Minnesota Native News: Reactions to the New Operation Lady Justice Task Force

Headline: This week on Minnesota Native News, reactions to a new White House Executive Order on Missing and Murdered Indigeneous Women.

Report:
For years Native people and allies have been drawing attention to the devastatingly high number of missing and murdered indigenous women and men. There have been public marches, art exhibits, billboards and more - all in an effort to spur action. Minnesota recently set up its own state-wide task force on the issue. And on November 26th President Donald Trump sat at his desk in the oval office and announced a new Executive Order.

TRUMP: With my order today we are announcing Operation Lady Justice … (:04)

The new interagency task force will establish new protocols for dealing with cases of missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. It also establishes a multi-jurisdictional team to review cold cases.

TRUMP: [applause] We have with us …

Also in the Oval Office that day were 5 tribal leaders gathered behind the President.

TRUMP: Melanie Benjamin, Chief Executive of the Mille Lacs Band…

Chairwoman Benjamin stepped forward and shared gratitude for this new effort.

BENJAMIN: [OJIBWE INTRODUCTION] It is my honor and my privilege to be here for the signing because we can not have this anymore…

TRUMP: Kevin Dupuis, Chairman of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. (:12)

Chairman Dupuis [DU-pee] spoke for nearly two full minutes appealing for respect for Native women and all Native people.

DUPUIS: Our women are the ones who raise our children, our women are the ones who take are of our village, take care of our community, our teachers… (:08) [fade out]

These tribal leaders were part of this press event announcing Operation Lady Justice. But they will not will not sit on the task force itself. They will not formally guide its work.The task force expires in 2 years and there has been no dollar figure attached to the effort. All of this has some policy experts feeling skeptical.

DEER: I mean that’s unacceptable to have a task force to address this crisis with absolutely no tribal leadership. They know what the crisis looks like and they know what kind of support they need to address the crisis. (:13)

Sarah Deer is a citizen of the Muscogee [Creek] Nation and a Professor at The University of Kansas. For over 25 years she’s been working in law and public policy to end violence against women.

Deer wants to see a more sustained effort over the long-term with enough resources to really make a difference.

DEER: We’re not really sure where the money is going, who’s getting it. We know they’e going to hire people with that money but again those people are only going to be in those positions for two years, just enough to get started and the then the task force will dissolve. (:14)

Deer also wants to see urban Native leaders involved in this effort.

DEER: You know the federal government has a trust and obligation to Native people in my opinion, no matter where they are. The leadership should not stop at the city edge. (:09)

The White House has not offered a plan for how the federal task force will interact with state level task forces, like the one in Minnesota.

Overall Deer says she’s generally skeptical of Trump’s initiatives in Indian Country.

DEER: I guess for me the track record of Trump with Indian Country leaves me very skeptical. He has espoused racist views about Native people. (:08)

She says, for example, before he got to the White House…

DEER: When he was fighting with Indian casinos and saying certain Indians don’t look like Indians. (:05)

Then there’s his ongoing attack of Elizabeth Warren calling her “Pocahontas”. And when he invited Code Talkers to the Oval Office.

DEER: … with a picture of Andrew Jackson hanging over their heads. I mean, as a Creek woman to see Andrew Jackson on the wall while he’s talking to Native elders and esteemed people, it was very painful for me to see that. (:11)

Finally — while Trump announced the Operation Lady Justice Task Force, GOP allies in the Senate were signing onto a bill that would weaken tribal court’s ability to prosecute crimes on tribal lands.

DEER: It’s a disaster.

It’s Republican Senator Jonie Ernst’s bill 2920.

DEER: I don’t know that Trump’s White House has stated an official position but it is concerning that while this Executive Order is being touted, there is effort in the Senate to undermine tribe’s ability to address this problem. (:14)

It remains to be seen how these federal efforts will impact Native women’s safety and what role tribes will play.

For Minnesota Native News, I’m Melissa Townsend.

Minnesota Native News: A Report from the Recent Native American Journalism Association Conference

INTRO/HEADLINE: This week on Minnesota Native News, reporter Melissa Townsend reports on the 35th Annual Native American Journalists Association Conference hosted at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

MELISSA:

The Native American Journalism Association conference was 4 days of workshops, speeches, eating and visiting.

