Lower Sioux Indian Community
The goal of the Dakota History Symposium at Lower Sioux Agency is to reclaim Dakota voice in a narrative that under-represents Dakota perspective and cultural worldview while providing opportunity for exiled Dakota to reconnect to their shared history, disrupting dominant power dynamics that restrict Dakota truth-telling. Hosting a Dakota-led educational event will enhance public understanding, broaden worldviews perspective and increase access to historic truths of the State of Minnesota.
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John Day (St. Paul, MN) – John Day was a part of the Why Treaties Matter selection team, is very familiar with MHC ways of working. He is American Indian. |
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Nanette Missaghi (Eden Prairie, MN) Nanette Missaghi was part of the community work group that developed the educator guides for Why Treaties Matter and instrumental with piloting the guides/exhibit in Eden Prairie schools. She is American Indian. |
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John Bobolink (Minneapolis, MN) was recommended to the panel by the group that created the original Indigenous Arts bill. He is American Indian. |
Laura Benson
Minnesota Humanities Center
laura@mnhum.org
651-772-4244
$850,000 the first year and $850,000 the second year are for a competitive grants program to provide grants to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Minnesota.
The Minnesota Humanities Center must operate a competitive grants program to provide grants to programs that preserve and honor the cultural heritage of Minnesota or that provide education and student outreach on cultural diversity or to programs that empower communities to build their identity and culture. Priority must be given to grants for individuals and organizations working to create, celebrate, and teach indigenous arts and cultural activities and arts organizations and programs preserving, sharing, and educating on the arts and cultural heritage of immigrant communities in Minnesota.
We have identified immediate and long-term outcomes for this project.
Measurable immediate outcomes include: a) establishment of an Oceti Sakowin Planning Committee; b) develop a strategy/model for future event sustainability; c) develop and strengthen institutional and organizational relationships within the region; d) fortify alliances dedicated to culture & heritage preservation, Dakota story-telling/truth-telling, history and interpretation; e) increase LSA site attendance by up to 500 ppl. in 2 day; and f) Gather as the Oceti Sakowin at Lower Sioux Agency- strong, successful and resilient.
Long term outcomes we hope to see from this project are as follows:
- Increased interest from educators to include Indigenous authorship, Dakota relevant history curriculum, outreach and cultural education in the classroom.
- Audiences can gain an awareness of authentic cultural, historic resources that reflect an accurate narrative.
- By attending this event people will broaden their views on Minnesota history and determine historic inaccuracies of written materials.
- Build and strengthen inter-generational connections within and across our Dakota and Minnesota rural communities.
The planning committee in partnership with LS THPO and SSTM will be responsible for drafting a mechanism for evaluation- this could be surveys, video clips, comment cards.
In progress