>> CATHY: THE LAND AROUND ST. ANTHONY FALLS, OR ITS LESSER-KNOWN NAME OWAMNIYOMNI, COULD SEE A RETURN TO DAKOTA TRIBAL NATIONS.

SINCE 2016, THE NONPROFIT OWÁMNIYOMNI OKHÓDAYAP, FORMERLY FRIENDS OF THE FALLS, RESTORE FIVE ACRES IN THE AREA AND PRESERVE DAKOTA'S HISTORY.

MOST RECENTLY, THE ORGANIZATION SELECTED SEATTLE-BASED DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE FIRM.

JOINING US NOW, THE PRESIDENT OF OWÁMNIYOMNI OKHÓDAYAP SHELLEY BUCK AND THE NONPROFIT'S PROJECT ADVISOR KJERSTI DUVAL.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Cathy: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SAY, SHELLY, THIS IS FIVE ACRES OF LAND, IS IT NEAR THE STONE ARCH BRIDGE IN ST. ANTHONY FALLS, WHERE IS IT EXACTLY, WHICH SIDE?

>> IT IS RIGHT THERE BY THE STONE ARCH BRIDGE, IT'S UNDERNEATH THE STONE ARCH BRIDGE, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STONE ARCH BRIDGE, ON THE, WHAT IS THAT, EAST SIDE?

>> YUP.

>> Cathy: FOR FOLKS NOT FAMILIAR, WHY ARE THE FALLS SACRED TO THE DAKOTA?

>> IT'S A PLACE THAT HAS A POWERFUL SPIRIT.

IT'S A PLACE WHERE OUR PEOPLE WOULD GO TO GIVE PRAYER, GIVE THANKS.

IT WAS ALSO A PLACE WHERE WE WOULD DO TRADE, TREATIES WITH OTHER TRIBES, AND THERE WAS A PLACE CALLED SPIRIT ISLAND WHERE SOME OF OUR DAKOTA WOMEN WOULD GO AND GIVE BIRTH.

>> Eric: WHAT'S THE BUREAUCRATIC PATH FOR THIS THING?

IS THERE A LOT OF COOKS IN THE KITCHEN?

>> OH, YES.

I THINK MAYBE EVERY COOK IS IN THE KITCHEN.

FOR THIS LAND CONVEYANCE.

IT'S FEDERALLY OWNED RIGHT NOW.

BUT OWAMNIYOMNI HAS A 25-YEAR LEASE AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS A CONVEYANCE OF TITLE.

AND THAT INVOLVES MANY PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK BOARD.

THAT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE WAYS OUT THERE, BUT WE'RE TAKING ONE STEP AT A TIME.

>> Eric: HOW DO YOU ENVISION WHEN IT'S COMPLETED?

WHAT MIGHT FOLKS SEE THERE?

>> WE'RE HOPING TO DO 100% LAND RESTORATION.

SO WE KNOW THAT WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO FULLY RESTORE IT TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION PHYSICALLY, BUT THAT SPIRIT OF THE SACRED PLACE IS STILL THERE.

WE WANT TO HONOR THAT.

AND, SO, WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE 100% LAND RESTORATION.

THERE WAS AN OAK SAVANNAH THERE AT ONE TIME.

WE WANT TO RESTORE SOME OF THE FLOWING WATER WHERE IT ONCE WAS.

SO THERE'S GOES TO GO SOME GREAT THINGS.

WE WANT TO, WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE SITE, WE REALLY WANT TO BRING BACK THE HEALTH OF NOT ONLY THE RIVER AND THE LAND BUT ALSO OUR OTHER RELATIVES, THE PLANTS, THE ANIMALS, THE FISH.

REALLY BRING BACK LIFE THERE, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH SOME MUSKRATS.

>> Cathy: YOU MENTIONED THE RELATIONSHIPS, AND I'M WONDERING, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT LAND RESTORATION, NOT NECESSARILY LAND OWNERSHIP, BECAUSE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, UNDER DAKOTA CULTURE, YOU DON'T REALLY OWN THE LAND, THE LAND IS NOT REALLY YOURS TO OWN, WOULD THAT BE RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> Cathy: YOU'RE IN RELATIONSHIP TO IT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

OWNERSHIP OF LAND IS A FOREIGN CONCEPT FOR NATIVE PEOPLE.

BUT OBVIOUSLY WE LIVE IN THE WORLD TODAY AND OWNERSHIP IS PART OF OUR XISTENCE NOW.

BUT O.O.

WOULD OWN THE LAND IN FEE TITLE, AND WE WOULD WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FOUR DAKOTA TRIBES HERE IN THE STATE TO WORK ON WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE THERE, WHAT PROGRAMS WE'RE GOING TO DO THERE, AND REALLY WHAT HAPPENS THERE.

>> Eric: IS IT RARE FOR THE NATIVE TO TAKE THE LEAD IN SOMETHING -- THE NATIVES TO TAKE THE LEAD IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

>> I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PROCESS LIKE THIS.

TRULY DAKOTA-LED, TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT.

SHELLY HAS BROUGHT THIS PROCESS TO BEAR THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED, IN MY OPINION BE, YES.

>> Eric: HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN PERCOLATING?