One of the workshops at the conference featured Native artists.

[Dyani introduces herself in Dakota] (:13)

Dyani is a painter usually using acrylics and oils.

She was one of the artists who spoke to a group of reporters - including me. She wants us to know we’ve let her down. The other artists in the room agreed. She shared a story to explain what she meant.

DYANI: So I got asked to be a panelist for an upcoming conference here in Minneapolis - thousand of people - it’s a really big deal apparently.

She’s been chosen as a featured speaker to address the National Arts Education Conference.

DYANI: And then they told me who some of the past guests have been. And they were people like Jeff Koons and Amy Sherald.

Koons and Sherald are two very famous non-Native artists.

DYANI: I got really intimidated and I was like Oh My God. I can’t meet that level of notoriety .These were the biggest, they are everywhere. Everybody knows them who is in the field. I can’t give you that.

And then she realized that’s partly because of the news media.

DYANI: I can’t give it to you because you aren’t giving us the coverage that’s equal to these other folks. We aren’t being reported on with that same respect and value placed on what we have to contribute.

Being ignored in the media contributes to a cycle of feeling invisible and being undervalued.

There is a serious need for better reporting in Indian country.

And that’s hard to do when non-Native reporters and audiences may not even understand the basics.

DYANI: To see and understand the value and the worth of what we make - we have to first fill them in with the entire history of our country. For them to even be able to look at a work and be able to unpack what’s in that work… often times they miss it because they don’t know the history, they aren’t taught the history, they don’t know our communities.

[luncheon ambi]

This is where the Native American Journalism Association can play a role.

The association represents nearly 600 journalists - many who are Native - from tribal media, Native outlets and mainstream newsrooms.

NAJA President Tristan Ahtone says the mission is to support indigenous journalists and promote better media coverage of Indian country.

AHTONE: I’ve been working professionally for a decade now. There is a lot more recognition that newsrooms should be doing this type of reporting.

At this year’s conference, NAJA honored the elders among us who have helped build the industry.

Mark Trahant received the “NAJA - Medill Milestone Achievement Award”.

It was recognition of his decades of incredible work, most recently in his role at the helm at Indian Country Today.

TRAHANT: Indian Country today is around because just so many people over the years have invested their time and energy to a simple idea and that is serving Indian readers.

The NAJA conference also offered tools and insight for new generations of reporters.

Hunter Hotulke [hole TOLL kee] is from the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.

He is one of the Native American Journalism Fellows at the conference - receiving specific support from more veteran journalists.

HOTULKE: We all have Native ancestry and we all want to report the news for the betterment of our people so just to get everyone in that environment and foster that creativity is really good.

Mindee Duffell was also there. She works with the Citizen Potawatome Nation. She is non-Native.

DUFFELL: And I think that’s important for people like me who are non-Native to be able to submerge themselves in what being Native actually is.

In addition to honoring the work of Native journalists, correcting history and contradicting stereotypes - as if that’s not all enough - NAJA leaders are also lifting up the importance of a free press.

Another conference discussion focused on a recent NAJA survey.

It showed many are subject to censorship by tribal governments.

So the Native American Journalism Association has plenty of work to do.

All with intention of growing the volume of well-reported stories about Native America - and supporting Native reporters.

For Minnesota Native News, I’m Melissa Townsend

MN Native News: Spotlight on War Bonnet’s Award-Nominated Music

Marie: This is Minnesota Native News, I’m Marie Rock.

Headlines: Musical groups from around North America gathered in early November at the Seneca Niagara Events Center at Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino in Niagara Falls, NY for the 19th Annual Native American Music Awards ceremony.

Among artists nominated for an award… a relatively new musical group from Northern MN.

Here's Reporter Leah Lemm with the story.

STORY #1 - NORTHERN MN BAND WAR BONNET NOMINATED FOR NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS

MUSIC INTRO

REPORTER: You’re listening to the song “Ikwe: by the band War Bonnet, a band recently nominated for two Native American Music awards One for New or Debut Duo/Group of the Year and another for Best Rock Recording for their latest album Ghost Dance.

Although the group didn’t win the awards in their categories, band founders Chaz Wagner and Tony Parson are excited to be recognized for their hard work and musicianship.

