Summer brings more travel time for me and my family, giving us the chance to experience Indigenous cultures and traditions firsthand. My daughter and I recently road tripped to South Dakota when we were invited to take a tour of The Mitchell Indigenous Archaeological Site & Museum.

We were greeted by Christian New, the executive director, who graciously gave us a personal tour on his day off. One of the most fascinating parts of the tour was learning about cache pits that villagers used as storage cellars to preserve food through harsh winters. Over time, as the village was abandoned, these pits filled with discarded items, essentially becoming time capsules. As the saying goes, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. It was within these pits that archaeologists discovered all the artifacts on display at the museum.

Christian also pointed out the remnants of bison grease in layers of soil from years of pemmican making. The process involved boiling bison bones to extract the marrow which made the pemmican more palatable than simply using the tallow.

Seeing an authentic pemmican processing area was an indescribable experience. It brought to light the importance of this product not only for survival but also for trade, commerce, and community. I strongly encourage a visit to the site. The staff and crew embrace the importance of preserving and promoting truthful history. We gained such a deep appreciation for the history and traditions of our ancestors.

While in Mitchell, we also stopped by the Corn Palace, where my mom vaguely recalls visiting as a young girl. With walls adorned by murals crafted entirely out of corn, it is truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

From there, we traveled the Native American Scenic Highway. We hopped out for some photos at the Dignity of Earth and Sky statue before carrying on to Stephan, South Dakota. My mom spent a couple of years there at the Immaculate Conception Boarding School. We walked the grounds and paid our respects to those who never made it home.

On our way home, we stopped at Eagle Butte for a bite to eat. I have wanted to try Wóyute2Go for years. The take-out restaurant serves organic foods made with Indigenous ingredients. They celebrate food as a source of life and wellness, and everything was delicious! It was the perfect cap to a wonderful road trip.

Here’s to a summer of adventures ahead!

Patt