Thunderwoman
Friday, April 19, Full Moon Walk/Water Ceremony at Coldwater.
Friday, April 19, Full Moon Walk/Water Ceremony at Coldwater.
Celebrating Water, the Feminine Element
Water Ceremony Plans
Before the Ceremony:
John Gebhart get a gallon of CW water in a glass jug, collect in smaller jug and run thru sieve into the gallon jug
Set-up at the Spring House with paper cups, Christina & John stay at Spring House to welcome walkers who will take the easy (broader) path from the park entrance to the Spring House. Christina & John please arrange a little altar at the Spring House with the water, cups and the object that Dave Walks With Eagles made and gifted to Friends of Coldwater at the most recent Mendota Dakota community meeting.
Dave’s object is about 12 X 6-inches of wooden (I think balsam) pieces (that will float). There are 7 pieces making up a platform linked with red yarn with tobacco ties with the traditional colors, black, red, yellow, white, plus sky (blue) and earth (green). Dave Walks With Eagles also gave me some tobacco which I have saved with the object.
I’m hoping to invite Dave Walks With Eagles to the event to maybe say a few words or at least to set the object in Coldwater Creek on its way to the Mississippi.
Ceremony flow:
1) Earl greet full moon walkers at the entrance to the park, say Welcome etc., introduce yourself and Susu from Friends of Coldwater and explain your relationship with the Mississippi, love of water, whatever
2) and then lead the walkers at a slow pace (remember I am kind of crippled from knee surgery) down the path and then up to the Spring House in a circle. Invite women to rattle as we walk down to the Spring House. (Christina says rattling attracts the ancestors in Native tradition. In my tradition rattling focuses energy.)
3) John—pass out tobacco to everyone’s (preferred) left hand, the hand closest to your heart
4) Water Sharing
Christina you might want to say a few words about what you and I are doing.
Susu to pass out paper cups (and collect them later in a paper bag)
Christina water pourer
5) After water sharing I’d like to pass around, clockwise, the object and allow everyone to touch & bless it. People could sprinkle their tobacco on the object or into Coldwater.
6) Then Earl will lead us walking down to the little bridge over Coldwater Creek and have Dave Walks With Eagles or Earl place the object in the stream on its way to the Big Water.
Ok what have I screwed-up or forgotten?
I would like to invite women to bring their rattles and rattle the walking parts of this ceremony. It would be respectful if women would wear a skirt or tie a scarf around your waist in a demi-skirt.
The reason I like rattling is the sound focuses people and they are apt to shut-up and be IN the ceremony. Since water is a feminine element and women worldwide are associated with water the sound and rattling would add to the ambiance of the ceremony.
In this tradition it is not appropriate for people to wear any kind of hats (unless Muslim women attend).
PLEASE email REPLY ALL to let everybody know you will be at the Friday eve, April 19 event, rain or shine, and that you are willing to do your part or suggest something better.
–Susu
612-396-6966
Albert and Lilly LeClaire House in Mendota.
I had ask for a better picture of Albert and Lilly LeClaire House in Mendota.
Thank You Victoria Scott and Teri Gillette for sending us a nice clear picture of grandpa and grandma house. All our pictures are under ancestors on our website www.mendotadakota.com. If you want your families pictures on our website sent them to us we would love to add your pictures. Also if you see a picture that does not have a name and you know who is it send to us.
Thank You Sharon
Our next Membership Meeting is Sunday April 28 1-4 potluck.
Greetings Dear Members
Our next Membership Meeting is Sunday April 28 1-4 potluck. This is our last Sunday meeting then we go back to Monday nights.
Wow what an exciting time for all of us. This will happen we will get a community center with the help from Best Buy and others. If we all work together to make it happen. If you want to help please call the tribal office 651-452-4141or email us mendotadakota@gmail.com, there is a lot to do in a short time.
How do you feel about our Community Center in Bloomington, Richfield, or anywhere we can find a place.
As much as we want to stay in Mendota there is nothing for sale.
For those of you who do not know how big Mendota is use google map.
Mendota is two blocks long one left turn one right turn. One turn takes you to
the river and the street ends. The other turn takes you in to where the homes
are there maybe 30 homes.
There is no place in, Mendota Heights, Eagan or Inver
Grove Heights our next choices.
Those properties are very expensive. An acre of land can be up to $500,000 in Mendota Heights.
Sincerely your Tribal Council
Sharon, John, Perry, and Lon.
Tax Time
Maybe you can donate to Mendota for our Community Center your donation is tax deductible. Thank you for your donation in advance if you are interested in donating to our cause.
Your Tribal Council
Sharon
Best Buy / Community Center
Fundraising for the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Community to acquire a Community Center 3-24-2019
Good morning everyone, this is just a quick note to let you know what is going on for our community. We are FINALLY doing a Capital Campaign. We need to raise money to buy a house to use for our community center. Mendota is a 501C3 Non Profit. We met Herbert Joly CEO of Best Buy in November 3rd, 2018 at Marnita’s Table. John, Sharon, Tommy and Victoria were at that meeting. Best Buy seemed very interested in helping us. Mr. Joly ask Sharon to get back to him after the holidays.
We had our first meeting with two of Best Buy board members on Feb 8, 2019. Sharon, Tommy and Bobby attended that meeting. The project proposal is due June 1. If accepted the grant is due by July and is decided in October. We have wanted a community center for years. Now with Best Buy’s help, one of the world largest corporations it is going to happen. Best Buy will donate $100,000 to $150,000 maybe $200,000. Best Buy is getting the tribal council new computers. A person from geek squad has already been out to Sharon house to see what we needed. Computers have been approved, should get them soon. Sharon has an office at her home and has for years.
The grant will be decided in October. Our hope is to be in our new place by our Christmas party and toy drive. We have a realtor looking for commercial property. He is checking on many properties for us. If you know of any properties on commercial zoning, please let us know. Maybe old building like Payless Shoes, a building by itself and about that size. We are looking in Mendota, Mendota Heights, or Eagan. Eagan would be best, but that area is expensive. If we have to go to Bloomington or wherever we will. An old farmhouse with a few acres would really be nice. If the new place needs repairs updates, and office equipment that goes in the grant too. Anyone have any suggestions or any places to buy let us now asap. Spread the word maybe someone knows of a place and do not know Mendota is looking for a place and has money. We need to collect 50% of the money with other funding. We will be on gofundme soon. They charge a fee so checks are better with no fees. Let us all donate and make this happen. Please email the office or call to donate to our community center. We appreciated all donations. Please make checks to MMDC land account in the memo. You can make a donation on Mendota’s web site www.mendotadakota.com and see about the Mendota Dakota people, who we are and our long struggle to get a community center, look under ABOUT to see our panels. Have any questions or comments send us an email mendotadakota@gmail.com Tribal Office 651-452-4141.We will have a plaque made with everyone who made a donation big or small on the wall in our new community center.
Preserving, Protecting and Promoting the Dakota Culture for Future Generations.
Thank you from the Mendota Tribal Council and its members.
John LeClaire Tribal Co Chairman, Perry Altendorfer Tribal Historian
Lon Navarre Tribal Member at Large.
Sharon Lennartson, MMDTC Tribal Chairwoman
Wakiya Waste Win Dakota (Good Thunder Woman)