ANNOUNCEMENTS
To get information out quickly, on very important topic.
CUI Notice Federal Register Publication – human remains from Iowa
Good afternoon,
After conversation with George Garvin last week, I’d like to start making plans for reburial of the 138 individuals and 32 associated funerary objects in the attached Notice. As you know, the Ho-Chunk Nation has taken the lead in submitting a claim; I also received letters in support of this from the Otoe-Missouria, the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, and the Three Affiliated Tribes. I’ve been given the go ahead by George to start making arrangements, but do want to be as inclusive as possible. Given their distribution and keeping with reburying as close as possible to original burial locations, it seems that we could conduct reburials at each of our four state-owned cemeteries. So at this time I’d like to arrange a meeting to begin planning
As a starting point, I propose that we meet on November 12, after the OSA’s Advisory Committee meeting, at 1pm, as there will be several of our Indian Advisory Council members here at the OSA, and we can also set up a conference call for others to call in. Please let me know if you’d like to participate, but the date and/or time don’t work for you.
Lara K. Noldner, PhD
Bioarchaeology Director
Office of the State Archaeologist
University of Iowa
700 S Clinton St.
Iowa City, IA
319-384-0740
CUI Iowa 2019 notice map
Congratulations to all the winners from our pow wow raffle booth & auctions
To all our wonderful guests who came to our 20th Pow Wow. Thank you all so much for coming to our Pow Wow and supporting your local Native American Community. It was a honor to have you join us.
For those of you who won at the raffle booth or auction booth at the Pow Wow.
We will be at the office Sunday Sept 22, from 1-3 our address is 1351 Sibley Memorial Hwy in Mendota, down the hill from St Peters Church, left side of the street.
There is Lees Education, Greg’s Barber Shop, just come in the front door we are on the right.
If you can not make that time, please call to setup at time that is convenient for you 651-452-4141.
Thank you from the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Community and our Members.
Sharon Lennartson Tribal Chairwoman.
Funeral for Jim Anderson \ Red Sky: Wednesday Sept 11th at 11:00am
Funeral for Jim Anderson \ Red Sky
Jim passed into the spirit world on June 27, 2019.
We had a celebration of life gathering for Jim in August but the traditional Dakota Ceremony will be:
Wednesday Sept 11th at 11:00 am
St Peter’s Church 1405 Sibley Memorial Hwy Mendota, MN 55120.
The meal is pot luck as this is the traditional Native way.
Any volunteer help from friends is very appreciated.
Our family’s (MMDC) Wacipi / Pow Wow is Sept 13 -15, 2019 at St Peters Church two days after his funeral.
Red Sky loved our Wacipi & he will be with us dancing ~ we hope you can be with us too â¤
Can you please can help at Red Sky Funeral Sept 11, 2019, at St Peters Church in Mendota?
Can you please can help at Red Sky Funeral Sept 11, 2019, at St Peters Church in Mendota?
Please bring a dish to share if your last name starts with = A-F salad, G-L
hot dish, M-R vegetables, S-Z deserts. Please let us know what you can
bring. Please contact???? I cannot do this just too busy. I will have an
email and contact person for what food you want to bring and help in
the kitchen soon. The family appreciate all your help, as we all loved
him. Love Sharon 952-219-0196
Looking for vendors for our 20th annual POW WOW!
We are looking for vendor, all vendors are welcome. We are a small Wacipi but we have thousands of people over 3 days.
Come and join us we would love to meet you. 2019 Wacipi Vendor Application
YOU ARE INVITED! Sheldon Wolfchild documentary film “The Indian Systemâ€
Sheldon Wolfchild documentary film “The Indian Systemâ€
Monday, July 8, 2019 at 7 pm
Free & open to the public with free popcorn
4200 Cedar Avenue in south Minneapolis
Sheldon will be joining us. The film tells a Dakota oral history of the 1862 war, the hangings of the Dakota 38 Plus 2, including the story of his grandfather, Medicine Bottle, and the removal of the Dakota from Minnesota.
Sponsored by WAMM, Women Against Military Madness
Donations gratefully accepted.
