Shakopee Tribe to host grand opening for new health food store

Wednesday, August 3, 2011  

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota is hosting a grand opening this Friday for Mazopiya, the tribe's new health food store.

The tribe is emphasizing local products and healthy foods at Mazopiya, which means "a store, a place where things are kept" in the Dakota language. Most of the produce comes from a farm on the reservation and the store features traditional foods from across Indian Country.

Lori Watso, a tribal member and former nurse, is the store's wellness department manager. She said healthy foods can help Indian people fight diabetes and obesity.

"I realized that so many of the chronic health issues that tribal people deal with can be helped by clean food," Watso told The Minneapolis Star Tribune. "People would start to feel better not only in physical ways but mentally, too."

Get the Story:
Tribe's new health food store aims to change eating habits (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 8/3)