Throughout the afternoon, participants explored hands-on workshops, including beading wallets with Ninijjanis One of Ones, nettle weaving with Fern Renville, seed paper journaling with Tammy Villegas, Dakota Wind pinwheels, Native tea sampling, Dakota plant teachings, field games, Native food trucks, and an Indigenous Spring Market featuring Native artists and makers.

One of the highlights of the celebration was sharing a new Four Winds zine, offering Dakota teachings about the seasonal winds and their relationships to the land. Visitors took home these resources as a way to continue learning beyond the event and deepen their connection to the Dakota seasonal cycle.

The return of spring could also be seen in the first signs of the growing Three Sisters Garden. Witnessing the corn, beans, and squash beginning to emerge served as a powerful reminder of the teachings carried by Uŋčí Makhá (Grandmother Earth). Every seed holds the possibility of new life, and the garden continues to grow as a living classroom where Dakota ecological knowledge, community, and stewardship come together.

The Yaŋpá Spring-Wind Celebration reflected the season’s teachings of healing, renewal, and growth. Throughout the day, children, families, Elders, and visitors shared stories, learned new skills, and built relationships through art, culture, and the natural world.

Wopida to all of the knowledge keepers, artists, vendors, volunteers, and Ramsey County Parks and Recreation for helping make another wonderful celebration possible. Your generosity, creativity, and dedication continue to build spaces of belonging where Dakota teachings can be shared with the broader community.

As the Dakota Wind Celebrations continue through the seasons, each gathering strengthens connections between people, place, and the living world—creating opportunities for learning, healing, and joy that continue to grow year after year.

Artists Marlena Myles and Tanáǧidaŋ Tó Wiŋ, along with many incredible community members and guest presenters, shared a full day of hands-on learning, creativity, and cultural teachings.

Throughout the day, participants enjoyed:
• Dakota Winter Games with Jeremy Red Eagle
• Dakota Buffalo Dolls Making with LaVerne Whitebear
• An Indigenous Winter Market featuring 20+ local vendors
• A snow sculpture by Heather Friedli
• Dakota storytelling
• Dakota coloring pages and activity tables
• Delicious food from Trickster Tacos and Indigenous teas
• Free cross-country skiing and kicksledding

Families spent the day listening, learning, creating, shopping, playing, and connecting with one another. Guests warmed up indoors with crafts and tea before heading outside to embrace the winter season through recreation and Dakota teachings.

The celebration highlighted winter as a season of story, reflection, and resilience while sharing Dakota knowledge of the land, plants, animals, and the North Wind. It also celebrated the many Indigenous artists, educators, and makers whose work continues to strengthen our communities and keep our cultures thriving.

A heartfelt pidamaya to everyone who attended, volunteered, presented, performed, vended, and partnered with us to make this celebration possible. Your presence helped create a day filled with warmth, learning, laughter, and community.

❄️ Wazíya brought the North Wind, and together we brought the warmth of community.

Throughout the afternoon, participants explored a variety of hands-on experiences, including botanical cyanotypes with Aiyana Kline and Courtney Cochran, cattail weaving with Ella Robertson, Native tea sampling with Blue Hummingbird Woman and Flores De Miel, Indigenous storytelling, a guided Dakota tree walk, Dakota coloring pages, augmented reality art, Native food trucks, and an Indigenous Autumn Market featuring local Native artists and makers.

One of the highlights of the day was the overwhelming community response to the Seeds of Change initiative. Every native yard sign found a new home, all of the educational bus materials were distributed, and more than 200 packets of native seeds were given away, encouraging participants to continue supporting pollinators and restoring native plant habitats in their own communities.

The Éya Autumn-Wind Celebration reflected the teachings of the West Wind—a season that reminds us to embrace both endings and new beginnings. Through art, storytelling, environmental stewardship, and shared experiences, the celebration strengthened relationships with the land and with one another while encouraging everyone to carry these teachings into the seasons ahead.

Wopida tanka to everyone who attended, volunteered, taught, performed, vended, and supported the celebration. Your enthusiasm and generosity helped create another joyful gathering where culture, creativity, and community could flourish.

The Éya Autumn-Wind Celebration concluded the 2025 cycle of seasonal Dakota Wind Celebrations at Battle Creek. Together, these gatherings continued to build a vision of belonging through Indigenous art, environmental education, and Dakota cultural teachings. We looked forward to welcoming everyone back in January for the 2nd Annual Wazíya Winter-Wind Celebration to begin the cycle once again.