CHAZ WAGNER: (00:55) hello, my name is Chaz Wagner, [Anishinaabemowin] I'm from Nett Lake. I'm a Boise Fort band member and band member of War Bonnet. And I started this band with my buddy Tony and it's indigenous native theme band and music.

Speaker 4: (11:22) we get, we got nominated, uh, this year, 2019 for native music award. And it just, I think it really pushed us even further as a band pushed us further. The nomination itself really helped us in our, um, in our career now having that under our belt. And I'm excited to see where we can go from here. You know, we didn't win the award, but it's not going to stop us from doing what we do, you know?

Tony Parson: Speaker 3: (00:24) My name is Tony Parson. I'm co-songwriter and the keyboard player for warbonnet.

Speaker 3: (07:42)it was just an honor being nominated and that in itself, we were, you know, really stoked and just feeling really good about that, you know, like all that hard work, you know?

REPORTER: And their hard work in crafting their music has led to a large and unique sound.

Speaker 4: (01:26) it's Tony and I, we write all the songs, we record all the songs, but we, we have to play the songs live. So we have a live group, which consists of members that are involved with the native communities.

REPORTER: There are seven players in the live band: two guitars, a Bass, Keys, Drums, vocals, and a Euphonium. Which is kind of like a smaller version of a tuba.

CHAZ Wagner: Speaker 4: (05:04) our music is so complex that you can't put a title to it.- has its roots in the native music and that's where a lot of like our ideas come from.

Speaker 4: (06:01) we take that native sound and we're using it openly and freely, and our, our native thoughts is in the music.

REPORTER: Chaz remarks on a few on his influences that leads to the sound War Bonnet is creating.

Chaz Wagner: (13:09) I would say indigenous powwow music was always an inspiration. Some of my heroes are, some of the people that I, I don't, I wouldn't say they're heroes, but there are definitely people that I look up to. I was like musically would be like James Hetfield from Metallica. I like, I like love the sound of his guitar, you know, it's just so unique.

SONG: ARROWHEAD

Tony Parson: Speaker 3: (10:27) I don't think any artist is ever satisfied with, you know, where they're at, but they keep that, that dissatisfaction keeps pushing them, you know to keep trying to improve. And so, you know, the thing that's the key, you know, just to use that dissatisfaction to drive you and keep pushing yourself to do better

REPORTER: And as Tony puts it, War Bonnet is pushing forward and keeps on making music. They’re working on their next album titled “Ancestral Legacy” will be released in 2020.

Tony Parson: Speaker 3: (08:53) I don't think that either of us, you know, could do it on their own, but together, you know, we pull together our strengths- it takes a lot of work. It's a lot of practice and a lot of writing.

REPORTER: You can find out more about War Bonnet on Facebook or on the web at WAR BONNET OFFICIAL DOT COM.

For Minnesota Native News, I’m Leah Lemm.

MN Native News: MIWRC Receives $500K Grant & Indian Education Conference

This week on Minnesota Native News, we hear from the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, which just received a $500,000 grant from the Bush Foundation. We also check out the Minnesota Indian Education Association Conference in Hinckley. Here’s reporter Cole Premo.

MIWRC

The Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center in Minneapolis, or MIWRC, recently learned it has won a $500,000 grant from the Bush Foundation. It’s one of five nonprofits in MN and the Dakotas to receive the grant.

I talked with CEO Patina Park to get her reaction on receiving the no-strings attached Bush Prize for Community Innovation grant and more on what the nonprofit does for the native community.

PARK: “We are like beyond thrilled, surprised, uh, very excited. Um, but to be completely honest, we really didn't think we would win. And so when I was called several weeks ago to be informed of, uh, winning the prize, I almost didn't call her back because it was a Friday and I thought, well, I'll just wait for Monday for the bad news.”

But she ended up calling back that day and it was indeed real.

PARK: “I had moment of being completely struck dumb. I couldn't, I had to get my brain to reprocess the fact that we actually won, which means wow.”

The grant means a lot for an emerging nonprofit with humble beginnings. It was founded in the 1980s as a training facility to help other service providers work better with the community.

PARK: “We rapidly realized that we needed to do service provision ourselves. So we started with a chemical dependency program, added a childcare program and it's kind of grown from there to now encompass five main program areas, 17 sub. And I have about 50 employees and we do everything from mental health to chemical house to um, advocacy, case management, child welfare, parenting, um, traditional healing.”

