MNISOTA UNITY 2026

 A Gathering for Healing, Unity, and Spiritual Return

Proposed Location: Minnesota TBD per Dakota & Anishinaabe Community consensus 

Proposed Date: To be determined based on community input and seasonal significance

Organizing Nations: Dakota Oyate and all our relatives, including Anishinaabe and other Indigenous nations with shared histories

To the esteemed Citizens, Headsmen, Chiefs, and Knowledge Keepers of our Nations,

For thousands of years, the Dakota people lived in what is now known as Minnesota, (From the Eastern Border – Lake Superior & Mississippi Headwaters, Northern Border – Northern Minnesota & North Dakota, Western Border – Missouri River Valley to the Southern Border – Iowa, Nebraska, and Northern Missouri) have held deep connections to the land, water, and spirit of this region. Since the 1700s, forced displacement, colonial conflicts, and systemic erasure have sought to sever these ties. The wounds of this history remain unhealed, and many of our people long for a spiritual return to our ancestral lands.

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Today, WHIN propose a gathering at a place of historical and spiritual significance, to reclaim our presence, engage in healing ceremonies, and foster unity among our nations. We acknowledge the divisions of the past and seek a future built on respect, reconciliation, and shared sovereignty.

This is more than a gathering; it is a declaration of our continued presence and an opportunity to restore spiritual balance among our people and the land. We invite you to stand with us in ceremony, dialogue, and action.

1. Sacred Ceremonies & Spiritual Return

- Sunrise Pipe Ceremony and Water Blessing

- Ancestral Song and Dance on Dakota lands

- Storytelling from elders and knowledge keepers about the spiritual and historical significance of Kathio

2. Truth & Reconciliation Discussions

- Open discussions on the history of Dakota displacement and the role of European colonial influence in inter-tribal conflicts

- Invitation to Anishinaabe leaders to reflect on shared histories and pathways toward unity

- Panel discussions on Indigenous sovereignty, language revitalization, and Treaty rights initiatives

3. Reconnecting with the Land

- Guided historical and cultural hikes to Mille Lacs, formally known as Spirit Lake and significant sites at Kathio State Park such as “The Village at Kathio”

- Traditional food gathering and preparation workshops

- Community feasts honoring our ancestors

4. Youth and Future Generations

- Dakota and Anishinaabe language and storytelling circles for youth

- Art, music, and cultural activities to reinforce identity and connection

- Mentorship and leadership circles for young warriors and caretakers of our nations

5. Commitment to the Future

- Drafting of a declaration for Dakota land cultural revitalization and spiritual connection

- Planning future spiritual and political actions to protect our sacred sites and sovereignty

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- Gather community leaders and elders to discuss logistics and spiritual protocol.

- Identify potential partners, including local tribal councils, grassroots organizations, and cultural preservation groups.

- Secure funding and resources for travel, accommodations, and ceremonial preparations.

- Reach out to tribal nations who once occupied and called this lamd theres Past & Present:

Oceti Sakowin: Mdewakantonwan, Wahpekute, Wahpetowan, Sissetowan, Ihanktonwan, Ihanktonwana, Tetonwan.

Anishinaabe: Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Red Lake Nation, White Earth Nation.

Also including Nations that shared Minnesota Prior to Colonization: 

Mandan, Hidatsa, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Ioway, Missouria, Ponca, Cheyenne, Assiniboine, Cree, Fox, Sauk

- Establish a long-term Sacred initiative beyond the gathering to sustain land-based healing and sovereignty efforts for the nations who now protect this sacred part of Unci Maka. 

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I humbly ask for your support, wisdom, and presence in this effort to establish a renewal of unity. I invite you to share your guidance, endorse this initiative, and stand with us in unity. Please respond with your thoughts, concerns, and willingness to participate. This is not a reclamation of Land but a spiritual reconnection. This is a step toward reclaiming the Dakota/Ojibwe connection to the land and each other, so our path moving forward in our new treaty territories can have a foundation in old alliances and ancestral beliefs that strengthen our community, economies and futures moving forward.

In solidarity and respect,

Jonathon Maza Kute Switters (IronShooter) 

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe- Oglala, Mniconjou, Sisseton, Brule