Mayor Dave Kleis ’89, left, former American Indian Center Director Jim Knutson-Kolodzne and Angela Mundis ’17 celebrate a new St. Cloud historical marker recognizing the Dakota and Ojibwe as the first residents of Central Minnesota.
The historical marker was dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony June 28 in Riverside Park. The ceremony was part of the Granite City Days celebration.
Jim Knutson-Kolodzne, former director of the American Indian Center spoke at the unveiling. He and Iyekiyapiwin Darlene St. Clair and students in her “Native Nations of Minnesota” class worked with the city to develop the wording on the plaque, which includes statements in both Ojibwe and Dakota.
The Dakota and Ojibwe text portions of the plaque translates to “We cherish this river”.
Previously, Professor Chris Lehman worked with the city of St. Cloud to dedicate a park in honor of the first African-Americans who came to St. Cloud. Mary Butler and her son, John, came to St. Cloud while they were slaves.
The marker reads:
“This section of the Mississippi River’s name is derived from the Ojibwe, Misi-ziibi, which means ‘Great River.’
The Dakota call this river Haha Wakpa, or ‘River of the Waterfalls.’
This river, these islands, and the land surrounding it have been used by Dakota and Ojibwe people for longer than any source of documentation can recall.
The spiritual, cultural and sustaining qualities of this river were important to the Dakota and Ojibwe historically; they remain important to them today, and always.
De wakpa kin teunhindapi.
Gizhawendaamin o’o ziibi.
