Territory Acknowledgement

We've discovered another resource related to Native American place names. It's called Native Land.

Native Land Digital is a Canadian not-for-profit organization, incorporated in December 2018. It is designed to be Indigenous-led, with an Indigenous Board of Directors who oversee and direct the organization. Numerous non-Indigenous people also contribute by being on our Advisory Council. The Board of Directors runs finances, sets priorities, and appoints staff members as required.

According to the online "territories" map, our property has been part of the lands/territories of the

• Wahpekute


• Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ


• Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) 

Sunrise River near Sunrise, MN

Photo by J. Harrington

We had read about about the Anishinabe and the Sioux. The term Wahpekute is new to us. We're still searching of details on the time lines of whose territory this was and when, as well as whether there were any actual Native American uses in this vicinity, such as maple sugaring camp, Winter or Summer camp, or whatever. For example, we wonder if the Sunrise River was ever a worthwhile source for wild rice. We'll keep looking and let you know if we find anything. Once again, if anyone has any suggestions for resources regarding Native American places and activities in the St. Croix Valley, please leave a comment.

The Theft Outright

By Heid E. Erdrich

           after Frost

We were the land's before we were.

Or the land was ours before you were a land.

Or this land was our land, it was not your land.

We were the land before we were people,

loamy roamers rising, so the stories go,

or formed of clay, spit into with breath reeking soul—

What's America, but the legend of Rock 'n' Roll?

Red rocks, blood clots bearing boys, blood sands

swimming being from women's hands, we originate,

originally, spontaneous as hemorrhage.

Un-possessing of what we still are possessed by,

possessed by what we now no more possess.

We were the land before we were people,

dreamy sunbeams where sun don't shine, so the stories go,

or pulled up a hole, clawing past ants and roots—

Dineh in documentaries scoff DNA evidence off.

They landed late, but canyons spoke them home.

Nomadic Turkish horse tribes they don't know.

What's America, but the legend of Stop 'n' Go?

Could be cousins, left on the land bridge,

contrary to popular belief, that was a two-way toll.

In any case we'd claim them, give them some place to stay.

Such as we were we gave most things outright

(the deed of the theft was many deeds and leases and claim stakes

and tenure disputes and moved plat markers stolen still today . . .)

We were the land before we were a people,

earthdivers, her darling mudpuppies, so the stories go,

or emerging, fully forming from flesh of earth—

The land, not the least vaguely, realizing in all four directions,

still storied, art-filled, fully enhanced.

Such as she is, such as she wills us to become.

********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.