Lakota Sacred Hoop 500 Mile Run - Documenting the healing process

The Lakota Sacred Hoop 500 mile run provides so much meaning and power as it passes through so many sacred sites. To this day, for the Lakota people Paha Sapa (or what is today known as the Black Hills of South Dakota) represents Wazipan, a place where healing, harmony, and balance can be achieved. Thus, from the Lakota perspective, the Sacred Hoop 500 mile run represents a time to reconnect to Hesapa (the Lakota name for the sacred sites), reflect upon Lakota lifestyle and values, and retell sacred creation stories.

Started in 1982, the Lakota Sacred Hoop 500 mile run has grown in numbers and strength every year since its founding. It has become something that people look forward to every year—providing a positive and healthy path that will also benefit future generations as it restores meaning to being a Lakota keeper of wisdom and knowledge for millenia.