Eric Buffalohead (Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma) moved to St. Louis Park in 1979 when he was in the eighth grade. He lived there until the mid-1990s, and later returned to the West Metro by purchasing a home in Plymouth in 2016. His three children attended Breck School in Golden Valley. In 2023, Eric is the chair of the American Indian, First Nations, and Indigenous Studies department at Augsburg University. He is also the lead guitarist of Bluedog, a band he co-formed in 2001 that has been nominated for several Native American Music Awards.

In Mni Sóta Makoce (Minnesota), Indigenous people have lived, worked, and played near Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ (Bassett Creek) for thousands of years. Through an oral history project, 15 Indigenous people share how they experience the watershed as part of their historic and contemporary cultures. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Kasey Keeler with support from Valley Community Presbyterian Church (VCPC) and partners. To learn more, please contact Hennepin History Museum (https://hennepinhistory.org) or visit VCPC’s land acknowledgment webpage (https://www.valleychurch.net/land-acknowledgement).

David Wilson (Dakota) lived in Golden Valley from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. He attended Meadowbrook Elementary School and graduated from Golden Valley High School. David’s grandmother lived on Medicine Lake, and he remembers the area as being open and beautiful prior to development. David is a musician and has also worked in the construction industry.

In Mni Sóta Makoce (Minnesota), Indigenous people have lived, worked, and played near Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ (Bassett Creek) for thousands of years. Through an oral history project, 15 Indigenous people share how they experience the watershed as part of their historic and contemporary cultures. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Kasey Keeler with support from Valley Community Presbyterian Church (VCPC) and partners. To learn more, please contact Hennepin History Museum (https://hennepinhistory.org) or visit VCPC’s land acknowledgment webpage (https://www.valleychurch.net/land-acknowledgement).

Sydney Beane (Dakota) moved to Minnesota and purchased a home in Plymouth in 2003. In the 1970s, he was trained as a community organizer through a Robert F. Kennedy Fellowship. He has since served in many roles, including as co-founder of the Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI), Chair of the Board for Little Earth, and an advocate for recognizing Indigenous place names. Sydney is a lifelong educator as well as a filmmaker, historian, and documentarian. In 2023, he was honored with The Frank Blythe Award in Media Excellence for his work.

In Mni Sóta Makoce (Minnesota), Indigenous people have lived, worked, and played near Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ (Bassett Creek) for thousands of years. Through an oral history project, 15 Indigenous people share how they experience the watershed as part of their historic and contemporary cultures. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Kasey Keeler with support from Valley Community Presbyterian Church (VCPC) and partners. To learn more, please contact Hennepin History Museum (https://hennepinhistory.org) or visit VCPC’s land acknowledgment webpage (https://www.valleychurch.net/land-acknowledgement).

Debbi Kinaka-Williams (Anishinaabe) moved to Plymouth in the early 1980s and then purchased a home in Crystal, where she lived for 22 years. She chose the area specifically so her children could attend the Robbinsdale School District and enjoy the Robbinsdale American Indian Education Program. Debbi started the Robbinsdale drum and dance group and managed it for 9 years. Debbi is also an artist and a teacher. She helped to secure culturally appropriate curriculum and books for Indigenous students. She also advocated for starting the American Indian Studies Program at Michigan State University.

In Mni Sóta Makoce (Minnesota), Indigenous people have lived, worked, and played near Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ (Bassett Creek) for thousands of years. Through an oral history project, 15 Indigenous people share how they experience the watershed as part of their historic and contemporary cultures. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Kasey Keeler with support from Valley Community Presbyterian Church (VCPC) and partners. To learn more, please contact Hennepin History Museum (https://hennepinhistory.org) or visit VCPC’s land acknowledgment webpage (https://www.valleychurch.net/land-acknowledgement).

Ben Blackhawk (Ho-Chunk) moved to Crystal in 1970. As a child, he traveled to powwows across the Midwest, including at his home reservation in Winnebago, Nebraska. Ben worked for 17 years as a high school math teacher at Providence Academy in Plymouth. While there, he also directed the choir, coached the math team, and assisted with track and field. Ben earned a B.A. in Math and Music Education from St. Olaf College. In 2023, Ben lives in Crystal and teaches math and music at Epiphany Catholic School in Coon Rapids.

In Mni Sóta Makoce (Minnesota), Indigenous people have lived, worked, and played near Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ (Bassett Creek) for thousands of years. Through an oral history project, 15 Indigenous people share how they experience the watershed as part of their historic and contemporary cultures. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Kasey Keeler with support from Valley Community Presbyterian Church (VCPC) and partners. To learn more, please contact Hennepin History Museum (https://hennepinhistory.org) or visit VCPC’s land acknowledgment webpage (https://www.valleychurch.net/land-acknowledgement).

Bradley Blackhawk (Ho-Chunk) grew up in Crystal and attended high school in New Hope. In the 1970s, he enjoyed fishing on Medicine Lake and canoeing and trapping on the creek. He worked for the City of Minneapolis for more than 30 years, where he specialized in utility connections. Bradley shares his traditional knowledge through American Indian Education Programs across the Twin Cities. He has been a male dance instructor with Osseo School District 279 for more than a decade.

In Mni Sóta Makoce (Minnesota), Indigenous people have lived, worked, and played near Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ (Bassett Creek) for thousands of years. Through an oral history project, 15 Indigenous people share how they experience the watershed as part of their historic and contemporary cultures. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Kasey Keeler with support from Valley Community Presbyterian Church (VCPC) and partners. To learn more, please contact Hennepin History Museum (https://hennepinhistory.org) or visit VCPC’s land acknowledgment webpage (https://www.valleychurch.net/land-acknowledgement).

Tawnya Stewart (Anishinaabe and African American) grew up in Robbinsdale and Crystal in the 1970s. She earned an Executive MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Communications. She also received a degree in Human Resources from Loyola University Chicago. Tawnya has worked for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures since 2016, where she is the Chief of People and Culture. In 2023, Tawnya lives in Golden Valley and advocates for social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In Mni Sóta Makoce (Minnesota), Indigenous people have lived, worked, and played near Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ (Bassett Creek) for thousands of years. Through an oral history project, 15 Indigenous people share how they experience the watershed as part of their historic and contemporary cultures. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Kasey Keeler with support from Valley Community Presbyterian Church (VCPC) and partners. To learn more, please contact Hennepin History Museum (https://hennepinhistory.org) or visit VCPC’s land acknowledgment webpage (https://www.valleychurch.net/land-acknowledgement).

Jim Rock (Dakota) taught astronomy, chemistry, and physics at Wayzata High School for almost 30 years. He also spearheaded a summer program at the University of Minnesota called Andogiikendassowin / Wasdodyawacinpi (Seek to Know), which introduced students to Indigenous ways of knowing that combine science, music, sacred sites, waterways, and experiential learning. Jim and his wife, Roxanne Gould, continue to support Indigenous-led projects like Makoce Ikikcupi (Land Recovery) from their home in Golden Valley.

In Mni Sóta Makoce (Minnesota), Indigenous people have lived, worked, and played near Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ (Bassett Creek) for thousands of years. Through an oral history project, 15 Indigenous people share how they experience the watershed as part of their historic and contemporary cultures. These interviews were conducted by Dr. Kasey Keeler with support from Valley Community Presbyterian Church (VCPC) and partners. To learn more, please contact Hennepin History Museum (https://hennepinhistory.org) or visit VCPC’s land acknowledgment webpage (https://www.valleychurch.net/land-acknowledgement).