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BUFORD, N.D.— At around 3 p.m.Thursday, a group of riders on horseback and in vehicles arrived at Fort Buford.The group was jubilant, chanting and cheering as the sound of a hand drum echoed across the historic site.These riders — members of the Modern Day Warrior Movement, a grassroots-led organization based in Poplar on the Fort Peck Reservation — had been traveling for four days, beginning from Poplar on June 7.Each day, they traveled between 13 and 20 miles, stopping in Brockton, Culbertson and Bainville before reaching their final destination on Thursday under a cloud of wind and rain.ADVERTISEMENT This rain, it was noted afterward, was also healing for members of the Sitting Bull Healing Ride, an event designed to "honor our ancestors and bring healing to our communities," explained event organizer Isaac Miller.To understand the significance of the route, organizers point back to Sitting Bull's journey and the history tied to it.Known as Tatanaka Iyotake, the Hunkpapa Lakota leader and his band fled into Canada — specifically to the area of Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, located about 90 miles north of Glasgow, Montana — following the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876."There were over 300 of his band.Men, women, and children," said Miller, an Oglala Lakota man who now lives in Poplar.Two of his ancestors, Iron Cloud and Knife Chief, were among Sitting Bull's band."His band, his people were lonesome and they wanted to return home.But during that time, it was dangerous because he didn't know if his people were going to be attacked.He didn't know if his people were going to be safe." When they returned to the United States in 1881, they did so "under the white flag," Miller added."He came back under peace and he wanted peace for his people.He thought about his young men and women and children and elders who were with him.They were hungry.They were running out of food." It was at Fort Buford — on the same grounds the riders stood Thursday — where Sitting Bull and his band surrendered on July 19, 1881.They were then taken to Fort Yates, on the Standing Rock Reservation.While they surrendered, "they never gave up their way of life," Miller said."This horse ride is to honor all the relatives that came down with Sitting Bull, including my great-grandpa.We wanted to bring healing to our communities," he added."We wanted to bring awareness." ADVERTISEMENT On Thursday, the group began their final day leaving Bainville.Traveling along Bainville Snowden Road, or Montana Highway 327, the group stopped for lunch along the highway's bend, about one mile west of the Montana-North Dakota state line.Rain freckled the highway as tall grass blew along the roadside.The group soon departed.Several cars drove ahead, flashing their hazard lights, while a Montana Highway Patrol vehicle drove alongside the horseback crew, flashing their sirens.Miller described the riders as traveling "like a moving band," complete with camps, teepees and support crews providing meals along the route.He also praised the generosity of communities hosting the riders along the route.Miller thanked the communities, including non-Native communities along the route, like the Culbertson Saddle Club and residents in Bainville, for helping host and support the riders.The group of about 60 included participants from different tribal affiliations and age groups, including 14 youth riders.Miller said all seven bands of the Great Sioux Nation were represented in the ride.As the group approached the state line, by Fort Union, they were met by a North Dakota Highway Patrol vehicle, who took over the job of escorting the group to Fort Buford.At the intersection of North Dakota Highways 58 and 1804, the group stopped once more.After regrouping, they completed the final leg of their journey, entering the Fort Buford State Historic Site from the south.The riders were met with an emotional welcome and ceremony.The event has been two years in the planning, Miller said."We started planning to have a horse ride — and then each year, things kind of came up." He is hoping that next year, the ride can happen again, this time to coincide with the actual anniversary of Sitting Bull's surrender.Following this year's event, Miller hopes to create a 501(c)(3) for the Modern Day Warrior Movement, a "sober warrior movement" focused on spirituality, cultural teachings and service work.The group, especially through the healing ride, hopes to also educate youth about their culture.ADVERTISEMENT "A lot of our young people are going to get a chance to identify who they are," Miller said."It's really an opportunity for our young men and women to identify who they are, who they come from, where they come from.And these young people are the future, so they need to know where they come from, to know where they're going in life." Native American history, "anything that you see or hear about our people," he said, "is all one-sided." "We're kind of telling that oral history from our people," Miller added."We're sharing it with these young men and women.We want to pass down the knowledge of our history to our future, the young men and women."