Lower Sioux Indian Community Reclaims Land and More
02/24/21 • 4 min
HEADLINES: This week on Minnesota Native News: Lower Sioux Indian Community reclaims 114 acres, a Sumer opportunity for Native college students and a timely review for TV watchers.
STORY #1 - Canca’yapi Returns to Lower Sioux Indian Community (2:30)
The Lower Sioux Indian Community in Canca’yapi [Chosh-shay-ah-pee] recently reclaimed 114 acres of land from the state of Minnesota. Reporter Melissa Townsend has those details and more.
This 114 acres is part of the homelands of the Dakota people. This spot, called the Lower Sioux Agency, is where the war of 1862 began. That war ended with the forced removal of many Dakota people from Minnesota.
Cheyanne St John is the Tribal Historic Preservation officer and Director of Lower Sioux Cultural Department.
ST JOHN: Our indigenous people have always had such a strong connection to land so when we had these forced removals and all these different traumatic events happen, one of the ways in which we were able to find little bits of healing and reconnection to identity was through land and returning to our homeland. (:24)
In 2004 conversations began between the tribe and the state about the tribe reclaiming this land. It’s taken nearly 2 decades for the process to unfold. It involved the state legislature, the DNR, the Historical Society, the federal government and 31 other tribes.
ST. JOHN: Any tribes that have direct affiliation with Canca’yapi or this part of Minnesota are notified of what is being proposed so without the support of those 31 tribes it could have been a much longer process. (:17)
St John says she doesn’t feel it’s appropriate to say the tribe now “owns” the land.
ST JOHN: From an indigenous perspective, land is not owned - our connection to our history is far stronger than any piece of paper that could be signed. (:12)
Now that the tribe is the steward of the land St John says it will retain the site as- is.
ST. JOHN: Maybe down the road there would be some planning and conversations in the community about how to make that space a bit more contemporary in telling our Dakota history. (:13)
St John says she feels grateful to all the people who have worked over the past two decades to return this land to the Dakota people. She feels lucky to be here when the final documents were actually signed.
In other news —
STORY #2 - MNHS Internship (1:05)
The Minnesota Historical Society is planning to host 5 Native college students for a 10 week paid internship this summer.
The Native American Museum Undergraduate Fellowship engages Native students in exploring the world of tribal historic preservation and museum exhibits.
Ambar Annis, Mnicoujou Lakota, is Program and Outreach Manager at the Minnesota Historical Society.
She says the program is part of the museum’s efforts to indigenize story telling about Native communities and culture.
ANNIS: We’re trying to working to make sure it’s native people who are telling the stories, that it’s Native Nations and Native communities members who are coming to us who are saying these are the stories that need to be told and we need to be in control of those. (:12)
Because of Covid-19 the 10 week summer program will start online.
Annis says they hope to gather all the interns in St Paul for the final few weeks of the program to visit sites and work safely in-person together.
Interns receive money for travel, food and their time. Housing is also arranged.
For those interested, search for Native American Fellowship at the website mnhs.org.
For Minnesota native News, I’m Melissa Townsend.
STORY #3 - WandaVision Review
Finally, as we are still spending a lot of time indoors at home, Gerry Zink recommends a new show from Marvel Studios - the studio behind Endgame, the highest grossing movie of all time. Zink is a 17 year old Lakota comics aficionado. Here is his review of Wandavision.
Wandavision is the first TV show made by Marvel Studios post Endgame, and it’s the first in a long line of shows made exclusively for Disney Plus. It stars Scarlet Witch and Vision, from the most recent Avengers movies.
It is the first time marvel has veered into sitcom territory, with a little mix of alternate reality fiction and 1950s surrealism. The characters fit very well within the sitcom landscape, with many hilarious sketches and jokes. While the show is very funny, it also uses the audience's broader knowledge of the Marvel universe to generate a decent amount of tension within the audience. It is impossible to say any more without spoiling, but Wandavision is a great watch for Friday nights on Disney Plus.
HEADLINES: This week on Minnesota Native News: Lower Sioux Indian Community reclaims 114 acres, a Sumer opportunity for Native college students and a timely review for TV watchers.
STORY #1 - Canca’yapi Returns to Lower Sioux Indian Community (2:30)
The Lower Sioux Indian Community in Canca’yapi [Chosh-shay-ah-pee] recently reclaimed 114 acres of land from the state of Minnesota. Reporter Melissa Townsend has those details and more.
This 114 acres is part of the homelands of the Dakota people. This spot, called the Lower Sioux Agency, is where the war of 1862 began. That war ended with the forced removal of many Dakota people from Minnesota.
Cheyanne St John is the Tribal Historic Preservation officer and Director of Lower Sioux Cultural Department.