Until recently, historians have failed to uncover the truth behind the war of 1862 in Minnesota. In this movie, filmmaker Sheldon Wolfchild portrays his grandfather, Medicine Bottle. He tells a Dakota oral history of the 1862 war, the hangings of the Dakota 38 Plus 2, and the removal of the Dakota from Minnesota. During the 1850’s and throughout history, treaties were forced upon the Dakota people. Noted Minnesotans such as Henry H. Sibley and Alexander Ramsey manipulated the Dakota people to cheat them out of their supposed benefits, and ultimately their land. After the Dakota were removed to their reservation, corrupt agents and Indian department superintendents embezzled as much Dakota treaty money as they could. In the production of this movie the filmmaker interviews historians and authors Dr. David Nichols and Mark Diedrich to artfully weave this story together. Sheldon Wolfchild is a member and former Tribal Chairman of the Lower Sioux Indian Tribe who has appeared in a number of feature films and television shows.
July Glory Full Moon Walk at Sacred Coldwater Springs.
July Glory Full Moon Walk at Sacred Coldwater Springs
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Gather at the park entrance, 7 pm
Park at pay meters on the frontage road via credit card
July is glory month at Coldwater because the planted prairie flowers are in bloom. The color and scent of the land and the music of water, birds and insects are at peak. It is a most alive and peaceful place.
Special guest Henry Fieldseth will be with us to identify the plants. Henry founded the Friends School Plant Sale in the 1980s, now the largest plant sale in the state, held annually on Mother’s Day weekend
- Full moon walks have been celebrated every month at Coldwater since 2000.
- Sunset 8:56 pm (6 minutes earlier than the previous full moon)
- Moonrise 9:03 pm (26 minutes earlier than last month’s full moon)
DIRECTIONS: Coldwater Springs is between Minnehaha Park & Fort Snelling, in
Minneapolis, just North of the Hwy 55/62 interchange. From Hwy 55/Hiawatha, turn East (toward the Mississippi) at 54th Street, take an immediate right, & drive all the way down on the frontage road where you can park at the pay meters.
Gather at the park entrance.
All welcome. Dress for the weather, especially sturdy footwear. We celebrate the full moon in all-weather however the length of the walk depends on conditions. If it’s really cold or wet it’s a quick 10-minutes to the spring outflow gurgling from under the limestone bedrock Spring House built in the 1880s to supply potable water to Fort Snelling.
This gathering is free and open to the public.
Friends of Coldwater info: http://friendsofcoldwater.org
Metro Regional Arts Council Arts Achievement Award Celebration
2019 Arts Achievement Award Celebration
Thursday, June 27 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
No cost to participate
Documents for gaining federal recognition 25CFR Part 83 2015
The regulations, paperwork, research and criteria for gaining federal recognition can be exhausting. We could really use your help to do some research with us. If you have time, please contact Perry and he can let you know how you can help. (612) 327-0100
This is 1 page of the BIA criteria for gaining federal recognition.
Click the image to open or if you prefer to download as a PDF click this: 25CFR Part 83 2015 abbreviated PDF
If you would like to read the entire 35 page “Code Of Federal Regulations”, please download here: 25CFR Part 83 2015 35 pages
If you would like to read the entire 913 page “Code Of Federal Regulations” It’s available at the BIA website here: LINK
If anyone has moved in the last two years. PLEASE UPDATE US
If anyone has moved in the last two years. PLEASE send us your new address or any information that has changed. ALL members MUST have current information. Thank You Your Tribal Council Sharon, John, Marlene, Perry, and Lon. Love Sharon
Honoring Our Ancestors Saturday Feb 9, 2019
Honoring Our Ancestors Saturday Feb 9, 2019 down at Ft Snelling State Park. After ceremony feast at the DuPuis House in Mendota MN. Print the flyer that is your permit. Flyers will also be at the Gate below the Mendota Bridge. Download flyer for more information. Thank You the Mendota Tribal Council. Please be there! -Sharon
Download or print the flyer: FLYER Honoring Our Ancestors 2019
Honoring Our Ancestors Saturday Feb 9, 2019. We will meet even if it is very cold. Consider the people back in 1862 who were forced to walk with no food, warm clothes, and no real shelters. Many were woman and children, the sick and elderly. In Addison to the above, native people lost everything they knew and loved. EVERYTHING!
On December 26, 1862, the U.S. military lynched 38 of our Dakota patriots in the largest mass execution in United States History. On November 7, 1862, a group of about 1,700 Dakota, primarily women and children, were forcibly marched from the Lower Sioux Agency to a concentration camp at Fort Snelling.
Saturday February 9, 2019
We will light the sacred fire at 10:00 am by Robert Klanderud assisted by Tommy, Perry, and Lon. Ceremony is at 11:00 am.
Where
Fort Snelling State Park.
The park entrance is off Highway 5 at Post Road near the Minneapolis / St. Paul International Airport.
