Bde Maka Ska Pavilion, Minneapolis

Nestled southwest of downtown Minneapolis, the Bde Maka Ska-Isles neighborhood is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. From scenic walks and bike rides to paddle sessions around the Chain of Lakes, this area showcases the city’s natural beauty. Among the neighborhood’s most celebrated recent developments is the newly rebuilt Bde Maka Ska Pavilion. With its boat launch reopening in July 2023 and accessible, all-gender restrooms debuting shortly thereafter, the pavilion has become a community staple. Expanded and upgraded, it now hosts Pimento Jamaican Kitchen and Market, brings back historic naval artifacts, and features improved outdoor seating, a cozy performance stage, upgraded landscaping, and safer trails. A real gem, all around.

Delve into its history, and you’ll find the shores of Bde Maka Ska once supported a Dakota agricultural community known as Heyate Otunwe, or “Village to the Side.” Under the guidance of Dakota leader Mahpiya Wicasta (Cloud Man), Dakota men and their families settled here to hunt and cultivate new land. It was at this site that the Dakota language was first transcribed by missionaries-notably to document the language and translate religious texts into Dakota. Over time, however, the lake was renamed Lake Calhoun by a U.S. Army survey party, honoring Secretary of War John C. Calhoun, a staunch proponent of slavery and Native displacement. In 1863, exile policies forced the Dakota from their home at Bde Maka Ska, scattering a once-thriving community.

Nearly two centuries later, Minneapolis residents began reexamining the lake’s name, spurred by Cloud Man’s descendants. They led efforts to restore its original name, reflecting the Dakota connection to the land. After a lengthy campaign, Bde Maka Ska was reinstated in 2017. In the Dakota language, places aren’t named after individuals; instead, they’re described. “Bde” means “lake,” “Maka” translates to “earth,” and “Ska” means “white.” Following Dakota word order, Bde Maka Ska translates as “White Earth Lake.”