at a gas station. I love that man doing stuff in front of the community and those children and everything. The ones who saw the incident finished speaking with the cops. We just had lunch and now we are heading to our next stop. So these ladies are from this area, their land, Lakota and Nakoda. So they're going to lead us onto their land. I will be right behind them leading the rest of us with them onto their land. Okay, thank you. You're welcome. You know, important for us that we try to reach as much people as possible. And, you know, you would find us at gas stations handing out information, you know, to people that we've just met along the route to spread awareness and to get the message out there about missing and murdered indigenous people. Hello, this is a huge truck. I thought 945, so I went in the lobby at 945. I'm like, oh no, I forgot. They warned me about Indian time. Also, is it okay to say Indian? Or is it native or indigenous? Or because I've heard all, but I wonder. Some people are particular or not. It just kind of depends on who you're around. The government standard, it's stated as Indian. Oh, okay. I'm a bad Indian person. I don't know what you're talking about. I want to respectfully just say that for us, we call ourselves Indians, but for other people, I would say indigenous or Native Americans. Or yeah, I say that with all the love. Because listen, I respect that indigenous people. Those who are here first. You can get like, because there's like literally over 500 different nations and tribes across like North America. And then if you don't know specifically that person's nation, then you then call them indigenous. Or in Canada, some people like First Nations. But yeah, Indian's more like a joke that we kind of like reclaim for ourselves. Something I noticed about you guys is, I mean, if it was me, like I'd be sad for seven days straight. But you guys still like find a way to laugh and have fun and joke between. We've been through a lot as a, you know, as people, systematic racism, genocide, you know? Yeah. And I feel like that sometimes even for all of that, you have to find some way to be happy, you know, Indian humor. You know, no matter what, we always find a way to find happiness. Some may argue that the Native plight is the plight of many poor communities. And with some of the highest poverty rates in the U.S., higher rates of abuse, alcoholism, and other societal issues go hand in hand. But then Lorna told me something I had never learned about in schools. Like my dad, he went to boarding school. And all his siblings, they went there. My dad started there when he was five years old. Willingly then, you know, because a lot of like my parents and stuff, you know, they were forced into boarding schools. They didn't have a choice to go or not. You know, it was kind of like if they did, they would, they were breaking the law. It was kind of like you had to serve your parents at a point in jail. Oh, wow. And he went there when he was five years old, and he didn't leave until he graduated high school. And so he didn't grow up, you know, he was raised by Jesuit, I can't even say the word, priests and nuns, you know, and that's what raised him. I think he would go and see his grandparents in the summer for like maybe a month or two. Horrific history of Native American boarding schools here in the U.S. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the U.S. established federally funded boarding schools aimed at assimilating hundreds of thousands of Native American children, forcibly taking them from their families and stripping them of their culture. There was a lot of horrific things that happened to myself, and I know a lot of other individuals that were in that school system. In this 1929 film, Native American children at a school in Arizona sing a nursery song originally written about counting dead Indians. The students' long hair, culturally a point of pride, was cut into short uniform bowl haircuts. And the experiment is once it goes for it, it gets zapped, and it does it about 10 times, then it doesn't go again. Well, the rat pups and the rat grandpups are adverse to the cherry scent. And it's just through, you know, so all this stuff is transgenerational. It takes time, right? I think it takes time to work out, like, there's something in our subconscious, maybe. And it's survival. Like, we're all trying to survive. And now for the first time, this country has a cabinet secretary who is indigenous. I come from ancestors who endured the horrors of Indian boarding school assimilation policies carried out by the same department that I now lead. This is where my dad grew up. In his job, he was the barber. He had to cut hair. Oh, wow. Everyone, all the kids had jobs here? They had jobs, and so he learned how to cut hair. Bear Butte is located east of Sturgis, east of the Black Hills, and is held in high regard by many of the tribes in our region, most notably the Lakota people and the Dakota people. Our tribes made pilgrimages to this place as it is a place of prayer. And it was a place where our tribes had prepared young men and women on their journey to their rites of passage in becoming a young adult. We are at Bear Butte, ready to do the morning group ride with Medicine Wheel Ride. So many riders come out at Bear Butte. Mountain riding the Crazy Horse Memorial. Sharing the story, going wider and wider. What you didn't see on camera is that at all these stops, I'd hear the ladies' stories. I'd see the same documentary. And every time, while holding my camera, I couldn't help but cry with them. I came to share their stories, but to me, it became more than that. And without even talking about it, I think the ladies knew. Because just before the group ride, they gifted me with my own Medicine Wheel Ride vest and ribbon skirt. Oh, I am so speechless after that. Our new sister. We are here at Crazy Horse Memorial. How do you like my new earring? Only the homegirls get them. Lisa gave these to me. The more I look into this, the more I see that I've barely scratched the surface. What I learned in schools was pretty much Indian history up until the 1900s. I had no idea the issues natives were facing today. Just last week, I was on the plane and saw this documentary. Shout out Delta for even having this. And that's where I learned about what's going on with the Black Hills and all those beautiful roads we've been riding around Sturgis. I had no idea what was going on. I definitely want to keep featuring natives on my road trips. Yes, making videos is my job, but I am not making any money off of this video. All profits are going straight to the Medicine Wheel Ride. When I asked Lorna kind of what Medicine Wheel Ride does with funds people donate, I had to write it down because it's a lot. Just some of the things. They'll help with billboards and flyers for missing people since they're not getting enough coverage in the media. They'll even help with some families' funeral expenses, covering volunteer search efforts, travel expenses for families attending trial away from home. They've even given scholarships in the name of missing and murdered people. So if you want to donate, you can do that directly on YouTube. Here's where you can do it on desktop and here's where you can do it on your phone. You can also go directly on their website and there you can sign up for monthly donations. To watch the series that started the curiosity that led me to the Medicine Wheel Ride, start with my cross-country kickoff video next.