Drive down into the park, go inside the building to get your free pass, which is this flyer, or print it now. Mendota will have flyers at the entrance building too. Thank You to the DNR for their help each year.
Please bring a dish to share for the potluck from 12:30ish to 3:00ish. Potluck or feast will be at the DuPuis House, also called the Sibley Site.
1357 Sibley Memorial Hwy Mendota, MN 55150 across from Lucky’s 13.
If you need more information, please call the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Community office 651-452-4141. Dress warm, the ceremony is outside women should wear skirts pants underneath to keep warm. Please bring some tobacco. Please bring some doughnuts or rolls to share.
Steve will provide coffee from JS Bean Factory.
Pidamaya ye
Sponsored by the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Council and its members.
Sharon Lennartson Tribal Chairwoman Sharon Lennartson Chairwoman, John LeClaire Vice Chairman, Marlene Dixon Secretary / Treasurer, Perry Altendorfer Historian, Lon Navarre Member at Large.
Both Tribal / Membership Meetings cancelled for Monday Jan 28
Both Tribal / Membership Meetings cancelled for Monday Jan 28, 2019 due to very cold weather and 5 – 8 inches of snow. Next membership meeting Sunday Feb 24, from 12:30 to 3:00. Potluck. Please bring any pictures or stories about your family living in Mendota if you think we don’t already have them? I have come across many stories that have been told. We still need more. If any of your information has changed please call the office to update. Very important that your membership is current. Your Tribal Council Sharon, John, Marlene, Perry, and Lon.
MMDTC 2018 Winter Newsletter
Hot off the presses, and perhaps a bit late, here’s the 2018 Winter edition Mendota Dakota Tribal Community Newsletter.
Find it and all our other newsletters at www.mendotadakota.com/newsletter
We REALLY need some volunteers for our POW WOW
Volunteers for setup before and after the POW WOW please email me Sharon at mendotadalota@gmail.com
POW WOW WACIPI 2018 FLYER
Important information & update from tribal leader Sharon Lennartson
Hau mitakuyapi. We understand that troubling information is circulating on Facebook concerning our tribal community. We wish to clarify.
We support the health and safety of vulnerable people, including women and children. We do not condone the abuse or keeping captive of another person. Our Tribal Chairwoman is respectful of all people and does not speak poorly of others.
We have spiritual leaders. Joseph Bester pours the water for the inipi. Emmett Eastman is the spiritual advisor for the wacipi.
Today our Tribal Council met. Actions have been taken.
We ask the Creator to help us to always walk in a good way with a good heart and do good things for all our relations.
Please contact the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Office if you have questions. Pidamaya.
This is a Official Notice: Hello dear members at our last membership meeting on Nov 27th we voted to up our contributions from $15.00 a month to $20.00 a month. Starting Jan 5th, 2018.
Hello dear members at our last membership meeting on Nov 27th we voted to up our contributions from $15.00 a month to $20.00 a month. We have never raised the contributions in 21 years. That’s $5.00 a week to help support your community. Now we want your vote and see how you feel about the contributions. You can only vote if you are current with your contributions. Please hi reply with your vote yes or no. The $20.00 will began on 1-5-2018. Only 4 members voted no, the rest said yes. So contribution will go up on Jan 5th, 2018. Sharon or Marlene will call all the members on ACH now and tell them of the price change. Most of them already said yes anyhow. Those of you who said no, need to call the office to talk about the contributions. Your tribal council is always working hard for you. Remember your contribution are tax deductible.
Thank You, Pidamaya ye
Your Tribal Council
Pictures from our 2017 Wacipi!
Here are some of the great pictures Ron Hamm captured during our 2017 Wacipi!
The flowers of tomorrow are the seeds of today. April 22nd, 11am to 2pm
The flowers of tomorrow are the seeds of today.
April 22nd, 11am to 2pm
Dakota Truth Telling Gathering. May 4th to 7th.
Urgent letter to all peoples of good heart about the current situation of the MMDTC.
Urgent open letter to all peoples of good heart about the current situation of the MMDTC.
From the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Community.
BE DAKOTA EVERY DAY!
We are the Mendota Mdewakanton Tribal 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 21 years we have been doing this by: Or Mendota Pow wow is always the second week in Sept. In 2017 will be our 17th pow wow.
Please check out our website www.mendotadakota.com for any updates about the pow wow, we may go back to August again?
Mendota has monthly Inipis at the DuPuis House.
If you show and you want to become an descendant member of the community there is a application under downloads too.
Want to become an honorary member, go to downloads at our website print the Honorary application send to the tribal office. You will get a certificate that you are a honorary members.
