Mní Tȟo Wakpála
September 3rd, 1855 Massacre at Blue Water Creek, Nebraska
Every September 3rd we gather and pray for healing at the Witness Tree with Paul Harney Soderman, descendant of U.S. General William S. Harney. We remember the tragic events of 1856 when Harney attacked Chief Little Thunder's peaceful village slaughtering 86 Lakota~ elders, women, and children and perpetrating insane acts~babies in cradleboards for target practice, and mutilation, capturing surviving women and children, leaving only horror & intergenerational trauma.
Blue Water Creek Massacre site, Nebraska
"The Witness Tree" (upper center)
Pathways to Ancestral Healing:
The Blue Water Massacre Reconciliation and Decolonization Project
Today we are in dialogue with NMNH for Repatriation of the Warren Collection/ Wakíŋaŋ Čík’ala Tióšpaye Belongings from the NMNH-Smithsonian Institution, facilitating cultural, emotional and spiritual impact towards healing historical wounds and addressing injustices. Returning sacred Belongings to the Tióšpaye, revitalizes cultural practices and enables the community to reconnect. Experiencing their Belongings in ceremonies, educates and promotes cultural revival. This vital return strengthens the community's sense of identity, fosters pride and resilience for the Tióšpaye.
We are making relations with the holders of 40 acres in Nebraska at Mní Tȟo Wakpála Owíčhkte and can complete successful Land Back. Land Back is not only a physical reclamation but also a profound symbolic restoration of sovereignty and cultural legacy. Reclaiming land reaffirms sovereignty for the Wakíŋaŋ Čík’ala Tióšpaye and Sičhŋgú communities, enabling us to manage and protect our ancestral lands according to traditional practices. Preserving cultural inheritance protects and preserves sacred sites reconnecting sacred grounds integral to the cultural and spiritual practices of the community. Environmental sovereignty promotes traditional ecological knowledge.
Implementation of the Mní Thó Wákpalá Memorial Walking Path, the Land Back 40 acres overlooking the 300 yr. old Blue Water Massacre Witness Tree serves as a commemorative resource, educating visitors with knowledge, true history, culture, and resilience of the Wakíŋaŋ Čík’ala Tióšpaye and Sičhŋgú communities via interpretive displays. Promoting cultural understanding fosters awareness and appreciation of Indigenous legacy and contributions, challenging and changing old ideas. Memorializing the past honors the memories of those who suffered during historical injustices, creating a space for reflection and remembrance. We hope you will join us in this effort!
Letters of Validation & Support
