Indigenous prayer camp near Whipple Federal Building to close after agreement with elders
Camp residents will have time to pray before dismantling later this week
An Indigenous-led prayer camp established near Mni Owe Sni, also known as Coldwater Spring, in Minneapolis will close Wednesday evening after youth leaders and Lakota spiritual leader Arvol Looking Horse reached an agreement Sunday night, according to MPR News. The camp, set up in early February across from the Whipple Federal Building, had drawn debate among Indigenous community members over the use of the site, which is considered sacred and is understood by some leaders to include Dakota burial grounds.
Looking Horse told camp residents he believed establishing the camp at the location broke “spiritual law” because the area is recognized as a burial site, according to MPR News. Youth leaders said the camp was intended as a place for prayer and healing and a response to community concerns including immigration enforcement actions, housing instability and drug use in Minneapolis. After nearly four hours of discussion, both sides agreed the camp could remain temporarily so residents could pray before dismantling it later this week.
- 1.Melissa Olson. MPR News, .
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