Wakaŋ Tipi Center opens at Dakota sacred site in St. Paul

Wakaŋ Tipi Awaŋyaŋkapi celebrated the opening of the Wakaŋ Tipi Center in St. Paul at the end of May, according to reporting from MPR News. The new center is located along the Mississippi River at Wakaŋ Tipi, a 27-acre Dakota sacred site formerly known as Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. The approximately 7,000-square-foot building includes exhibit space, classrooms, community gathering areas and traditional medicine gardens.

The center will host ceremonies, educational programming and community events while supporting ongoing restoration efforts at the sacred site. Maggie Lorenz, executive director of Wakaŋ Tipi Awaŋyaŋkapi, said the center is intended to help people reconnect with culture and identity. Kate Beane, a member of the nonprofit’s board of directors, said the organization sought a permanent presence at the site to support stewardship and preservation efforts. Walking trails throughout the site are open to the public.