Contact us at: whispernthunder1@gmail.comGenerosity on Wheels
~ Mary Burrows
August 14, 2026, was blustery, with scuttling
cloud cover along the banks of Rapid Creek,
but that did not deter folks gathered on lawns
under elm and cottonwood trees near the
Memorial Park band shell. Usually, the weekly
Friday Feed begins at the band shell at 4 pm,
but this was just past noon, and the gathering
crowd buzzed with anticipation.
The world-famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was in full swing, drawing bikers from throughout the world to western South Dakota, among them the Indigenous-based First Nations Redrum Motorcycle Club.
Those readers of a certain age may recall Hollywood portrayals of bikers and gangs, like Marlon Brando's 1953 movie, “The Wild Ones,” or Jack Nicholson in “Hell's Angels on Wheels,” from 1967. And Peter Fonda with Dennis Hopper in “Easy Rider.” These were depictions from the twentieth century.
Redrum Motorcycle Club is a twenty-first century organization, founded in 2006 on the tenets of the Good Red Road. Pillars of their credo include brotherhood, motorcycling, community, respect, responsibility, fundraising, and supporting family. Club structure is modeled after the Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, who battled each other until they joined together to promote peace and unity. Redrum is a Warrior Society that claims no territory because they represent all Indigenous peoples.
RedSpirit Women's Motorcycle Riding Club (WMRC) is sister club to Redrum and stands on the same basic tenets: community, motorcycling, responsibility, fundraising, mutual support, and sisterhood. They love spreading messages of peace and positivity on two wheels.
The Clubs hold a collective consciousness of the environment, of communities in need, and righteousness. Members' common interest in motorcycles brings them together to address the many issues occurring in their ancestral homelands. They are Warriors for The People.
The common mission of both clubs is to bring like-minded people together to assist people in need, not just Indigenous communities, but all in need. They organize and participate in various rides and runs in sponsorship of worthy causes. Help for communities comes in the form of fundraisers for Native American Veterans, sponsoring scholarships for Native youth, raising awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, and protesting oil pipelines.
Though they are an Indigenous society, one does not have to prove Native American blood or heritage to be a member. They need only to believe in traditional ways of living and in sharing, community, and family.
Indigenous people experience significantly higher rates of violence and are more often reported murdered or missing than any other populations. The two clubs are strong and participating advocates for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), a situation that occurs far too often in Lakota country. This nomenclature includes women and girls, relatives, and two-spirit individuals. The Redrum web-site provides links to information about various laws and a link to MMIP data base that tracks the missing from 1900 to today.
On this day in August, thanks to coordination between native New Yorker Cliff Matias, founder of Redrum, and Deb Daly, Lakota “Champion of Compassion,” food for this Friday Feed would be provided and served by Redrum and RedSpirit to houseless and hungry people in Rapid City. Music pulsed from the Redrum sound system. Food trays and servers were prepared. Close to 1:30, the sound of sirens announced the arrival of the motorcycles!
Down the hill and into the adjacent parking lot they rolled, with engines rumbling. People rose from their seats to welcome the phalanx of bikers into the park. After a few minutes of mingling and greeting, welcoming words were spoken and a prayer offered over the Spirit Plate. The guests then formed a line to enjoy the barbecue and side dishes courtesy of Redrum and RedSpirit.
An afternoon of camaraderie and conversation ensued as over 100 guests and their hosts enjoyed the food. Redrum Drum Circle closed the afternoon with a song.
Redrum generosity spilled over on September 4, when the OyateKin Cante Wastepi served Friday Feed guests additional pizza provided by Redrum.
https://redrummc.com/about-2
https://sierranevadaally.org/2022/10/20/redrum-motorcycle-club-warriors-of-the-road