Posts Tagged ‘Native American Community Development Institute’
Shaping a Vision for Owámniyomni, St. Anthony Falls
Collage by GGN for Friends of the Falls & NACDI. Community Conversation #5: A Powerful Place for Partnerships. Image by Drew Arrieta for Friends of the Falls & NACDI. By Amanda Wigen, Friends of the Falls Long before they were claimed as “St. Anthony’s,” the Falls were the beating heart of Indigenous societies. Called Owámniyomni, or “turbulent waters,” by the Dakota, the Falls cascaded over a 50-foot limestone drop on Haha Wakpa (the Mississippi River) and roiled through now-submerged islands at their base. Dakota and other Indigenous people came to Owámniyomni for ceremony and to Spirit Island, a sacred place destroyed by industrialization, to give birth. When the Upper Lock on Minneapolis’ Central Riverfront closed to commercial navigation in 2015, an opportunity emerged to reimagine this historic and culturally significant landscape. What could we do with this massive structure - which in many ways is a symbol of the desecration of this place - [...]
Never Homeless Before 1492
By Carz Nelson On November 3, a new art installation was unveiled at the Wall of Forgotten Natives, the location of the 2018 homeless encampment on Franklin Avenue. Twenty-three boards wired to the chain-link fence spell out: “Never Homeless Before 1492”. Each panel includes images and symbols that are relevant to the American Indian community. Artist Courtney Cochran led the design. Many community members contributed to the work, including people who have experienced homelessness themselves. The project is sponsored by the Native American Community Development Institute and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. It will remain in place on Franklin Avenue for two years. 1492: The year it all started Looking west down Franklin An additional panel provides space for community members to leave their thoughts. Various letters from the wall highlighting art and issues.