The evening featured unforgettable performances by Jackie Bird and Dakota Wind Goodhouse, whose music and flute teachings filled the pavilion with joy and positive energy. Guests also enjoyed moon and winter counting teachings with The First Scout, Dakota henna by Graci Horne, a guided Dakota plant walk, Native food trucks, Dakota coloring pages, augmented reality art, and an Indigenous Summer Market featuring Native artists and makers.

One of the highlights of the evening was introducing visitors to the growing community garden and sharing the stories and relationships of our Dakota plant relatives. It was inspiring to see people exploring the space, learning together, and connecting with the land in new ways.

More than anything, the celebration was about creating a welcoming place where people of all ages and backgrounds could gather to enjoy good food, beautiful art, meaningful conversations, and laughter. The evening reflected the spirit of Okáǧa—a season of growth, vitality, and transformation—and demonstrated how art and culture continue to strengthen community.

Wopida tanka to everyone who attended, volunteered, performed, taught, vended, and supported the celebration. A special thank you to Jackie Bird, Dakota Wind Goodhouse, The First Scout, Graci Horne, and all of the artists and knowledge keepers who shared their gifts with the community. Your contributions helped create an evening filled with joy, connection, and lasting memories.

The Okáǧa Summer-Wind Celebration continued to build on the vision for Battle Creek as a place where Dakota culture, environmental stewardship, art, and community come together. We looked forward to welcoming everyone back for Eyá, the Autumn Wind Celebration, as the changing seasons continued to guide our journey together.

As part of the celebration, we were honored to present Sharon Day with a custom-designed blanket in recognition of her leadership and lifelong commitment to protecting water. We also distributed 150 commemorative water bottles featuring original poetry by Blue Hummingbird Woman alongside artwork by Marlena Myles, creating a lasting reminder of the day’s teachings.

Throughout the afternoon, visitors of all ages participated in a wide range of cultural activities and creative workshops, including Dakota storytelling, puppetry, screen printing, traditional field games, Indigenous food demonstrations, augmented reality art, coloring pages, and an Indigenous Spring Market featuring more than 30 Native artists and vendors.

One of the highlights of the day was seeing people of all ages come together to play traditional Dakota games. A heartfelt pidamayaye to our relatives from Lower Sioux Indian Community and the Shakopee Indian Education Program for sharing double ball equipment, lacrosse sticks, and goal poles with the community. Their generosity helped create an opportunity for many participants to experience these traditional games for the first time.

A highlight of the celebration was the free coloring pages by Dakota artist Marlena Myles, part of her Winter Plant Series. These pages showcased the essential role of Dakota plant knowledge during the winter season, featuring inspiring writings by Diane Wilson and Blue Hummingbird Woman. Together, they explored the intertwined relationships between plants, people, and the land during the season of rest and renewal.

Marlena Myles also debuted an awe-inspiring augmented reality (AR) installation featuring Wazíya, the spirit of the winter wind. This immersive piece portrayed a human figure raising their arms skyward, with a buffalo skull floating above—a compelling representation of winter’s beauty and challenges.

Adding a tangible element of artistry, Heather Friedli created a stunning snow sculpture honoring Dakota women’s enduring relationship with the land. The sculpture symbolized the cultural practices and traditions that sustain the community, celebrating the park as a vital space for growth and harvest.

The Tamarack Nature Center brought animal relatives to the event, sharing teachings about their winter adaptations. These interactive experiences deepened attendees’ understanding of the interconnectedness of all living beings during the cold season.

Demonstrations by Dakota artists and educators provided hands-on learning opportunities. Dawi Westerman showcased traditional Dakota snowshoes crafted from ash trees, highlighting the importance of seasonally harvested materials. Fern Renville shared the art of making cordage from nettle, a resourceful practice that underscores the ingenuity and resilience of Dakota traditions.

Local food trucks, including Trickster Tacos and Mami Churros & Creamery, added to the festive atmosphere, offering delicious treats that kept spirits high throughout the day.

This vibrant gathering, hosted in collaboration with Ramsey County Parks & Recreation, was part of the Minnesota Parks Artist in Residency (MNPAiR) program. It was made possible through the dedication of Dakota artists like Marlena Myles and Tara Perron, who continue to inspire and educate through their innovative projects.

For those unable to attend, event resources—including Marlena Myles’ coloring pages and the AR installation—are available through our resource page. These materials allow participants to continue exploring Dakota traditions and innovations from anywhere.

The Waziya Winter Wind Celebration was a powerful reminder of what is possible when a community comes together in love, support, and shared purpose. It was a day to remember, full of inspiration, learning, and connection—setting the tone for many more events to come!