Spirit Riders Foundation

The Spirit Riders Foundation is a non-profit foundation* that produces multimedia state of the art audio-visual programming to educate, enlighten, entertain and to create positive understanding, hope and action among people and cultures. These materials are designed to foster harmony and understanding by empowering the human spirit, mind and body.

The profits from the Spirit Riders Trilogy will go towards Lakota Youth Education programs.

Spirit Riders -The Film

Spirit Riders is an international award winning documentary film about the birth of an American Indian peace movement, begun in 1990 by the Lakota Nation and its growth over the subsequent years.

From the stunning images of wilderness landscapes to the dramatic footage of peace and unity horseback rides, this film is a visual delight. With narration by Peter Coyote, interviews with ride-participant Viggo Mortensen (Lord Of The Rings & Hidalgo) and an eclectic soundtrack featuring American Indian Grammy winner Bill Miller, Robert Mirabal, Keith Secola, Rick Allen, Lauren Monroe. Spirit Riders not only entertains, but leads the audience on a profound journey inside a culture and a movement offering ancient traditional visions of peace to a troubled modern world.

Many respected members of the Lakota community, including descendents of Sitting Bull and Black Elk are featured in the film, both as participants in the rides and as social/cultural commentators. Charlotte Black Elk, Alex Whiteplume, Birgil Killstraight, Ron His Horse Is Thunder, Russell Means and Mel Lonehill all make appearances in the film.

The film introduces us to the Lakota Indian tradition of ceremonial horseback rides and how in the last fifteen years these rides have become a source of inspiration for the Lakota people and a medium for a worldwide message of peace. We explore the annual Peace And Unity rides which each year are conducted to a different sacred site on the summer solstice. On that day, June 21st, a ceremony is held for peace among all people of the world and harmony with the environment. The film shows how this vision is coming to pass as the movement, which started as a purely local event, has since led to annual ceremonies not only in Central America but as far away as Ireland, Australia and South Africa.

Other Films in the Trilogy:

Peta Yuha Mani - He Who Keeps The Fire
The Viggo Mortensen Interview

This film is an in depth interview conducted by documentary film maker James Kleinert. The film explores Mr. Mortenson's heart felt thoughts and reflections of his experience in Lakota country during the filming of Hidalgo and his participation in the 2003 Big Foot Peace Ride to Wounded Knee. Mr. Mortenson opens himself up, revealing his view of the media, government policy and just being with the Lakota people.

The Ride To Little Big Horn

Join the Lakota Future Generation Riders as they follow the path Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and other great warriors took on their way to the Greasy Grass. On June 25th, 128 years to the date, the riders charge the Little Big Horn where General Custer made a fatal last stand. Lakota elders like Mel Lonehill share their ancient knowledge of this historic event and re-enact the actual event from a Lakota perspective.

12/29/2008 - A recent letter from the Zintkala Luzahan Productions highlights our positive outreach and collaboration:

February 10, 2009
James Kleinert
President
Spirit Riders Foundation

Dear James:

We at Zintkala Luzahan Productions are so excited in regards to our collaboration with the Spirit Riders Foundation.

We feel that your organization has much to offer our new production company in the way of advice, guidance and your thoughtful donation of recording and computer equipment. Thank you again for helping our fledgling company get started.

We appreciate your shared commitment to Lakota language preservation through educating Lakota youth. We feel confident that through the Lakolia Wacinkiksuya DVD and book series, Zintkala Luzahan will be able to assist in the revitalization of the Lakota language.

The Apple G-4 laptop computer with video editing software, video monitor and PD-100 video camera with accessories you contributed are essential to our endeavor. Without your generous contributions to this venture, there is no telling how long it would have taken to collect the necessary components to jump start production.

I’m sure you’ll be hearing a lot from us during the next few months as your insight and experience have proven invaluable.

Also, congratulations on your success with Saving the American Wild Horse.

Thank you again for your generous donation,

Karen Ducheneaux
Producer/Director
Zintkala Luzahan Productions
HCR 3Box 121-F
Gettysburg, SD 57442

Donate:

You can donate to Saving The American WIld Horse through the Spirit Riders foundation, which is a 501c3 nonprofit. We are also seeking support for the Lakota Youth eduation program listed on the Spirit Riders Foundation Board of Directors page. We appreciate your generous support for these causes.