The Christmas holiday holds a different meaning for many in Minnesota.

For Indigenous Minnesotans, it’s a somber reminder of the mass public execution of 38 Dakota ancestors in Mankato.

Their memory is honored more than 150 years later in a sacred ceremony that brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike.

“I personally celebrate Christmas as well, but this day is a day of commemoration,” said AllenMichael Owen, as he helped to chop wood for a midnight memorial fire on Christmas night, marking the beginning of the annual ceremony.

That ceremony, the Dakota 38+2 ceremonial run, was started by Willard Malebear in 1986, and the legacy has been carried on more recently by his son and namesake, Willard Malebear, Jr.

“Just means a lot to me. You know, knowing that since my dad has passed, I’m able to sort of step up and continue on that, you know, in his memory, but also, you know, in the memory of all of our relatives that we lost,” Malebear, Jr. said.

It began at Fort Snelling at midnight on Christmas. From there, participants embarked on an hours-long relay run to what is now Reconciliation Park in Mankato, where, on Dec. 26, 1862, 38 Dakota men were hanged in the largest single-day mass execution in American history.

“It was a tragedy. And, you know, I think anyone looking at it can just see the wrong in what happened,” Malebear, Jr. said.

One hundred sixty-two years later, the Dakota 38+2 ceremonial run honored the 38 and two other men executed later, all accused of participating in the U.S.-Dakota war over their homeland.

“So I think to honor them is to also dignify their lives and remember them as individual — common men who did what they needed to do for their communities,” Owen added.

“And so, that’s what we do. We do what we need to do for our communities, regardless of the outcome.”

“You know, we’re all relatives, like even our non-Indigenous relatives,” Malebear, Jr. continued.

“These Dakota 38+2 that were hung were all of our relatives, and that, you know, we should all remember their sacrifice that they gave in order for our people to continue to live and be on this land… It’s just a part of history that everyone that lives in Minnesota just should be aware of.”