106 Group has worked with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) to support a wide range of research, interpretation, mapping, and survey projects associated with the community’s historical and cultural preservation.
Scope
We conducted Phase I archaeological surveys of tribal land, conducted ground penetrating radar to confirm location of a burial mound to prevent buses parking, prepared digital mapping of Inyan Ceyaka Otonwe (Village at the Rapids) (a significant ancient Dakota village). Most noteworthy was the collaborative work with the community elders to map ancestral sites along the Minnesota River valley. The map, called “Dakota Presence on the Minnesota River,” has heightened awareness among EuroAmericans, and for members of today’s SMSC community, of the strong presence of Native Americans in this region.
Outcome
Multiple outcomes include identification of six previously unrecorded archaeological sites on SMSC trust land, mapping of a significant Dakota village, removal of vehicle parking on a mound, the “Dakota Presence on the Minnesota River” map, and much more.
