Land of 10,000 memories

In a clearing not far from the banks of the Minnesota River, the sound of drums resonated in the humid August air.

Voices -- singing old, sacred songs -- rose and fell away on the tide of the beat.

In the center of a clearing at Upper Sioux Agency State Park near Granite Falls, Minn., a circle of lawn chairs and several hundred people surrounded the powwow grounds. Dancers in full regalia -- eagle feathers and leather leggings for the men, jingle dresses and ribbon-bedecked shawls for the women -- danced their way around the circle. Parents and grandparents sat in the lawn chairs, fanning themselves. Food stands sold "Indian" tacos -- hot fry bread loaded with sloppy joe mix -- and corn on the cob.

At the annual Dakota Traditional Wacipi (the Dakota word for powwow), all tribes -- be they of Ojibwe, Winnebago or Germanic descent -- are welcomed to share Dakota culture, music and food. On weekends all summer long across Minnesota, powwows are a nexus of past and present, remembrance and celebration.

There are all kinds of opportunities to explore how the threads of Minnesota's past are woven into the living fabric of the state today. Here you'll find some of them.

Grand Portage Just south of the border with Canada, Grand Portage National Monument occupies a natural crossroads. The town is situated on a harbor on Lake Superior. To the west, an ancient trading route (the namesake Grand Portage) traverses a notch in the Sawtooth Mountains, connecting the great lake with the Pigeon River and the smaller lakes to the west. For almost 300 years, Ojibwe and French people (and later Brits) met here to trade for furs, guns and goods, creating bonds that went beyond commerce. Evidence of those unions can be found in the many French surnames on the roll of the Grand Portage Reservation. During summer months, when costumed guides roam the Ojibwe village and post buildings, visitors might find themselves kneading bread dough in the kitchen or helping repair birch-bark lodges. The monument's newest attraction is the Heritage Center, completed last fall, with a variety of interactive displays and exhibits. The Heritage Center is open weekdays now; the whole complex, including the Ojibwe village and trading post area with costumed guides -- opens daily for the summer season May 24 (www.nps.gov/grpo).

Powwows Bands from Minnesota's two tribes -- Ojibwe and Dakota -- hold powwows throughout the year, although most happen in the summer. Powwows range in size from hundreds to thousands. Some of the most interesting and powerful events happen when no one is dancing or drumming. Powwows are an opportunity for band members to give thanks to the community through public "giveaways" of food, clothing and blankets. The running commentary of the announcers (which inevitably includes a lot of bad jokes) becomes a backdrop for kids' games, sales of arts and crafts and traditional powwow foods. A fairly comprehensive list can be found at www.drumhop.com/mnpowwow.html.

Pipestone Minnesota is home to one of the most sacred sites to American Indians of the Great Plains: the ancient quarry at Pipestone National Monument. This pretty spot on a creek in the extreme southwestern corner of the state is the primary source of smooth, soft reddish Catlinite, the stone used by Plains tribes to make ceremonial tobacco pipes. Archaeological evidence suggests that stone has been quarried from the site for as long as 3,000 years. Quarrying of pipestone with hand tools continues to this day, and pipestone pipes and sacred objects are still a vital part of tribal rituals and ceremony. The site isn't without controversy. Pipes and animal effigies made from the stone are sold in the monument's gift shop, among other places. Some Indians believe the stone should be available only to tribe members for ceremonial purposes. The site includes a small museum and visitor center, demonstrations by Indian artists and a beautiful walking path through the tallgrass prairie to a waterfall (www.nps.gov/pipe/).

Threshing bees The roar of steam engines, the grinding buzz of timber saws and the elaborate clanking and grinding of threshing machines; this is the music of the threshing bee, which is a chance for rural machinery buffs to show off their carefully maintained antiques. As Dave Buhler, one of the organizers of the venerable Butterfield Threshing Bee (founded 1967) put it, the purpose of the bee is "to show people what our ancestors went through, what rural life was like back then." The Butterfield event -- with everything from draft horses pulling plows to monstrous steam tractors -- draws about 15,000 people each year. Local churches, 4-H clubs and VFW posts set up food stands. This year's bee is Aug. 16 and 17. Admission is $7. For more bees, go to www.exploreminnesota.com and search "threshing."

Chris Welsch • 612-673-7113