CAMP COLDWATER, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA—On Tuesday, September 2, members of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) of the Dakota Oyate (Dakota Nation) are reclaiming Coldwater Spring and the surrounding land. As the Original People of Minisota Makoce (Land Where the Waters Reflect the Skies), Dakota people are claiming their inherent right to their sacred sites as well as the rights preserved in the Treaty of 1805.
According to the original treaty that Zebulon Pike negotiated with the Dakota in 1805, “The United States promise on their part to permit the Sioux the pass, repass, hunt or make other uses of the said districts, as they have formerly done, without any other exception, but those specified in article first.” The “Sioux Nation,” (including the Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota Peoples) thus maintain these rights in the ceded territory, which includes the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, covering an estimated 155,000 acres. Yet, the United States government did not fulfill even the meager terms of the treaty, a payment of approximately a penny an acre, to the Dakota people. This calls into the question the legitimacy of the United States government and the State of Minnesota to occupy this land base.
Dakota people will launch the reclamation of Coldwater Spring with four days of ceremonies. They then plan to maintain an occupation of the site until Dakota rights to the land are fully restored and the federal government conducts a clean-up of the site, removing the toxic structures and restoring the land its previously pristine condition.
For further information, contact Jim Anderson (612-910-0730), Chris Mato Nunpa (320-981-0206), or Waziyatawin (320-444-5643).
REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE:
Members of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) of the Dakota Oyate have reoccupied Coldwater Spring and the surrounding land. We are launching the reclamation of this sacred site within our homeland of Bdote with four days of ceremonies. We plan to maintain an occupation of the site until Dakota rights to the land are fully restored and the federal government conducts a clean-up of the site, removing the toxic structures and restoring the land its previously pristine condition.
The Coldwater Spring site is an abandoned property of the defunct Bureau of Mines. As Dakota people who consider the spring to contain the water spirit Unktehi, consider the spring and surrounding land as essential to our spiritual lifeway, and consider the land within our homeland of Bdote we believe that we will be better stewards of the land than either the United States or the State of Minnesota has been. This is evidenced in the fact that the site is littered with toxic structures and the soil is polluted from the former Bureau of Mines.
Our intention is to make use of the site as was meant for Dakota and other Native Nations. We intend to conduct ceremonies as have been previously done. We also intend to establish a space for cultural teachings to be transmitted, including the Dakota language. And we hope to establish traditional gardens and a youth camp once the federal government conducts a clean-up of the site.
- We are requesting assistance from Native Warriors and Veterans to maintain the occupation.
-We are calling on support from our Native youth to help out with security.
- We are requesting assistance from Drum Groups.
- We are requesting a show of solidarity from supporters at the site on Tusday 9/2, at 2:30 pm
- We are requesting supplies including: dry foods, walkie-talkies, batteries, firewood, toilet paper, hardware/tools, medicines, tobacco, sage, cedar, sweetgrass, money, volunteers, support
For further information, contact Jim Anderson (612-910-0730), Chris Mato Nunpa (320-981-0206), or Waziyatawin (320-444-5643).
For information on support and supplies, contact Diane Elliott (651-983-6363)
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