Park says they plan on spending about $100,000 on a new boiler for their building, so that the building has reliable heat all winter long. Park says they’re working on how to spend the rest, but that it may include housing for those in need.

PARK: “ .”

MN Indian Education Conference

In other news, the Minnesota Indian Education Association Conference kicked off for a three-day run in mid-November at the Grand Casino in Hinckley.

According to event organizers, it’s the largest attendance the conference had in its 35-year history -- with over 600 attendees.

The conference featured many notable keynote speakers, including Ojibwe Word of the Day’s James Vukelich, Leech Lake’s Tribal Education Director Laurie Harper and Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux’s secretary/treasurer Rebecca Crooks-Stratton.

Crooks-Stratton is leading her tribe’s latest philanthropic campaign, Understand Native Minnesota, which seeks to improve the Native American narrative in Minnesota’s K-12 schools. Here is part of her keynote speech.

CROOKS-STRATTON: “If we're going to dramatically improve the positioning of native people and tribal nations in the consciousness of our fellow Minnesotans, it just naturally leads us to concentrate most of our efforts on the kids who will be tomorrow's citizens, workers, voters, taxpayers and employers. All of us here can succeed in helping non-native American kids see us. Despite our essential invisibility in popular culture in the media, we can get them to understand our histories and accept the concept of tribal sovereignty and we can sensitize them to the bias and stereotypes which marginalize us still today to achieve these goals, the Shakopee Midwakaton Sioux community just announced a new philanthropic campaign called understand native Minnesota last month. We are committing $5 million over the next three years to advance native American narrative change in Minnesota is public schools.”

In addition to keynote speeches, the Indian Education Conference featured many, many breakout sessions touching on such subjects as empowering indigenous youth through traditional teachings, helping tribal youth become media producers for a digital age, language revitalization and much more -- focused on a better future for native education.

I’m Cole Premo.

Minnesota Native News: Cheryl Minnema publishes new Children’s Book

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe member Cheryl Minnema [MIN-eh-muh] published her first childrens book in 2014. And her second children’s book is out now. Reporter Melissa Townsend talked with her about her new work.

Cheryl Minnema grew up around her Grandmother and her younger brother Johnny in northern Minnesota. And they are both the central characters in her books — Hungry Johnny and Johnny’s Pheasant.

MINNEMA: Yes, Grandma and Johnny are very impressionable people in my life. It’s easy to draw from those memories.

Her brother Johnny passed away a number of years ago but he comes to mind often.

CHERYL: Sometimes I set out to write a particular story that I have in my mind. And then I realize I hear Johnny’s voice in it. (:10)

Cheryl Minnema’s newest book - Johnny’s Pheasant - is an elegantly simple story. She purposefully doesn’t do a lot of explanation or offer a lot of backstory in the book.

MINNEMA: I set out to present situations that are very normal and very natural within the culture. Whether Grandma is visiting or Grandma lives with the nuclear family - it’s just very natural. (:14)

It all starts when Johnny and his Grandma see a pheasant laying motionless on the side of the road. Is he dead or sleeping? You don’t know until the end of the story.

Minnema also writes poetry and it comes through in her writing — like when she describes a feather “zigging and zagging and zigging and zagging ” to the ground.

The story’s Ojibwe Cultural references are clear but also subtle. The Grandmother tells Johnny - if the pheasant is dead - she can use the feathers in her craftwork. And I wonder if this is the only published children’s book where the last lines are “Howah!”

MINNEMA: It’s an expression within the Ojibwe language expression of like Wow, thank you. There is so much in that little word. (:14)

Just like there is so much in this short story. Johnny’s Pheasant is illustrated by Julie Flett who is Cree-Metis and published by the University of Minnesota Press.

For Minnesota Native News, I’m Melissa Townsend.

Minnesota Native News: New Work from Julie Buffalohead at MIA

St Paul based artist Julie Buffalohead has a new exhibit opening at the Minneapolis Institute of Art later this month. Buffalohead is a citizen of the Ponca tribe in Oklahoma. This exhibit features 5 new pieces of art - but 3 of them are huge - 12 feet tall and 4 and 1/2 feet long!

