The Upper River of the Mississippi
The Upper Mississippi River region is defined by a vibrant ecology of water systems – glacial lakes, bogs, creeks, rivers and wetlands – that feed the winding river for over 400 miles before coming into confluence with the Minnesota river at Bdote, a sacred site for Dakota people in the heart of the Twin Cities. This dynamic stretch of the river exhibits the water’s narrowest (Lake Itasca headwaters) and widest (Lake Pepin) flows. It features the only natural falls and rapids along the river. For the Indigenous peoples of the Upper Mississippi River region, the river remains a storied and life-giving relative, a fierce teacher, a site of genesis and genocide, and a map and a mirror that speaks the seven directions and orients us in this world and beyond. In this section of the site, you will find stories, featured artists, and talks that emerge from and advocate for this region of the river.
