MINNEAPOLIS — In the 19th century, Native Americans created a food called frybread using the meager rations provided by the US government. By creating a more filling dish when food was scarce, they increased their chances of surviving their persecution. While each tribe developed its own unique recipe, over time, all frybread became synonymous with survival and resilience.
Over 100 miles from the nearest reservation, centuries of oppression have manifested in the Native communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul, leading to high levels of addiction and violence. As the birthplace of the American Indian Movement (AIM) in 1968, many Indigenous people have been fighting these forces for centuries. The people, who are all too familiar with overdoses, high crime rates, and low graduation rates, have turned to tradition, spirituality, and community to not only survive, but to live.
It was the government that placed their ancestors in boarding schools, unapologetically stripping them of their Native identities. Now, decades later, they are still fighting to restore their cultural heritage and reclaim their past. This project was completed over the course of my 10 weeks, all of which were spent researching, photographing, and talking with people from Indigenous communities in the Twin Cities.
Now one of the nation's oldest urban Indian centers, the Minneapolis Regional Native American Center (now the Minneapolis American Indian Center) opened in 1975 on Franklin Avenue. In hosting many public events and regional basketball tournaments, it quickly become a cornerstone of the community. Its presence, along with other important landmarks, underscored the growing cultural and social infrastructure supporting the Native population in Minneapolis.
Today, Franklin Avenue, now a bustling hub of cultural and social activity, is a central part of the Indian Cultural Corridor. The area stands as a testament to cultural perseverance and community strength. However, it also faces significant challenges, including rising homelessness and drug addiction, exacerbated by the ongoing fentanyl and heroin crisis.