AHLBERG YOHE: There is nobody out there doing what Julie does. (:03)

Jill Ahlberg Yohe [YO-hee] co-curated the exhibit with Josephine Lampone, who is Kiowa. Ahlberg says art is a language and Julie Buffalohead is using that language to tell stories about social, political, and personal experiences.

AHLBERG YOHE: Well this incredible work Cages is about being in cages and what that means historically and what that means in contemporary moments (:09)

The work is deep and layered. Animals are often central characters in her work and Buffalohead does not decipher each detail for the viewer.

AHLBERG YOHE: As you know many non-Native people have this urgency to decode it — what does it mean - what does it really mean? What does this symbol mean? [laughs] (:13)

Co-curator Josephine Lampone includes some descriptions of Native animal stories in the exhibit, but viewers are encouraged to do their own thinking. The exhibit opens at MIA in Minneapolis on November 23rd and runs through September 2020. Co-curater Jill Ahlberg Yohe [YO-hee] says she expects Julie Buffalohead will soon be in high demand internationally.

Minnesota Native News: New Grant, New Book and New Exhibit

HEADLINES: This week on Minnesota Native News we hear about a big boost to a handful of organizations working with Native communities. We also hear about a new book from Cheryl Minnema [MIN-eh-muh] and a new exhibit featuring Ponca artist Julie Buffalohead.

STORY #1 - BUSH PRIZE FOR COMMUNITY INNOVATION
The Minnesota Based Bush Foundation has announced the winners of its 2019 Bush Prize for Community Innovation.Three of the five winning organizations work specifically with Native people and tribes.

The Minnesota American Indian Women’s Resource Center has been awarded 500-thousand dollars for their work in Minneapolis.

408-thousand dollars went to the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance for its work building affordable renewable energy systems with tribal communities in the northland.

And South Dakota State University was awarded 500-thousand dollars for its initiatiave to transform the campus to be more welcoming and supportive of Native students.

Bush Foundation President Jennifer Ford Reedy says the Bush Prize winners exhibit remarkable creativity and tenacity in addressing issues that are most important to their communities.

STORY #2 NEW BOOK FROM CHERYL MINNEMA
Next… Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe member Cheryl Minnema [MIN-eh-muh] published her first childrens book in 2014. And her second children’s book is out now. Reporter Melissa Townsend talked with her about her new work.

Cheryl Minnema grew up around her Grandmother and her younger brother Johnny in northern Minnesota. And they are both the central characters in her books — Hungry Johnny and Johnny’s Pheasant.

MINNEMA: Yes, Grandma and Johnny are very impressionable people in my life. It’s easy to draw from those memories.

Her brother Johnny passed away a number of years ago but he comes to mind often.

CHERYL: Sometimes I set out to write a particular story that I have in my mind. And then I realize I hear Johnny’s voice in it. (:10)

Cheryl Minnema’s newest book - Johnny’s Pheasant - is an elegantly simple story. She purposefully doesn’t do a lot of explanation or offer a lot of backstory in the book.

MINNEMA: I set out to present situations that are very normal and very natural within the culture. Whether Grandma is visiting or Grandma lives with the nuclear family - it’s just very natural. (:14)

It all starts when Johnny and his Grandma see a pheasant laying motionless on the side of the road. Is he dead or sleeping? You don’t know until the end of the story.

Minnema also writes poetry and it comes through in her writing — like when she describes a feather “zigging and zagging and zigging and zagging ” to the ground.

The story’s Ojibwe Cultural references are clear but also subtle. The Grandmother tells Johnny - if the pheasant is dead - she can use the feathers in her craftwork. And I wonder if this is the only published children’s book where the last lines are “Howah!”

MINNEMA: It’s an expression within the Ojibwe language expression of like Wow, thank you. There is so much in that little word. (:14)

Just like there is so much in this short story. Johnny’s Pheasant is illustrated by Julie Flett who is Cree-Metis and published by the University of Minnesota Press. For Minnesota Native News, I’m Melissa Townsend.

STORY #3 - NEW MIA EXHIBIT OF JULIE BUFFALOHEAD’S WORK
St Paul based artist Julie Buffalohead has a new exhibit opening at the Minneapolis Institute of Art later this month. Buffalohead is a citizen of the Ponca tribe in Oklahoma. This exhibit features 5 new pieces of art - but 3 of them are huge - 12 feet tall and 4 and 1/2 feet long!