ST JOHN: Our indigenous people have always had such a strong connection to land so when we had these forced removals and all these different traumatic events happen, one of the ways in which we were able to find little bits of healing and reconnection to identity was through land and returning to our homeland. (:24)
In 2004 conversations began between the tribe and the state about the tribe reclaiming this land. It’s taken nearly 2 decades for the process to unfold. It involved the state legislature, the DNR, the Historical Society, the federal government and 31 other tribes.
ST. JOHN: Any tribes that have direct affiliation with Canca’yapi or this part of Minnesota are notified of what is being proposed so without the support of those 31 tribes it could have been a much longer process. (:17)
St John says she doesn’t feel it’s appropriate to say the tribe now “owns” the land.
ST JOHN: From an indigenous perspective, land is not owned - our connection to our history is far stronger than any piece of paper that could be signed. (:12)
Now that the tribe is the steward of the land St John says it will retain the site as- is.
ST. JOHN: Maybe down the road there would be some planning and conversations in the community about how to make that space a bit more contemporary in telling our Dakota history. (:13)
St John says she feels grateful to all the people who have worked over the past two decades to return this land to the Dakota people. She feels lucky to be here when the final documents were actually signed.
In other news —
STORY #2 - MNHS Internship (1:05)
The Minnesota Historical Society is planning to host 5 Native college students for a 10 week paid internship this summer.
The Native American Museum Undergraduate Fellowship engages Native students in exploring the world of tribal historic preservation and museum exhibits.
Ambar Annis, Mnicoujou Lakota, is Program and Outreach Manager at the Minnesota Historical Society.
She says the program is part of the museum’s efforts to indigenize story telling about Native communities and culture.
ANNIS: We’re trying to working to make sure it’s native people who are telling the stories, that it’s Native Nations and Native communities members who are coming to us who are saying these are the stories that need to be told and we need to be in control of those. (:12)
Because of Covid-19 the 10 week summer program will start online.
Annis says they hope to gather all the interns in St Paul for the final few weeks of the program to visit sites and work safely in-person together.
Interns receive money for travel, food and their time. Housing is also arranged.
For those interested, search for Native American Fellowship at the website mnhs.org.
For Minnesota native News, I’m Melissa Townsend.
STORY #3 - WandaVision Review
Finally, as we are still spending a lot of time indoors at home, Gerry Zink recommends a new show from Marvel Studios - the studio behind Endgame, the highest grossing movie of all time. Zink is a 17 year old Lakota comics aficionado. Here is his review of Wandavision.
Wandavision is the first TV show made by Marvel Studios post Endgame, and it’s the first in a long line of shows made exclusively for Disney Plus. It stars Scarlet Witch and Vision, from the most recent Avengers movies.
It is the first time marvel has veered into sitcom territory, with a little mix of alternate reality fiction and 1950s surrealism. The characters fit very well within the sitcom landscape, with many hilarious sketches and jokes. While the show is very funny, it also uses the audience's broader knowledge of the Marvel universe to generate a decent amount of tension within the audience. It is impossible to say any more without spoiling, but Wandavision is a great watch for Friday nights on Disney Plus.
Previous Episode
The Color Red for MMIWR
Marie: This is Minnesota Native News. I'm Marie Rock. Coming up, from a 2020 report by the Minnesota Task Force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, "While Indigenous people make up just 1% of the state's population, 9% of all murdered girls and women in Minnesota from 2010 to 2019 were American Indian."
February 14th marks a day of honoring for those who are missing and murdered. Events are held, bringing awareness to the epidemic. This year during the pandemic, some events are now online. What is consistent is the support shared for one another and the color red, which is often worn and used in art and signs.
Reporter Leah Lemm speaks with three survivors about the significance of the color red in the search and honoring of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives.
STORY #1: MMIWR AND THE COLOR RED
Reporter: Thanks for taking some time today to talk with me about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives. Can you each please introduce yourself starting with Jessica?
Jessica Smith: [Ojibwemowin]. My name is Jessica Smith. I am a two-spirit enrolled member of the Bois Forte Band of the Minnesota Chippewa tribe. I am a survivor of human trafficking, sexual assault and domestic abuse. So I work with Sovereign Bodies Institute. I'm on their survivor leadership council and all the work that I do nationally is surrounding those issues and how they correlate with the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
Mysti Babineau: Hello, my name is Mysti Babineau. I am a citizen of the Red Lake nation. Like Jessica, I'm a survivor of trafficking, sexual assault, violence, domestic violence, and I'm a climate justice organizer.
Taysha Martineau: [Ojibwemowin]. My name is Taysha Martineau. I am a two-spirit Indigenous rights anarchist from the Fond du Lac reservation. I am a single mother of four and I'm a survivor of abuse.
