Shattering stereotypes and fighting for Dakota visibility in Minneapolis
Photo of Owámniyomni, named by white settlers St. Anthony Falls, courtesy of Owámniyomni Okhódayapi.
Many Minnesotans don't realize that the ancestral homelands of the Dakota people include land in what is now the City of Minneapolis. Decades of colonization and industrialization rendered Dakota people largely invisible in the Twin Cities.
I lead Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, a nonprofit working to restore five acres of land at Owámniyomni (which settlers named St. Anthony Falls) to a place where Dakota people feel at home, Native plants and our animal relatives thrive, and everyone can connect with the water. This is a place of deep cultural and spiritual significance to the Dakota. Our work is about making Dakota people visible and embracing the value of Dakota culture and other Indigenous perspectives along Ȟaȟa Wakpá (the Mississippi River).
This project is a significant opportunity to uplift Dakota voices and values in Minneapolis by shining a light on the complete history of one of Minnesota's most well-known landmarks. Millions of people visit this site every year with no awareness of the site's history prior to colonization — we're working to change that.
In addition to re-centering Indigenous history, this effort also helps address the harmful myths and stereotypes about Native Americans that are reinforced through pop culture and other narratives in our society. Talking openly about them is the number one way we can work to challenge these common misconceptions and help our non-Native neighbors understand us. We can also challenge these stereotypes by increasing the visibility of our cultures and of Native Americans as modern people – not figures relegated to the past.
One of the most painful myths is that Native Americans no longer exist, are 'extinct' or are a 'dying race.' We are still here. Native people are overcoming centuries of genocide, marginalization and discrimination, and we continue to be resilient. There are 574 federally recognized Native American Tribes and Alaska Native Nations in the United States — 11 of those are here in Minnesota, including four Dakota (Sioux) tribes and seven Anishinaabe (Chippewa, Ojibwe) tribes.
Some people think all Native American cultures are the same or all Native people look the same. We are not a monolithic population — our cultures across Indian Country and even here in Minnesota are incredibly diverse. Many people, particularly those who haven't interacted with Native people before, think of stereotypes shown in old Western movies, which showed mostly Native men and cultures from the Great Plains as told through a white colonialism lens. This does not come close to representing the true vibrancy and diversity present within Indian Country.
A lot of people think that most, if not all, Native people live on reservations. But our presence is not limited to tribal lands. Native Americans are living across all 50 states and playing a vital role in modern America. We may be your neighbor, your doctor, your teacher, your lawyer, or your city or state representative. While most Native peoples remain connected to their tribal communities, approximately 75% of Natives live in urban and suburban areas across the U.S.
As budget conversations are currently playing out at the federal and state level, we should remember a particularly toxic narrative: the myth that Native Americans do not pay taxes. Contrary to stereotypes, Native peoples are required to and pay federal taxes like other Americans. This false narrative has been found to increase feelings of 'unfairness' around Native Americans getting preferential treatment, and it undermines relationships between Native peoples and other communities of color.
At Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, we're playing an important role in uplifting the true history of Dakota people in Mní Sóta (Minnesota) and putting an end to these harmful stereotypes.
We offer tours for the public, school groups, nonprofits and other organizations. We invite you to join us to learn more about the Dakota people and our work to restore the land at Owámniyomni.
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