A space for representation

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Visitors arrived at Minnesota's Capitol May 6 to a beat thundering across the granite steps. The sound came from the Bear Runner drum group – seven men circled around a taut drumhead, their clothed mallets creating a welcoming anthem for the annual American Indian Day on the Hill.

Spiritual leader and Lakota tribe citizen Jerry Dearly-Blessing kicked off the event for guests in the Capitol's Rotunda. His voice echoed under a four-paneled mural entitled "Civilization of the Northwest: The American Genius," an idealized 19th-century painting that chronicled Minnesota's evolution.

"This capital is ours," Dearly-Blessing said. "This is a place where we are to be represented and heard. We have a new relationship built on trust and partnership."

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