Tracker Pixel for Entry

​Fall Equinox at Medicine Wheel Park

Culture | September 18th, 2019

Joe Steckler - photograph by Michael Gabbard

By Kristin Gruber
perriex1@gmail.com

Amongst the many charms of autumn in Valley City, North Dakota, at the top of a huge hill, in a serene, semi-secluded area, you'll find Medicine Wheel Park.

The park offers 30 acres of scenic trails, 12 burial mounds between 500 and 2,000 years old, a 3,000 square foot flower garden, a distance-scaled solar system and more. Its centerpiece is the Medicine Wheel.

Measuring 213 ft around and built with fieldstones, the Medicine Wheel, inspired by the Big Horn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming, was built in 1992 by Professor Joe Stickler of Valley City State University, and his astronomy students. Wes Anderson, curator and director of the Barnes County Historical Society Museum, told High Plains Reader that the wheel is a replica of a Native American Solar Calendar, and that it "shows the season by the rising and setting of the sun at various points along the wheel's horizon, with a focus on the Equinoxes and Solstices." There are 28 spokes radiating from the center, which represent the number of days in the lunar cycle. Six spokes extending beyond the Wheel are aligned to positions of sunrises and sunsets on the first days of fall, winter, spring and summer, respectively.

Medicine Wheels are considered "sacred circles" by Native Americans, and give focus to the natural healing of the earth itself. The autumnal equinox, when the sun aligns perfectly over the equator, and day and night are the same length, is a time for honor and reflection.

The annual Fall Equinox celebration at Medicine Wheel Park, supported by funds from the Valley City Convention and Visitors Bureau and Friends of the Medicine Wheel, is free and open to the public. Performing for the event this year are the singers and drummers that make up the Buffalo River Singers and Dancers. 

"The Buffalo River Singers and Dancers come for another great performance . . . it is always an honor to have them come participate in the event," Anderson said. 

The Buffalo River Singers and Dancers represent tribes of the Dakota, Ojibwe, Hidasta, Delaware, Sac and Fox, Creek, Shawnee and Choctaw.

The celebration works around the setting sun, so Anderson says the start time will likely be around 7:15 p.m.

They will pause for sunset, and resume the event after that. He adds, "We had it once where we started the performance at 7:30 and it was DARK by 8 p.m., so it shows how fast the tilt of the earth is changing at this time of year."

In case of bad weather the event will move inside to either Froemke or Vangstead auditorium on VCSU's campus.

For more information contact Wes Anderson at (701) 845-0966, or visit the VCSU Planetarium's facebook page.

IF YOU GO:

Fall Equinox at Medicine Wheel Park

Monday, Sept. 23 7-10 p.m.

205 Winter Show Road SE.

Valley City, North Dakota 

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comNorth Dakotans will take part in a nationwide civil rights rally on Thursday, July 17. Protests, marches, rallies and acts of service are scheduled in Bismarck, Bottineau, Devils Lake,…

Back-to-school season is on the horizon, but there's still plenty of summer left. Check out our favorite August attractions and events in North Dakota and western Minnesota. And if if you missed them, here are a few excellent May…

July 18-19, 25-26 and August 2-3North Dakota Horse Park, 5180 19th Ave. N., FargoLadies and gentlemen, prepare to place your bets — racing season is upon us! Not just horses will be racing this year; word on the street suggests…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com On July fourth, Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest took place at Coney Island. The winners, Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, reigned victorious. Chestnut earned his 17th title by…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWhy doesn’t the world require politicians to leave office at 60?Most of the leaders of countries, whether gods, fascists, democrats or socialists, are not doing very well these days. David Van…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Simone Wairickgion@gmail.com The Red River Market returned to downtown Fargo on Saturday, July 12. The event will take place every Saturday except July 19. (That date will be moved to Sunday, July 20, due to the…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Moorhead Public Library will offer three free, all-ages outdoor concerts featuring regional bands this summer. The series begins on June 12 with the Meat Rabbits, a group that blends…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comPhoto by Sabrina Hornung Wing, North Dakota is a town of 132 located about an hour northwest of Bismarck on Highway 36. There’s a shiny new Cenex on the intersection of the highway and the high…

By Deb Wallworkdwallwork@icloud.comI first met Catherine Mulligan at a party at her house. It was a small gathering, spontaneous, just a few people over for dinner. Directed toward a stack of plates and bowls and a big pot warming…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comPhoto by Yvonne Denault There is something intimate and personal about plays. Even in our age of multimillion dollar Hollywood productions and droves of streaming services, watching actors…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

The drug that keeps re-purposing itselfBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There is a drug that is getting a lot of attention nowadays all over the world. It has various commercial names (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus), but…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…