HAD >> WELL, THE ORGANIZATION'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 2016.

THEY DIDN'T INCLUDE THE DAKOTA TRIBES UNTIL 2018.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> AND THEN WHEN I CAME ON BOARD IN 2023, WE REALLY PUSHED FORWARD WITH THE FOUR DAKOTA TRIBES AND REALLY HAVE GUIDED IT IN THAT DIRECTION FROM THEN ON OUT.

>> Cathy: TELL ME ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS, THE MANY CONVERSATIONS YOU'VE HAD WITH THE OTHER DAKOTA TRIBES.

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR PITCH TO THEM IN TERMS OF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE WITH THEIR COOPERATION?

>> WITH WORKING WITH THE FOUR DAKOTA TRIBES, MOST OF THEM ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT BEING A SACRED SITE.

>> Cathy: SURE.

>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW ABOUT, BUT NOT ALL OF US KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE THROUGH BOARDING SCHOOL AND OTHER ATROCITIES THAT HAPPENED, WE LOST A LOT OF THAT KNOWLEDGE.

BUT THOSE THAT KNOW ABOUT IT, THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT IT.

THEY'RE ALWAYS A LITTLE LEERY AT FIRST, YOU KNOW KNOW WHEN SOMEBODY WANTS TO BRING TRIBES INTO A PROJECT, A LOT OF TIMES THEY WANT THEM TO FOOT THE BILL FOR IT.

BUT, HONESTLY, TRIBES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY OR STOLEN LAND AND THIS IS STOLEN DAKOTA LAND.

SO WE'RE ARE WILLING TO DO THE FUND-RAISING NEEDED TO RESTORE THE LAND TO THE WAY THE DAKOTA TRIBES WOULD LIKE, AND THEN WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM ON WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SITE AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE, THEY WILL WANT TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT AND WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TURN IT OVER TO THEM AND STILL WORK WITH THEM ON FUND-RAISING.

>> Eric: WHAT'S THE PATH FORWARD NOW FROM HERE?

>> WELL, WE HAVE A CONSULTANT TEAM ON BOARD, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THE COMPLIANCE MATTERS THAT COME WITH A FEDERAL CONVEYANCE AND ALSO WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK BOARD AND THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS.

OF COURSE, TRIBES ARE FRONT AND CENTER AND, SO, WE'RE WORKING ON A CONSENSUS-BASED DECISION-MAKING PROCESS THAT INVOLVES DAKOTA KNOWLEDGE KEEPERS, AS WELL AS TRIBAL COUNCILS.

>> Eric: DO YOU JUST GET PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE AND DO IT?

OR IS IT AGENCY BY AGENCY?

OR HOW DO YOU CONVENE TO MAKE SURE DECISIONS ARE MADE?

>> WE HAVE NOW HAD FOUR MULTIAGENCY PARTNERING SESSIONS, AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO GET EVERYONE IN THE ROOM TOGETHER IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH SOME OF THOSE REGULATORY KNOTS, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.

SO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FORWARD TO -- >> Eric: HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS?

>> THE BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS HAS BEEN VERY VERY FRUSTRATING.

I'M NOT -- IT'S NOT FOREIGN TO ME, COMING FROM TRIBAL LEADERSHIP.

I'M USED TO DEALING WITH THAT.

BUT JUST SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT JUST SEEMS TO EASY -- IT JUST SEEMS SO EASY AND SIMPLE AND SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IS SUPPORTIVE OF, FROM THE RESIDENTS THERE, TO PEOPLE THAT LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE AREA, TO THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, IT'S JUST AMAZING HOW ONG IT'S TAKING TO DO THE SMALL LITTLE FIVE ACRES BECAUSE OF THE BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS.

>> Cathy: WHAT IS THE JOY IN THIS WORK FOR YOU?

BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE LAND IS STARTING TO KIND OF OME BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS.

YOU MENTIONED THE MUSKRATS, YOU KNOW.

>> YES.

>> Cathy: WHAT'S THE JOY IN THE WORK?

>> FOR ME AS A DAKOTA WOMAN, REALLY BEING ABLE TO HELP OUR RELATIVES.

WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WORLDVIEW, SO WE SEE THE LAND, THE WATER, THE PLANTS, THE ANIMALS AS RELATIVES.

AND I FEEL WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING IN THAT WAY, YOU TEND TO TREAT IT BETTER.

AND TO REALLY BRING THAT BACK AND TO HONOR A PLACE THAT MY ANCESTORS USED TO WALK AND USED TO PRAY AT AND COME AND DO TRADE AT AND TO REALLY HONOR THAT -- THE SACRIFICES THAT THEY MADE TO GET ME TO WHERE I AM TODAY JUST MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY AND TO SEE OUR RELATIVES LIKE THE MUSKRATS, LIKE THE EAGLES, COMING BACK IS JUST REALLY EXCITING AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MORE AND MORE COME BACK.

>> Eric: KEEP US POSTED ON PROGRESS, WILL YOU?

>> DEFINITELY.

>> Cathy: GREAT.

>> WE'D LOVE TO COME BACK AND GIVE YOU UPDATES, HAVE YOU ON SITE, GIVE