Indigenous Peoples Day Commemorates Wakan Tipi Center

By Casey Ek
St. Paul’s Indigenous leaders celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day, Oct. 11, by dedicating the land at the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary that will be an interpretive center that commemorates the Wakan Tipi Cave, a sacred Dakota site where tribal leaders brokered deals with other tribes.
The interpretive center, which will occupy about three acres, is set to break ground this fall and is slated to open in 2023.
The Oct. 11 celebration was marked with dances from Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli, a local ensemble, and other Indigenous dancers from multiple tribes as well as drumming and singing. 
The crowd of around 200 heard from local leaders, including Prairie Island Indian Community President Shelley Buck, who underscored the importance of remembering Minnesota’s history and its treatment of Indigenous peoples.