Guest post written by Waḳáŋ Ṭí́pi Awáŋyaŋkapi
This October marks the 10-year anniversary of Indigenous Peoples Day being celebrated in the City of St. Paul.
The city made the choice to walk away from celebrating Christopher Columbus in August 2015, in a unanimous seven-to-zero vote by the city council, a year after Minneapolis made the switch.
Former Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce executive director Joanne Whiterabbit (Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin), who made her journey in 2023, drafted the resolution that made its way to the council alongside the Saint Paul Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission (HREEO).
In the resolution changing the holiday’s name, St. Paul city council recognized that the city was built on the homelands of the Dakota people and it “knows Indigenous Nations have lived upon this land since time immemorial.”
Since this time, the city has made a number of decisions proving its commitment to honoring Indigenous Peoples and the Dakota homelands that the city sits upon. Including the signing of a co-management agreement with Waḳáŋ Ṭí́pi Awáŋyaŋkapi to begin stewarding the land at the 27-acre site formerly known as the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary.
This partnership, which will also celebrate it’s 1-year anniversary this Indigenous Peoples Day, is one that has been long sought after by the organization. Since signing this agreement, the organization has broken ground on their center, which is near completion and held several cultural events at the site centered around land restoration.
Waḳáŋ Ṭí́pi Awáŋyaŋkapi is one of the many St. Paul based organizations that will be celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day on October 13th at the American Indian Magnet School from 11:00am – 2:00pm. All are welcome to attend!
References:
Melo, F. (2015, November 3). St. Paul’s first Indigenous Peoples Day meshing culture, business. Pioneer Press. https://www.twincities.com/2015/10/12/st-pauls-first-indigenous-peoples-day-meshing-culture-business/
catwhipple (2015, September 4). Indigenous Peoples Day sweeps St. Paul City Council Vote. The Circle. https://thecirclenews.org/urban-news/indigenous-peoples-day-sweeps-st-paul-city-council-vote/