Dakota Truth-Telling Gathering at Fort Snelling May 4-6; “Bde Maka Ska” Name Restoration Moves Forward

New sign planned at Historic Fort Snelling

Today through Saturday, Historic Fort Snelling at Bdote will host the Dakhóta Wówičakhe Wóyakapi Omníčiye or Dakota Truth-Telling Gathering. Dakota people will come together to share community knowledge, teachings, and stories with one another, according to an email from the Minnesota Historical Society.

Props to the Historical Society for doing the event. Here is what I know after talking to MHS staff. If you go, stop at the Visitor’s Center for information.

Today, Thursday

• This afternoon, starting around 1:30-2 p.m. there will be speakers inside the walls of the historic fort.
• Tonight, there will be a Lacrosse game inside the Fort.

Friday

• 9-11 a.m, there will be more speakers and discussion within the walls of the Fort.
• 11:30 a.m., there will be an event in the Visitor Center’s auditorium.
• At 1:30 p.m. they will show the documentary: “We are a Horse Nation.”

Saturday

• Starting at 9 a.m., more speakers and discussion.

Also of note, the Fort is changing its signage this summer to read: Historic Fort Snelling at Bdote. Here is a link to the announcement I received.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board also in moving forward with an important name change.

Name Restoration of Bde Maka Ska Moves Forward

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board voted yesterday to restore the name Bde Maka Ska to Lake Calhoun, a change that now has to be approved by the Hennepin County Board, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Board of Geographic Names.

Signs around the Lake now use both Bde Maka Ska and Lake Calhoun. MPR has a good summary of the story. It notes:

Supporters of the change say it’s offensive to name anything after John C. Calhoun. Not only was the U.S. vice president an ardent supporter of slavery, he was also an architect of the Indian Removal Act, which President Andrew Jackson signed in 1830. …

Click on the link above for more details.