Gifts of the River: Art and Reflection at Owámniyomni

Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls) has held profound spiritual and cultural significance for Dakota people and other Indigenous communities for countless generations. Yet many Minnesotans have had little opportunity to learn about this history or the River’s enduring importance. Join Gifting Grove and Kahomy Weston, Program & Project Coordinator at Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, for an art-making activity and guided reflection on our relationship with land and water. Using natural watercolors, we’ll explore prompts inspired by connection, reciprocity, and the gifts we receive from the natural world. Art can help us slow down and notice what is often taken for granted: water, land, shared places, and the living communities around us. In the spirit of the gift economy, this gathering invites us to reflect on how we receive these gifts with gratitude and how we might practice care, creativity, and reciprocity in return. All materials are provided, and no prior art experience is needed. Come as you are to learn, reflect, and create in celebration of Owámniyomni and our relationships with one another, the land, and the river. Join the Guided Tour Before the workshop, Owámniyomni Okhódayapi will lead a guided site visit of the falls from 6–7 p.m. Participants will learn about Dakota lifeways, the significance of the River, and the Mní Sóta Dakota Tribes’ vision for cultural and environmental restoration. Register for the guided tour. About the facilitator Kahomy Weston is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She is Lakota and Lao, with family roots in Cherry Creek, South Dakota, and Luang Prabang, Laos. About Owámniyomni Okhódayapi Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is a Dakota-led nonprofit working toward a future in which Dakota culture has a vital presence and Dakota values—including mní wičhóni (“water is life”)—are embedded in communal life. The organization is transforming five acres at Owámniyomni into a place for restoration, education, healing, and connection. This work supports the healing of a sacred Dakota site harmed by colonization and industrialization, while reconnecting people to the River as a source of identity, inspiration, and opportunity for Dakhóta Oyáte and all who call this place home. This event is part of Gifting Grove’s month-long programming in celebration of the Community Exhibition of Regenerative Creativity. Through gatherings, conversations, and creative experiences, we invite our community to reflect on how we create, share, and offer our gifts in ways that nourish both people and planet. View our full event calendar!