Grand Excursion 2004 - Wapasha Prairie/Dakota Homecoming and Gathering
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From Left to Right: Dr. Bill McNeil, Leonard Wabasha, Winona Councilman Tim Breza, Rod Steiner, Winona Mayor Jerry Miller and Winona City Manager Eric Sorensen with Vernell and Hereditary ChiefErnest Wabasha VII in center of photo.
 In conjunction with the upcoming National 2004 Grand Excursion, the Diversity Foundation(DF) has been invited by the City of Winona,(Mayor Jerry Miller, City Manager Eric Sorensen and City Councilman Tim Breza) to incorporate its Wapasha Prairie (WP) Educational Documentary into Winona's GE04 Celebration. In addition DF has been asked to organize and coordinate the Native American portion of the Wapasha Prairie/Dakota Homecoming and Gathering events scheduled for next June, 2004.

It is anticipated the ongoing Wapasha Praire Documentary will be completed and released for public viewing prior to these GE04 events. Diversity Fd. and the City of Winona plan to utilize the 1 hour historic Documentary as an educational curriculum for Winona and other Minnesota schools, libraries and Historical Societies. In addition the City of Winona plans to use all or parts of the WP Documentary for publicity and as educational & promotional materials for the large contingent of media and thousands of US and foreign visitors expected to visit the Winona area prior to, during and after these upcoming GE04 events.

The Documentary and WP Homecoming will be paying tribute and honoring the descendents of its pre-European Dakotah residents: Chiefs' Wapasha I, II, & III and their Dakota people lived, hunted and fished these areas up until the 1851 treaties were signed (& ratified in 1953), forcing Chief Wabasha III and his Dakotah people to remote reservations in western Minnesota. As Europeans arrived, "Wapasha Prairie" was renamed "Winona"(means 1st born female in Dakotah) in honor of Chief Wabasha's oldest daughter. Many of these early Chiefs' Wapasha family and other Dakotah graves and remains (from this pre-European era) were left behind along these banks of the Mississippi River and many are still scattered unknowingly about the area.

It is the hopes and prayers (of our Diversity Fd, the City of Winona and many of the direct descendents of these early Wabasha Chiefs,) that this Wapasha Prairie/Dakota Homecoming & Gathering will represent and begin the process of healing, reconciliation and understanding between our current Native and Non-Native descendents. Presently DF is selecting its '04' WP/Dakota Homecoming & Gathering Committee and developing its Itinerary for this uniquely historic and once in a lifetime opportunity and event.

The Unity Riders promote peace and reconciliation between the Dakota people and other cultures. Over the past several years, the Diversity Foundation has had the priviledge and honor to have met and worked with some of these Dakota Unity Riders from across the US and Canada. The Unity Riders (as a group) were first organized in Canada over 10 years ago in an effort to ride their horses as a way to reconnect with their dispersed Dakota relatives across several provinces in Canada. They also used these "Unity" Journeys as a way to raise money and awareness for diabetes victims and other charitable causes affecting both their own Indigenous Reserves as well as the Non-Native populations in Canada. They later extended this to include their Dakota relatives south of the border in the United States. Ever since the US-Dakota Conflict in 1862, the Dakota people have had to endure extreme hardships and generations of separation from one another in order to survive.

MORE ON UNITY RIDERS:
Winona Daily News, Oct. 20, 2002, "Unity trail ride won't be history repeating itself"

After their forced excile from Minnesota in 1862, Many of their Dakota ancestors were forced to flee westward, while many others fled north into remote and destitute areas of Canada. It is only recently (after nearly 150 years of exile), that descendents of these widely dispersed survivors have begin to rediscover and relocate some of their "long-lost" Dakota relatives at Pow Wows and other Cultural Ceremonies. The Unity Riders and these Journeys have become a "Model" and symbol & source of strength for this Reconciliation and Reunification process.

Diversity has indeed been fortunate to have successfully recruited and received the support and endorsement of these Unity Riders to participate in our Winona GE04 WP/Dakotah Homecoming events! Approximately 30 Unity Riders (dressed in 1850's Native American Ragalia) will be meeting the Flotilla of Riverboats carrying the likes of President Millard Fillmore, Dr.Mayo and other VIP dignitaries as they arrive in Winona.

(photo courtesy of Winona County Historical Society)
Early Dakotah village near modern day Winona, formerly know as Wapasha's Prairie. Prior to the Flotilla's arrival, these same Unity Riders (and other Dakota/Native Americans) will also be conducting a several day educational re-enactment/encampment (Living History) near Veterans Park on the shores of beautiful Lake Winona. This realistic encampment will consist of an entire village of authentic Dakota Tipi's and Lodges and other amenities similiar to how Chief Wapasha's Dakota band lived prior to the 1851-53 Treaties which forced them to relocate to remote reservations in southwestern Minnesota.

