An open letter to all peoples of good heart about our current situation
from the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community.
We are the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community, and we are here today fulfilling that prophesy as best we can in the place where our direct ancestors lived.
Many generations ago, our elders prophesized that a time would come when their descendants would return to the birthplace of the Dakota Nation to protect its sacred sites and bring Dakota culture back to its place of origin. This place is the b’dota (mistranslated by the French as Mendota), the joining together place, of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers.
For the past 15 years we have been doing this by:
Successfully fighting for the preservation of the sacred spring (Mnihdoka Wakan) known as Coldwater Springs (Go here, COLD WATER SPRINGS to learn more)
Saving our sacred burial place, Oheyawahe, (now called Pilot Knob Hill) and other burial mounds from suburban development
Working with the Minnesota State Park Service in order to hold ceremonies honoring our ancestors in the sacred b’dota area of Fort Snelling State Park that all are welcome to join
Bringing back together, through our pow wows and other activities, the scattered descendants of the b’dota Mdewakanton Dakota tribe who lived here for countless generations but were never granted official tribal status
Revitalizing the use of the Dakota language in its native land with the longest continuous Dakota language classes, 11 years and counting, in Minnesota
Receiving spiritual training and support from elders in other Dakota/Lakota/Nakota tribes
Numerous presentations to elementary through college level schools and other organizations to help create understanding and support for our work within the non-native community, and
Applying to the Federal Government for full tribal recognition.
We have done all this with a good heart and unwavering commitment for the past 15 years and we have plans to do much more.
But now our sources of funding have dried up and we have come upon a hard time.
WE HAVE THREE MONTHS BEFORE we RUN OUT OF FUNDS AND LOOSE OUR COMMUNITY CENTER in Mendota, the home of our ancestors.
We plan to be here for more than seven times seven generations, but right now we need your help!
Losing the community center we are currently renting would seriously jeopardize our ability to continue our work and fulfill our mission. (See MISSION STATEMENT)
WE HAVE SPENT YEARS CONTESTING AGAINST POWERFUL, WELL FINANCED FORCES THAT WANTED TO DEMOLISH SACRED Sites IN THE TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN AREA for ECONOMIC GAIN. WE HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THESE FIGHTS AND WANT TO CONTINUE AS EFFECTIVE, VIGILANT DEFENDERS OF THE SACRED LANDS OF OUR ANCESTORS.
We have nourished a renaissance of Dakota culture in this area, freely made available to peoples of all races and colors.
We are in the process of applying for grants and developing the long-term financial stability that will allow us to purchase our community center in Mendota. But first we must first look to our immediate need of keeping a roof over our heads.
We need your FINANCIAL support right now TO KEEP GOING!
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Use this link: DONATIONS to go to the page on our website from which you can choose the amount and type of donation you wish to make. Whatever level you can afford to help us at will be greatly appreciated! We are a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are 100% tax deductable. In supporting us financially you will be helping our efforts to fulfill the prophesies of our elders which motivate us to keep on going no matter what the obstacles!
If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us via phone at (651) 452-4141, or send an email to info@mendotadakota.com
There is one more thing we need to ask of you. Whether or not you are able to contribute anything right now, PLEASE take two or three minutes and send the link to this page, http://mendotadakota.com to all your friends and ask them to please send it to their friends as well. If you are on facebook or any other social networking sites, please send our homepage link to your friends there as well. In this way our message will spread out, and through the power of the many we will meet our immediate critical need.
PIDAMAYA,
THANK YOU!
DOWNLOAD this letter as a PDF file HERE
DOWNLOAD this letter as a DOC file HERE
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