Reporter: Miigwech for sharing. In attending the rallies and marches and other honorings myself, red is a significant color. Signs, clothing, ribbon, skirts, and red dresses are often displayed. Can you talk a bit about the significance of red and the red dresses?
Jessica Smith: Red is, we are told, that is the only color that spirits can see. So by wearing red or putting out these red dresses is to call back the spirits of these women and allowing their voices to be heard through our bodies and do the things that we do.
Mysti Babineau: Just like Jessica said, that's what I was taught too. And also that's just a very sacred color, at least to the Ojibwe people. We often use it for protection as well, and I think that's also the thing that's really beautiful about our culture and our traditions is the way that they can also shift.
Taysha Martineau: So when we wear red, we're calling those spirits back to us. We're wearing that red so that they come to us so that while we're searching for them, they know who it is we're calling.
Reporter: And wearing a red dress and displaying red dresses are a continuation of that?
Jessica Smith: The red dress project and everything that stemmed from that actually originated in Canada from a woman named Jamie Black. It started out as just a project to show that these women are missing.
Taysha Martineau: The red dress signifies women and it signifies solidarity with the families who are going through this with those mothers who are sitting at home, just waiting for a phone call. The MMIW epidemic has been an epidemic since first contact, and that color, it signifies not only that a woman's missing, but it signifies our love for that person and our love for that family and our support for them.
Reporter: So red is a call to spirits and showing solidarity with those lost and their loved ones and community. Well, thank you, Jessica Smith, Mysti Babineau, and Taysha Martineau for sharing today.
If you need help, there are free resources available. Strong Hearts Native helpline (www.strongheartshelpline.org) provides culturally appropriate support and advocacy for American Indians and Alaskan natives. And that hotline is 1-844-7NATIVE. It's anonymous and confidential. That's 1-844-762-8483. This information can be found on the Minnesota Native News website, www.mnnativenews.org.
For Minnesota Native News, I'm Leah Lemm.
Next Episode
Toward an Inclusive K12 Education
Intro:
Marie intro: This week on Minnesota Native News, a plan for indigenous students to get the education they deserve. I'm Marie Rock. The plan comes from Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. Reporter Emma Needham (Red Lake Nation) has more.
Emma: Due North is a broad education plan crafted by the Walz Administration that seeks to limit disparities between white students and students of color. Included in it are measures and funding to ensure all students receive an accurate history of Minnesota’s Indigenous people, which is lacking in many current curriculums across the state. Even the name of our state, "Minnesota" is derived from the Dakota phrase Mni Sota Makoce, which means "lands where the waters reflect the clouds."
Emma:
Ramona KS is the new project director for We Are Still Here Minnesota. She says education around indigenous history should start right away in the school environment.
Ramona: For kindergarteners....we color the flag of the nation. All right, there are 11 nations in our state, 11 tribal nations, it's very simple.. The concept of sovereignty isn't that hard. It's that we've never taught it.
Emma: Minnesota has among the best K-12 academic outcomes in the nation. Minnesota also consistently exhibits some of the greatest educational disparities between white students and students of color across all areas of education, from reading scores to discipline rates.
One explanation is that indigenous students don’t see themselves in history books, so they feel marginalized. Minnesota Senator Mary Kunesh, recently retired as a library media specialist in K-12 education. She talks about an experience she had with one of her students:
Mary: So There was a student, non native student, that wanted to do some studying around Abraham Lincoln. And after a weekend of studying, he came to me and he knew that I was of Native Descent. And he said to me, Mrs. Kunesh, did you know that Abraham Lincoln is the one that signed the proclamation to hang all those, those men in Mankato? And I didn't know that. It's because we haven't been depicted in our curriculum in an accurate way. And more and more people, native as well as non are calling for that kind of depiction, and authentic history. That's, that's going to show the value in the culture of our native communities, as well as the colonization and genocide that happened.
Emma: As a legislator Senator Kunesh is working with organizations like “We Are Still Here”Ramona KS organization, to build on work that began more than 10 years ago.
Ramona: In 2010, Minnesota was open to infusing the Ojibwe and Dakota culture into the curriculum... that said from now on, 2010, every time we review, the standard disciplines, say science, or literature, we must include the history of the Dakota and the Ojibwe in Minnesota. That was huge. What we learned was... There's no curriculum available.
Emma: The new initiatives in the education plan make up $8.9 million in proposed new spending over the next two years. A main point in the plan to Expand Access to Opportunities for Students of Color and Indigenous Students is to establish an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Center at the Minnesota Department of Education to address systemic racism. The plan also aims to provide educational experiences that value student culture and identity.
Mary: I would love to see it go much longer than two years and, and make it an integral part of professional development, especially, you know, perhaps in licensure for teacher licensure as well.
Conclusion: At this time, the individual bills related to the Due North Education Plan have not yet been drafted for legislation. For Minnesota Native News, I’m Emma Needham.
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