Honoring Indigenous People's Day

As October brings the harvest season, it serves as a reminder of the abundance of the earth and the responsibility we share to care for it. At Tikun Collective, regenerative design begins with acknowledgment: of the land, of sovereignty, and of the intergenerational knowledge Indigenous communities carry. Honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day is more than a reflection; it is a commitment to listen, stand in solidarity, and follow Indigenous leadership as we work to build resilient and just futures together.  
​In the United States, there are 574 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. Here in Minnesota, this includes the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe/Chippewa) and the Dakota (Sioux) peoples. This month, as we pause to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day we recognize the wisdom, stewardship, and sovereignty of the first peoples of this land.

https://www.mnhs.org/fortsnelling/learn/native-americans/dakota-people

​​The Dakota is part of the broader Sioux (Oceti Ŝakowiŋ or “Seven Council Fires”) constellation that includes the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota branches which are linked through shared cultural traditions and dialects of a common language. Within this framework, the Dakota (sometimes called the Eastern Dakota or Santee) lived across what is now Minnesota, Wisconsin, and parts of the Plains. Their life followed seasonal cycles: sugaring camps in spring; farming, fishing, and gathering in summer; wild rice harvest in autumn; and winter hunting and communal gathering. At the heart of Dakota social life was kinship (tiospaye). As Dakota scholar Ella Cara Deloria wrote in Speaking of Indians (1944), being Dakota meant striving to be a “good relative” - a value that continues to guide community life today.

https://www.whiteearth.com/history

​​The Anishinaabe, meaning “original people,” are also known as Ojibwe or Chippewa. In Minnesota, one of their most significant homelands is the White Earth Reservation, established in 1867. White Earth has become a center of resilience and cultural continuity where traditions, language, and land-based practices are actively preserved. Today, one of the most urgent and vibrant efforts from the White Earth Anishinaabe is centered on preserving manoomin (wild rice), a sacred food and treaty staple. The White Earth Nation’s Wild Rice Program works each year to protect natural wild rice beds by managing water levels on lakes such as Lower Rice Lake, seeding lakes that have seen decline, monitoring rice density, coordinating harvesting permits, and finishing rice with traditional practices. This work reflects both cultural survival and climate adaptation, as manoomin faces new pressures from warming temperatures, invasive species, and industrial water use.

https://www.bemidjipioneer.com/sports/northland-outdoors/minnesota-dnr-offers-tips-as-wild-rice-season-approaches

​​While Minnesota’s Dakota and Anishinaabe peoples ground this story locally, Indigenous nations across the U.S. are leading powerful climate initiatives rooted in sovereignty and traditional ecological knowledge. The Yurok Tribe in California is restoring tens of thousands of acres of forest and salmon habitat through land-back initiatives and carbon offset programs, reclaiming ancestral lands and protecting watersheds. In Washington State, the Makah Tribe is advancing renewable energy projects to reduce reliance on diesel and strengthen community resilience. In Alaska, the Tanana Chiefs Conference runs a Climate Change Collaborative that integrates adaptation into housing, infrastructure, and village economies, while Alaska Native tribes through the Alaska Climate Justice Program address urgent threats such as erosion, permafrost thaw, and flooding.

National and regional organizations are amplifying these efforts. The First Nations Development Institute and allied Native-led nonprofits support tribes across the country with funding and technical assistance to restore ecosystems, strengthen biodiversity, and apply traditional ecological knowledge to climate resilience. Similarly, the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) and their member nations including the Miccosukee, Choctaw, and Seneca are advancing resilience planning, hosting climate camps, and implementing projects to protect land and water systems against climate change

https://www.bloomington.k12.mn.us/american-indian-education

​​Together, these stories remind us that Indigenous nations are not only protectors of cultural heritage but also leaders in climate action. From the Dakota kinship principle of being a “good relative,” to the White Earth Anishinaabe’s stewardship of manoomin, to national efforts to restore lands, waters, and energy sovereignty, Indigenous communities continue to guide the way toward a regenerative and resilient future.

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​As we reflect on what it means to live and design in right relationship with a changing climate, we see that for generations people have cared for the earth in different ways. Some focus on being green, like recycling or saving energy. Others aim for sustainability, ensuring today’s choices don’t diminish tomorrow.
But the journey doesn’t stop there. The bigger vision is to create regenerative systems where people and nature both grow stronger. Getting there takes steps, and each community or project might begin in a different place.

​Here in Minnesota, we’re already feeling climate change: heavier rains, hotter summers, shifting seasons. These challenges call us to adapt planting more shade trees, choosing resilient native plants, or designing multipurpose spaces. From adaptation, we build resilience so communities can recover quickly from disruptions. Beyond resilience is the work of restoration healing wetlands, repairing pollution damage, and addressing environmental injustice. At the most transformative level, design becomes regenerative: creating abundance, strengthening ecosystems, and weaving cultural connection with the land.​

Source - Tikun Collective Design - participants at a 2024 Pangea Biophilia Workshop)

​​This vision is the spirit behind our upcoming FORTIFY workshops, which we’re honored to co-facilitate with longtime partner Pangea World Theater. Together, we’ll bring neighbors, artists, and community leaders into conversation about resilience and action sharing stories, exchanging solutions, and co-creating futures where both people and planet thrive.

​Native communities have modeled this for generations: adapting with the seasons, building resilient food and water systems, restoring balance when disrupted, and regenerating life through reciprocal care. Their wisdom reminds us that resilience is not just about surviving it’s about thriving together with the earth.

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Call to Action
​Each of us has an entry point for meaningful impact. Every step whether supporting neighborhood preparedness, planting pollinator gardens, or investing in stormwater solutions helps weave a stronger safety net for the future.
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🌱 What action will you take?

• Adopt a storm drain
• Plant pollinator-friendly landscapes
• Support Indigenous climate initiatives
• Join neighborhood resilience efforts

We’d love to hear from you. How do you see resilience showing up in your daily life? Share your reflections with us as we continue learning and growing as a Collective

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Acknowledgment of Land and Reciprocity 

​We honor the Dakhóta Oyáte, original stewards of Minneapolis, and acknowledge the legacy of displacement, genocide, and broken treaties. We commit to learning the true history of this land, building relationships with Native communities, and practicing ongoing reciprocity and restoration.
This is a pledge to be good relatives and support Indigenous sovereignty. As part of this commitment, Tikun Collective Design contributes to the Honor Tax, a voluntary payment made directly to the Lower Sioux Indian Community.