NATIVE NAME CHANGE

By Thomas Dahlheimer
December 17, 2004
Reference: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_8_41/ai_n8588106

Published in the National Catholic Reporter

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Native Name change

By Thomas Dahlheimer

In Minnesota, "Land of 10,000 Lakes," there is a large and beautiful lake named Mille Lacs. Its outlet river is named Rum. The Sioux Indian name for the Rum River is Mdo-te-mini-Wakan. According to historical documents found in Minnesota Geographic Names (Upham, 1920), white explorers gave the Rum River its current name in the late 18th century. The white men mistranslated the word wakan, turning a word that means sacred (or spirit) to mean an alcohol spirit, rum.

Correction, an author of a book about MN's place names mistakenly wrote that the full Dakota name for the "Rum River" is Mdo-te-mini-wakan. Wherefore, before I was informed by a Dakota Indian historian that the name Mdo-te-mini-wakan is the name for the land surrounding the mouth of the river, I mistakenly believed that the Dakota name for the river was Mde-te-mini-wakan. I was also informed that although the word wakan usually means sacred or spirit, it, in the name Mdo-te-mini-wakan means Spirit or Great Spirit, and that the full Dakota name for the "Rum River" is Wakan, which translated means Spirit or Great Spirit.

My efforts to show due respect for the sacred word wakan led me to seek a change in the derogatory name of the Rum River.

Twenty years of work within the Catholic church, countercultural organizations and indigenous communities gave me the experience and contacts I needed to inform my fellow citizens along the river and throughout the state of Minnesota.

Archbishop Harry Flynn of the Minneapolis and Saint Paul archdiocese has given his support for my effort to change this river's name. And a bishop secretary of the Pontifical Council of Peace and Justice wrote me to let me know that the Pontifical Council has "taken note" of this social justice ministry of mine.

THOMAS DAHLHEIMER
Wahkon, Minn.

[Thomas Dahlheimer is a Catholic social justice activist and the founder and director of the Rum River Name Change Organization, located in Wahkon.]