Mahkato Education Day Program Background:
In response to Vine Deloria, Jr's challenge in 1987, Dakota communities and Mankato District 77 have cosponsored an educational program which provides Mankato area third grade children, teachers and parents the opportunity to learn about and experience southern Minnesota history and heritage. This opportunity occurs through a unique direct-cultural exchange education program held each year in September in conjunction with the Mdewakanton Dakota Wacipi (dance; gathering). Mdewakanton Dakota and other tribal peoples gather in Mankato to teach the children, teachers and parents about their culture and their meanings. Over 10,000 third grade children, teachers, assisting parents from the Mankato school district and Native American resource people, from Canada, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, N. and S. Dakota, and Wisconsin have come to learn and teach about various aspects of Native American culture.

Mahkato Education Day Program Design:
The following is a description of the direct-cultural exchange Mahkato Education Day program which is held in conjunction with the Mdewakanton Dakota Wacipi (dance; gathering) out of doors in September at Land of Memories Park. Learning stations are located in seven (corresponding to the seven bands of the Dakota nation) camps on the perimeter of a large open circle. Each learning station is staffed with Native American resource persons who teach and demonstrate one aspect of their culture. The number of learning stations has increased from 12 (1987) to 35 (2003). The number of learning stations provided depends upon the number of classes of children participating. Two two and one-half hour sessions take place. Half of the third grade classes, their teachers and parents come in the morning (between 300-400 persons) and the other half come in the afternoon between 300-400 persons).

The day begins with a fifteen minute "opening circle" ceremony conducted by Dakota leaders. All students, teachers and parents come together in the center of the large circle to listen and observe/participate in the Dakota way of acknowledging the Great Creator.

At the end of the opening ceremony, each class of children is directed to their assigned learning station. Groups vary from 7-12 children. For fifteen minutes, they are provided an opportunity to listen, watch, touch, try out and ask presenters questions about their craft, way of life, etc. A horn is blown to signal children and teachers to move to the next learning station in their camp a clockwise fashion. Children shake hands with each resource person when they leave the station as a way of saying "thank you." All in all children visit five different learning stations.

A variety of learning station experiences have been offered: storytelling, pipe making, moccasin making, flute making, head roach making, jewelry making, pottery making, drum making, buffalo box making, wild rice gathering, Dakota language, traditional men's regalia, men's grass dance regalia, men's dance sticks and staffs, traditional women's dance regalia and dance, women's jingle dress making and dance, women's dance shawls, star quilt making, growing and using corn, tipi living and tipi building, dream catcher making, moccasin game, children's traditional games, leather work/tanning hides, ceremonial uses of tobacco, children's games, flintknapping and tool making, drumming and songs, circle dancing, preservation of foods.

The final fifteen minute station draws all of the children back to the center into one large circle group. A Native American drum group and dancers come to the center and teach the children a circle or "friendship" dance. Everyone joins hands and dances in a circle until they get to the exit opening where all of the dancers shake hands with each one of the school participants. They disperse to their individual buses and return to school.

Program Outcomes:
According to the feedback received from children, teachers, parents and resource persons over the last 20 years, this mutually-created-shared experience has been meaningful on both a personal as well as professional level for many. There is a stronger sense of community developing between the Dakota communities and the Mankato community with the implementation of this program, one that seems to be uniting persons in a spirit of respect, and appreciation for each other. The collaborative efforts of both communities has created possibilities for new positive shared-histories to develop, histories that will hopefully influence and guide future generations in relationships. Since 1987, over 12,000 children, teachers, parents and Native American presenters have participated.

Mahkato Wacipi Learning Center Tent Program Design:
In 1989, increased requests and interest growing out of the Education Day program prompted the establishment of the Mahkato Wacipi Learning Center Tent program for the general public and other interested K-12 children.

A Learning Center Tent is provided for one-on-one direct cultural exchanges between interested Wacipi visitors (Native and nonnative) and demonstrators who explain their craft and/or provide a cultural lesson. Such exchanges provide observations of craft making, dialogue, question/answers sessions and networking opportunities.