The Skally Line

The Skally Line featuring Fred Keller will perform an hour-long themed set of music and story called “Waterways.” Using original music and a few select traditional pieces, The Skally Line will highlight the relationships of both indigenous people and recent settlers to Minnesota’s waterways.  The show will cover topics such as manoomin (wild rice), voyageurs and the fur trade, the logging era, prohibition, and a few exciting corners.  Though the history is rigorously researched, and the songs and stories reflect actual Minnesota people and events, we’ll undoubtedly have much fun singing, laughing, and maybe even a little dancing together.

This program is the start of the museum’s “We Are Water MN” programming. The traveling exhibit will open on August 17. We are excited to bring the exhibit to Roseau County. “We Are Water MN” is a project of the Humanities Center that engages Minnesotans with our state’s most important natural resource through personal stories, historical content, and scientific information.

“Bringing people together around an issue they care about is how the humanities can be put into action. When Minnesotans learn from each other about the water where we live, we can make decisions that account for the complexity of our world.” says Kevin Lindsey, CEO of Minnesota Humanities Center.

The following additional partners will host the “We Are Water MN” traveling exhibit in their communities:

March 2-April 24, 2023: Sherburne SWCD (Sherburne County)

April 27-June 19, 2023: Happy Dancing Turtle (Pine River)

June 22-August 14, 2023: Somali Museum (Twin Cities)

October 12-December 4, 2023: Stillwater Public Library/ArtReach St. Croix (Stillwater)

These host partners will collaboratively design local events and public programming that connect people to water issues in their communities. In co-creating with community members and organizations working on water issues, MHC is expanding the local and state network of stakeholders at multiple levels within Minnesota to support citizen initiatives and create a shared vision around water in Minnesota.

Visitors to the “We Are Water MN” exhibit learn about water issues statewide and in their community. They also reflect on local stories and the meaning and experiences of water in Minnesota, with space to add their own stories. Combining learning and sharing strengthens Minnesotans’ relationships with water and increases participation in water stewardship activities.

We are Water MN is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Historical Society, the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, and the University of Minnesota Extension Water Resources Center.

We are Water MN is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.