Programs

To Dakota people, land and culture are interconnected (Ičikhoyake), or inherently bound together. There is no distinction between environmental restoration and cultural restoration. Our programming mirrors this relationship and unifies care for place and care for culture. Owámniyomni programs include:

• Cultural maintenance practices that help sustain Dakód Wičóȟ’aŋ (Dakota way of life), including language preservation, ceremonies, and expression through art, music and song;
• Methods of storytelling that make Dakota people visible in their homelands, such as interpretation, educational initiatives and sharing oral history;
• Dakota land management practices, like harvesting, plant propagation and controlled burns; and,
• Western land management practices, like mowing, trash collection and snow removal.

This holistic approach to programming and site maintenance aligns with the Dakota concept of Awaŋyaŋkapi, meaning all encompassing care. Awaŋyaŋkapi challenges everyone – Native and non-Native alike – to adopt a Dakota worldview.

• Awaŋyaŋkapi is relative-centered, not human-centered. Owámniyomni programs are designed to benefit all of our relatives – land, water, plants, animals and two-leggeds (human beings).
• Awaŋyaŋkapi is about listening and observing, rather than imposing our own priorities. We ask: “What does the River want?” “What does the land need in order to heal?”
• Awaŋyaŋkapi is about fostering reciprocal relationships. We strengthen our relationship to the River by physically maintaining the land and participating in Dakota cultural programs.
• Awaŋyaŋkapi is multi-generational. We honor our ancestors and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

At its core, Awaŋyaŋkapi is about systems change. With every action, we are rejecting and overcoming the racist and reductive policies, processes and narratives that contribute to the erasure of Native people.

Visit Owámniyomni to learn about Dakota values, the significance of the River and the Mní Sóta Dakota Tribes’ vision for cultural and environmental restoration at the Falls. Follow our self-guided audio tour, which includes written and oral Dakota language, or attend an interpretive tour, hosted monthly as weather allows. Private tours are available for school groups, non-profit organizations, corporations and government agencies.