Public Art, Gathering Space To Be Dedicated At Bde Maka Ska

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will dedicate public artwork and a new gathering area at Bde Maka Ska in June.

The celebration of the new addition will be held along the southeast shore of Bde Maka Ska on June 8 at 10:30 p.m. Family activities, music, comments from artists and descendants will be present.

The artwork comprised of a website, decorative railing and pavement stamps is made to honor a Dakota village that existed in the 1830s. The village, Ḣeyata Ọtuŋwe (village to the side), was right next to Bde Maka Ska.

Artists Mona Smith, Sandy Spieler and Angela Two Stars highlight the Dakota leader, Maḣpiya Wicaṡṭa (Cloud Man) and Ḣeyata Ọtuŋwe in their work.

The site will include Dakota words and phrases, pavement stamps of plants and animals important to the Dakota and a railing showcasing a design of crops. The website will contain interviews from artists and descendants, along with information on Maḣpiya Wicaṡṭa and Ḣeyata Ọtuŋwe.

The new art contributes to the City of Minneapolis' Art in Public Places Program, which aims to enhance the lives of others by combining art with city planning, services, design and infrastructure.