This cache is placed in a tiny memorial park on the corner of
Concord and Butler Avenue in South St. Paul marking the location of
the camp of the Kaposia Indian tribe.
Kaposia is pronounced "Ka-POE-zha" (pronounce the last syllable
like the "zh" sound in the word "measure"), and it is spelled
"Kapoja" in Dakota. It means fleet-footed (it could also mean to be
just a bit faster than others, too, depending on the context) and
was used in reference to the very quick lacrosse players the band
was famous for.
The original camp was near Mounds Park, then it was moved across
to where the current parkland is, then it got moved yet again after
the Treaty of Mendota was signed.
The Kapoja site's main claim to fame is that it was the
birthplace of Little Crow
, also known as Taoyateduta (TAH oh-YAH-tay DOO-ta, meaning "his
red nation"). It was Little Crow actions that started the Dakota
Uprising of 1862, which you can read about
here .
The Dakota were angry because -- you guessed it-- the government
failed to honor their treaty obligations, didn't come through with
food and supplies they promised to give to the Dakota as part of
treaty payments, and the Dakota were on the verge of starving. It
is a sad part of Minnesota history... quite a few people-- many
white settlers, mostly Germans, were killed, and a lot of Dakota
people too. The town of New Ulm was basically burned to the
ground.
Here is some good info
with lots of historical pictures:
Many thanks to Buzzygirl for this historical synopsis.
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