We are looking for descendants from the 550 part 5 of the Johnson and Jones report 1856.  OUR GOAL IS TO UNITE ALL MIXED BLOOD FAMILIES.
Mendota has monthly membership meetings please check the website for these too. Mendota has about 180 members in good standing.
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. We do this the first Saturday in February of every year.
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 or land.
Revitalizing the use of the Dakota language in its native land was the longest continuous Dakota language classes 15 years. We had to cancel our classes for a while. Language and culture class will continue in March of 2017.
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.
These summer will be working with the MDHS to tell our story about the D’dota Dakota story at the DuPuis House. Many members in our community are descendants of DuPuis.
We are actively working on Federal Government for full tribal recognition. We applied for federal recognition back in 1997 but were turned down.
We have done all this with a good heart and unwavering commitment for the past 21 years and we have plans to do much more.
But now our sources of funding is needed for 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!
We are asking for help to buy land, and put a double wide trailer on that land.
WE NEED A COMMUNITY CENTER FOR OUR PEOPLE TO GO TOO FOR LANGUAGE CLASS, CULTURE CLASS, ALSO PLACE FOR OUR ELDERS TO COME BY AND VISIT JUST TO TALK AND HAVE COFFEE FOR ALL OUR MEETINGS. FOR OTHERS TO COME BY JUST TO VISIT SEE WHO THE MENDOTA PEOPLE ARE. WE NEED OUR OWN PLACE, IT HAS BEEN 21 YEARS IT IS TIME.
We will 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 need your FINANCIAL support right now TO BUY SOME LAND.!
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Use this link: DONATIONS PAYPAL 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! We are going to be using gofundme also.
If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us by phone at (651) 452-4141, or send an email to mendotadakota@gmail.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://www.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.
PIDAMAYA, from the Tribal Council
Sharon Lennartson Tribal Chairwoman
DOWNLOAD this letter as a PDF file HERE
DOWNLOAD this letter as a DOC file HERE
Mendota Dakota Autumn 2016 newsletter
You can find the Mendota Dakota Autumn 2016 newsletter here: http://mendotadakota.com/newsletter
MENDOTA NEEDS YOUR HELP! HELP US GET LAND AND A COMMUNITY CENTER.
MENDOTA NEEDS YOUR HELP TO HELP US GET LAND AND A COMMUNITY CENTER. WE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 200 HUNDRED YEARS.AN OFFICE IN MENDOTA FOR 20 YEARS IN MENDOTA WE ARE A PROUD DAKOTA COMMUNITY!
Urgent open letter to all peoples of good heart about the current situation of the MMDTC.
From the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Community.
BE DAKOTA EVERY DAY!
We are the Mendota Mdewakanton Tribal 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
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 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!
We have lost the community center, for a parking lot. We are still in Mendota in a small office. We will 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.
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 by phone at (651) 452-4141, or send an email to mendotadakota@gmail.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://www.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.
PIDAMAYA,
THANK YOU!  THE MENDOTA TRIBAL COUNCIL.
DOWNLOAD this letter as a PDF file HERE
DOWNLOAD this letter as a DOC file HERE
We will be posting some great informative videos featuring Jim Anderson, Sharon Lennartson. They will be available on Youtube and our website, please check back in a few days. Also you can login or register to join our e-mailing list. (newsletters and mailing list can be controlled from your profile once you have registered.)
Membership Meeting & Sharon’s birthday Aug 29th
Voting Membership Meeting Aug 29th from 6:00-7:00pm. Then Birthday Party for Sharon Lennartson her 70th Birthday to follow.
Please bring a dish to pass.
Please join with your Mendota Mdewakanton Tribal Community to honor our Tribal Chairwoman on the celebration of her 70th Winter.
Monday, August 29 at 7pm (Party follows the Membership Meeting at 6pm)
DuPuis House in historic Mendota, Minnesota.
Members and Honorary Membership Meeting Aug 29th from 6:00 – 7:00pm. Then Birthday Party for Sharon Lennartson 70th Birthday Party to follow.
Feast
Honor Song
Presentation of gifts
Round Dance with drum
Four Directions Cake
Please RSVP to Lon Navarre: lonnavarre@gmail.com or 612-209-2342.
Pidamaya.
Your Tribal Council
Chris Antiel, Marlene Dixon, Perry Altendorfer, John LeClaire, Lon Navarre
Thank you to the MRAC for their grant.
We would like to thank the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council for their grant!
“The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council increases access to the arts in 7-county metropolitan area communities by providing information, organizational support and grants.”
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