In addition, DF is planning and organizing Wapasha Prairies "First annual" Canadian-American Dakota Moccasin Tournament during this same GE04 WP/Dakota Homecoming & Gathering. It has been said that Moccasin Games are one of the oldest shell & sporting games known to man. Its genesis go back at least hundreds of years, with some of the Dakota elders claiming it was originally played between some Dakota and Ojibwe Warriors as a peaceful alternative to years of violence and war.

Chief Wapasha III In modern times, the US government and Bureau of Indian Affairs prohibited the Game from being played by American Indian Tribes claiming it was gambling and therefore illegal. The Canadian Indian Reserves were not restricted to this degree and were allowed to continue playing the sport. It is only in recent years that the sport has seen a resurgence among the Dakota Nations, especially those here in the US.

The WP 1st Annual Can-Am Moccasin Tourney will feature 10 US and 10 Canadian Dakota/Native American teams competing for National Pride and Tournament Money and other Prizes. We are planning to have bleachers in an arena type setting surrounding these games for spectators and also filmed on closed circuit with highlites, possibly being aired on local cable TV.

Another event being planned for our GE04 "Wapasha Prairie" Homecoming will include a LaCrosse Exhibition Game possibly at Winona State Univ. Stadium. The sport of LaCrosse was once played year around by hundreds of Dakota band members here at Wapasha Prairie. It has been said these matches would sometimes extend from Wapasha Prairie south along Mississippi River (on top of ice in winter) thru the village of Dakota on down to LaCrosse, Wisconsin. (This City was actually named after this sport).

Chief Wapasha II These games would be played by young and old and sometimes go on for days and weeks, often getting very physical with injuries being quite common. In fact Chief Wapasha II was hit by a stick and lost an eye playing LaCrosse as a youth.

Other WP Homecoming events in the planning stages include a 2 day "demonstrative" Powwow/Wacipi as part of this Dakota Gathering. This will be a more Traditional event with Dakota/Native American dancing and ceremonies with many Native drum groups invited along with several (Native & Non-Native) Veterans Honor/Color Guard Units also participating. There will also be a variety of other entertainment & performances featured including Dakota/Native American Storytellers, Comedians, Musicians etc.(Many of these will be performing throughout this GE04 Homecoming week from Winona's historic Bandshell near Veterans Park).

In addition there will be a variety of Vendors invited, who will setup around our Powwow area featuring only authenic Native-made crafts and products for exhibit and sale. We are also exploring the possibility of having a Native American Art Exhibition &/or Craft show coinciding with or possibly as a prelude to the above activities. (possibly involving the areas primary and secondary schools, Winona State Univ., St. Marys Univ., Winona/Rochester technical colleges, area churches, museums and others?)

It is also anticipated that funds will be raised for a Chief Wapasha/Dakotah Monument to be constructed and dedicated sometime during these Winona GE04 events. (Ideally this monument should be located near Veterans Pk) This Dedication and Ceremony will pay Tribute to the Chiefs' Wapasha and the Dakotah people who once called this Wapasha Prairie area their homeland. Direct descendents Hereditary Chief Ernest Wabasha VII, his wife Vernell and son Leonard and many other Wabasha family members will be in attendence.

It is anticipated that hundreds of descendents from other Dakota Chiefs and Native American families from across Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana and Canada will also be in attendence. Representatives from other neighboring Tribal Nations (Ojibwe/Annisanabe, Winnebago/Ho-Chunk, Wisconsin Oneida, Sauk & Fox, Iowan, Omaha etc) are also being invited to participate in these Conciliation/Reconciliation and Drumming Ceremonies. It is our goal that these Wapasha Prairie Homecoming and Gathering events will help educate and bring a new found awareness and appreciation for the Native, European and other Non-Native Cultures.

A major Feast along with a "message for World Peace" involving Dakota/Native American and other Multicultural Drumming along with a Gigantic Light show are being planned and will culminate the GE04 events (available to everyone in attendence) on the evening of the Flotilla (Riverboats) arrival on June 30, 04. Our US and Canadian "Unity Riders" will also be involved here as the "Messengers of Peace" and symbols of "Hope" for our Nation and the Earth!

Wabasha family at Winona State University Pow Wow in 1999, the first Wabasha family visit back to Winona (formerly called Wapasha Prairie) since Chief Wapasha III and his band were forced to leave here in the 1850s. We are optimistic and hopeful that funds can be raised for an ongoing "Wabasha Family" Scholarship(s) that will be presented annually to deserving Dakota or other Native American youth. (Preferably with Winona State Univ.,St. Marys Univ, &/or possibly with the Minn. Area Technical College.) Discussions are also underway for possible Cultural Youth Exchange and Mentoring Programs, Internships, a Speakers Bureau etc. Again these and other educational & cultural opportunities will be discussed across the Winona community including area schools and Universities, the Winona Co. Historical Society, area churches & youth groups etc.

Likewise, these longer ranged goals (mentioned above) are also being discussed across some of the Dakota Reservations and other Native American Tribes across the Great Plains. Successful Implementation of some of the above projects could/would/should be a wonderful legacy (for many) as a result of Winona's Grand Excursion 2004 and Wapasha Prairie/Dakota Homecoming and Gathering!
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