Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebrated in Crystal with Water Blessing
Dozens of people gathered to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Crystal on Monday.
They gathered around Bassett Creek, referred to as Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ in the Dakota language.
“I want to welcome you to Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ, which is also known as Falls Creek, and back in the day when I lived here, is also known as Bassett Creek,” said Diane Wilson, an award-winning author and Mdewakanton Dakota descendent, who is enrolled on the Rosebud reservation
Wilson shared the symbolism of water and its importance to Native Americans. She said think of water as not something around us, but something within us.
“Our bodies are actually 60 percent water,” said Wilson. “And without mni, we could not survive. So that when we protect water, we are actually water, protecting herself.”
Mni is the Dakota word for water.
“I think it’s just really great to hear the Dakota perspective, as we’re on Dakota homeland and to think about water in a new way,” said John Crippen, executive director of the Hennepin History Museum, which helped organize Monday’s event.
Monday’s ceremony included a water blessing, which we could not record with our camera because it’s a sacred ritual.
Also see: Newsmakers: Bassett Creek Oral History Project Gathers Suburban Indigenous Stories
