Culture museum honors states history of activism

A new exhibit in Park Rapids bears witness to Minnesotans' record of public conscience and community solidarity.

The exhibit titled “Minnesota in Winter†opened on Thursday, June 11 at the Giiwedinong Treaty Rights and Culture Museum, accenting last winter's statewide demonstrations against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Operation Metro Surge.

“It's covering everything that happened this winter, especially down in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area,†said Executive Director Logan Monroe, “but also highlighting the history of social justice in Minnesota and across America, especially highlighting Indigenous peoples.â€

He added that the museum made the exhibit free to view because its board wanted the community to come together and appreciate it, including many first-time visitors.

“It's all about community today,†Monroe said, “making sure that we're coming together and recognizing these events and this history, acknowledging it and accepting what's happened as Minnesotans, and honoring our strength and sense of community and unity.â€

Monroe said the panels hanging in the Giiwedinong's central space feature new additions to the museum.

“We hope to keep curating and keep adjusting it as the year goes on and we have more content to share,†he said. “Today is just letting people come in and understand where we're headed as an organization and as a museum, especially one that deals with social justice and local and regional history.â€

Senior Curator Winona LaDuke said what gave her the idea for the exhibit was “when I saw the pictures on Facebook of the people from Hackensack†with their ICE Out rally. “Obviously, Park Rapids' was really robust.â€

Pictures from the Hackensack rally were among the images on display, and viewing them with LaDuke were two people who were there, Mike and Lois Bohanon.

“They put a big heart out on the lake, in the snow,†said Lois. “We all made the shape of that heart. That was really cool.â€

“There was a group across the street from us that thought we were No. 1 because they kept going like that to us,†quipped Mike, demonstrating a rude gesture. Lois laughed.

“It takes some courage,†LaDuke said. “Yeah, it does.â€