NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE OF

WARGO NATURE CENTER HERITAGE LAB SEPTEMBER 11 - OCTOBER 5, 2018

RICE CREEK CHAIN OF LAKES PARK RESERVE LINO LAKES, MN NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA Heritage Lab Take Home Activities

NATIVE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA Minnesota’s history has been profoundly influenced by the native, or indigenous, people who have lived here for centuries. Archeological records indicate human presence, people now referred to as the Paleoindians, starting around 9,000 years ago. At the time of European exploration and settlements in the state there were two major tribes: the Dakota and the . The name Minnesota comes from the Dakota word Mni Sota, which refers to the cloudy waters of what we now call the . The waterways, lands, and wildlife found here in Minnesota supported both groups of people in their lives on this land.

OJIBWE Located in the northern portion of Minnesota, the Ojibwe (also known as the Chippewa or ) people were defined by their woodland lifestyle. Their ancestors lived out east along the Atlantic and made a slow migration westward due to a series of prophecies. One of these referred to a land where food grew on the water, believed to be a reference to the wild rice that grows in Minnesota’s waterways. Like the Dakota, the Ojibwe depended on a variety of sources of food, including fish, game, wild rice, and maple sugar. While some conflict did exist between the Ojibwe and Dakota people, it is believed the two largely had peaceful relationships based in trade. The period from 1736-1760, however, was marked by territorial conflict, but this was largely ended in the 1800s when both tribes were primarily dealing with changes in their cultures associated with the increased presence of European settlers.

OJIBWE BIRCH-BARK LODGES

Ojibwe Birch-Bark Lodges by Charles W. Jefferys, 1942 NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA WORD FIND

BISON

DAKOTA

RICE

TREATY

CANOE

MAPLE

SQUASH

WIGWAM

CORN

OJIBWE

TIPI

DAKOTA The eastern Dakota people here in Minnesota are referred to as the Santee Dakota. The Santee Dakota depended on seasonal, migratory life to meet their needs. This included traveling to a sugar bush (maple sugar) camp, hunting and fishing grounds, and gardens. The Dakota people were especially known for their relationship to and dependence upon the large bison herds that lived in Minnesota and throughout

North America. This nomadic way of life - OJIBWE was severely altered, and ultimate ended, - DAKOTA over time due to loss of land and bison with westward expansion of settlers. This loss of traditional lifeway as well dependence on traded goods later led to conflict, culminating in the . Map of Minnesota after Dakota-Ojibwe Treaty of 1825. 2018 NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA HERITAGE LAB STATIONS AND EDUCATORS

Station 2 - How the Dakota Harvested Wild Rice – Gibbs Farm Wild Rice, or psin, was a staple of the diet of Dakota in Minnesota in the 1800s. Psin was harvested in early fall at what we today call Forest Lake. Many villages from all over the area would meet up and join together to get the job done. The harvesting culminated with a feast and celebratory games. Students will learn about the harvesting and processing of psin by acting out a skit that allows them to get hands on experience with our Dakota teaching collection.

Station 4 - Plants as Medicine and More – Sue Dahl As with many indigenous people around the world, the Native American people of this area depended on the local natural resources for their survival. In this station we’ll explore the uses of plants as medicine, food, shelter, and clothing

Station 5 - Native American Games – Todd Murawski Indigenous Minnesotans (Native Americans) used games to develop skills for hunting, for enjoyment, and for competition. Games of skill and games of chance both played an important role in Native American culture. Participants will all get a chance to try a popular Native American game.

Station 6 - The Moving of the Seasons – Cody Rossetti What would it be like to move from one place to another with the changing seasons? We’ll find out as we explore the seminomadic lifestyle of the Santee Dakota and the activities that defined life during each season.

Station 7 - The Three Sisters and Beyond: Farming by the Dakota and Ojibwe – Amy Manning What is “American food”? Many of the familiar foods we eat today were first grown by Native Americans. At this station, you’ll see how the “Three Sisters” garden of corn, beans, and squash provides a healthy garden ecosystem as well as a balanced diet.

Station 8 - Tatanka: The Importance of Bison in Dakota Life – Whitney Loher For hundreds of years, the lives of bison and the Dakota people were completely intertwined. The indigenous people followed migrating herds throughout the seasons, knowing that this precious creature provided nearly everything they needed to survive. At this hands-on station, you’ll discover the many ways bison made life possible for the Dakota.

Station 9 - Time to Talk: Communication Between Communities – Anoka County Historical Society Come explore a time before instant communication. We will begin with the Dakota peoples who called Anoka County home and how they used both verbal and nonverbal methods to communicate within their tribe as well as with other peoples. As settlers arrived, bringing the new technology of postal mail and the telegraph, communication became more complicated and often conflict arose as language and customs were misunderstood. By the end of this session you’ll have learned a few words of Dakota and decoded a Morse code message.

Station 10 - Treaty Talks – Amie Durenberger The treaties made between the US Government and the Dakota in the 19th century still affect our lives in Minnesota today. Come and be a part of our treaty negotiations and see if you can change the course of history, or if perhaps, you’re doomed to repeat it!

Thank you to our sponsors:

Wargo Nature Center 7701 Main Street • Lino Lakes, MN 55038 • 763-324-3350 • anokacountyparks.com