A few years ago, while walking at Owámniyomni, we realized we were not alone. Two humble muskrats joined us on the riverbank, and they have been a regular presence ever since. To Dakota people, this is a powerful sign. Muskrats play a significant role in the Dakota creation story, and for nearly a century, the Mill City’s industrial impacts made the River uninhabitable for muskrats and other mni oyate (water people).
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is pursuing a $60 million comprehensive campaign to restore culture and environment at Owámniyomni and make Dakota people visible in our homelands. The campaign is named Siŋkpé Núŋpa, or two muskrats. Like those humble muskrats on the riverbank, the Dakota people are not always seen today, but we are still here.
The Owámniyomni project provides an opportunity to transform not only the land and water at Owámniyomni, but our relationships with them as relatives, with each other, and ultimately, to transform ourselves.
$35 million has been raised to date. We are over halfway to our goal! At this time, we are focused on raising the next $4.7 million, which will enable Land Transformation construction to begin in Spring 2026.
When you give to Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, you are a part of a circle of care that protects Dakota land, uplifts Dakota knowledge, and sustains our collective future. Your gift is more than a donation, it is the gesture of a relative and an act of awaŋyaŋkapi.
Join us. Donate today.