YOHE: There is nobody out there doing what Julie does. (:03)

Jill Ahlberg Yohe [YO-hee] co-curated the exhibit with Josephine Lampone, who is Kiowa. Ahlberg says art is a language and Julie Buffalohead is using that language to tell stories about social, political, and personal experiences.

YOHE: Well this incredible work Cages is about being in cages and what that means historically and what that means in contemporary moments (:09)

The work is deep and layered. Animals are often central characters in her work and Buffalohead does not decipher each detail for the viewer.

YOHE: As you know many non-Native people have this urgency to decode it — what does it mean - what does it really mean? What does this symbol mean? [laughs] (:13)

Co-curator Josephine Lampone includes some descriptions of Native animal stories in the exhibit, but viewers are encouraged to do their own thinking. The exhibit opens at MIA in Minneapolis on November 23rd and runs through September 2020.

Co-curater Jill Ahlberg Yohe [YO-hee] says she expects Julie Buffalohead will soon be in high demand internationally.

MN Native News: Reforming Enrollment and Maybe a Name

Headlines:
Marie: This week on Minnesota Native News, we talk about enrollment, and what’s in a name.
This is Minnesota Native News. I’m Marie Rock.
[Story #1 Enrollment]
Marie: Red Lake Nation recently changed who can be a citizen. It used to require one-quarter Red Lake blood quantum. But starting in January, anyone who was an enrolled member in 1958 will be considered full-blood. As Laurie Stern reports, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is thinking about making changes too.
Laurie: Red Lake Nation changed the enrollment rules to reverse what Secretary Sam Strong called intentional mathematical genocide. David Treuer from Leech Lake agrees.
DT: It was the general thinking of the United States government that if they institute blood quantum laws we would breed ourselves out of existence within a generation or two.
Treuer is a historian and author. His new book is called The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee. Treuer says blood quantum is a divisive and problematic way to decide who gets to be a tribal member. Blood matters, he says, but so do language, ceremony and culture.
DT: We understand ourselves in many ways beyond blood and our discussions are beginning to evolve to meet the ways in which I think we’ve always thought of ourselves. It’s exciting. It’s time in this age of gathered and growing strength we think about how we want to organize ourselves.
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe – which includes Leech Lake and five other bands – is considering the enrollment question right now. A constitutional committee meets monthly to gather input on whether and how criteria should change.
GF: I’m Gary Frazer, Executive Director of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe here in Cass Lake. We set our own enrollment. We should decide who our members are and who aren’t our members. Bottom line that’s probably what we’re going to get out of it, similar to what Red Lake did.
Frazer says the MCT has lost about a thousand members over the past twenty years, and membership will continue to decline as people marry outside the tribe because their children and their children’s children will have less blood quantum. Frazer says there’s no consensus yet on how to reverse the trend but the enrollment committee has heard many ideas for how to make membership more inclusive. He says members of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe will be getting a survey in the mail, and there will soon be a Facebook page for members to weigh in. Red Lake Nation is holding a special enrollment meeting the end of January. Enrollment reform is just one part of a movement across Indian Country to reform tribal constitutions. For MNN I’m Laurie Stern
[Story #2 Historic Ft. Snelling Name Change]
Marie: The state historical site at Ft. Snelling just closed for the season, but the discussion about what to call it is ramping up. The name of the 1820’s fort will remain Fort Snelling. But, what the 23-acre site around the Fort should be called… that’s up for discussion. The public has until mid-November to weigh in with ideas and suggestions. This is Kevin Maijala (MY-a-la), the deputy director of learning at the Minnesota Historical Society.
(KM History is about everybody’s story. We want to be sure the Native perspective is in there, we’ve been adding items about treaties and trade, about tragedies at Ft. Snelling, the concentration camp where Dakota were interred after the war of 1862. It’s a painful place but it’s also a place of origin for Dakota people. Maybe it’s time to change the name to reflect that broader story that we’re trying to tell.
Marie: Maijala says more than 5,000 people have so far contributed their thoughts through emails, public meetings and the survey. The History Center will summarize those views and likely recommend a name change to the legislature in 2020. You can find the survey through November 15 at m-n-h-s dot org slash naming.