Cultural Infusion: Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation

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In October 2009, 15 tourism planning students from North Dakota State University visited The Fort Berthold Reservation to assess its capital for potential ecotourism development. At the invite of the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation Tribal Tourism Department, the students specifically inventoried Fort Berthold's rugged landscape, beautiful vista's and place- specific constructions. Using cultural references provided by tribe members, these students proposed potential ecotourism initiatives that can begin with minimal capital investment. In an effort to suggest potential diversifcation to what is currently a ridgid economy, the students assessed the natural capital of the reservation and used cultural references provided by tribe members to propose potential ecotourism initiatives that can begin with minimal capital investment.

In meetings with elders, teachers, business people and leaders, students observed a strong social capitol and great cultural capitol of three tribes. In readings, students learned of the three tribes' long standing and tremendous social resilience. By diversifying what is currently a rigid economy, the class suggestions hold potential to contribute to the economic resilience and cultural presevation of the Three Affiliate Tribes. By recommending marketable opportunities for tribe members to share their culture with visitors while passing down the same knowledge to younger generations of tribe members. This study is more than a pedagogical exercise. It looks at the promise of ecotourism beyond (albeit including) its potential for economic development for three cultures and three communities that share heritage and landscape in rural North Dakota: the Mandan, the Arikara and the Hidatsa people.

The project is designed to provide NDSU landscape architecture students with an opportunity to learn about community based tourism planning by drawing on a real project. The proposals for place based tourism ideas originate from opportunities presented by a combination of natural resources with proximal infrastructure and tourism services. The class considered the following visions, goals and objectives to contextualize their work:

Vision: Promote the maximum social welfare for the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara people
Goal 1: Diversify sources of income for the tribe and its people
Goal 2: Develop an additionalvehicle for cultural education and cultural strengthening
Objective 1: Gather existing tourism products and points of interest on the reservation into daytrip itineraries for tourism marketing
Objective 2: Expand the nature and culture tourism products on the reservation to include guided services
Strategy: Develop a brochure of existing tourism opportunities and proposals as a prototype for additional tourism opportunities on the Fort Berthold Reservation