City, Tribal Historic Preservation Offices Rename Dakota Sacred Sites

The City of St. Paul adopted the recommendations of state Tribal Historic Preservation Officers to rename two culturally significant and sacred Dakota sites. This action reflects the city’s commitment to preserving Indigenous heritage and strengthening its long-standing partnership with Dakota leaders and communities. 

Effective immediately, the the former Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Indian Mounds Regional Park are known as Imniżaska. Within this landscape, the two individual sites will now be designated as Waḳaƞ Ṭípi and Wic̣aḣapi, respectively. 

This renaming is the result of years of intentional relationship building between St. Paul Parks and Recreation and the four Tribal Historic Preservation Offices of the Prairie Island Indian Community, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Lower Sioux Indian Community, and Upper Sioux Community. The renaming was Dakota-led, while the process was facilitated by Maggie Lorenz, Executive Director of Waḳaƞ Ṭípi Awaƞyaƞkapi. 

The effort builds on the Indian Mounds Regional Park Master Plan, adopted in 2010. Tribal and community feedback of that plan led the Metropolitan Council to reallocate Legacy dollars to fund a comprehensive Cultural Landscape Study and Messaging Plan finalized in 2020. This foundational work has since guided the city’s efforts to center Indigenous voices in Dakota land management decisions. 

Parks’ Division of Design and Construction will implement the name change across all sites with physical signage, which will be installed in the coming months. The signage for Waḳaƞ Ṭípi will also include variations of the place name to honor the diversity of Dakota ways of knowing and speaking. The Waḳaƞ Ṭípi Center, which began Phase 1 of construction in May 2024, will also be complete with a grand opening set for fall 2025. 
Learn more at stpaul.gov/facilities/wicahapi.