Cottonwood log transformed into 18th-century-style canoe

A unique canoe-building project, sponsored by Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi and Great Lakes Lifeways Institute, took place at the Minneapolis American Indian Center, where a 38-foot cottonwood log was transformed into an 18th-century-style dugout canoe. The Prairie Island Indian Community will receive the canoe as a symbol of gratitude for protecting the sacred Wakan Tipi site. Over three weeks, 263 volunteers, including local Indigenous youth and recovery groups, participated in shaping the canoe using traditional tools. The completed vessel will serve as a cultural and educational resource for future generations.