NOTICE: Pilot Rock is on private property but will be open to the public for the event starting around 3:00PM. Both the panel discussion and performance are planned to take place on the east side of Pilot Rock. Event goers can can find the event location by turning east off of Highway 59 onto Pilot Rock Rd. From there attendees will see an open gate and sign indicating the entrance to the property.
Attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately for this outdoor event. In case of inclement weather, the event will relocate to the Sanford Museum & Planetarium, at: 117 E Willow St, Cherokee, IA 51012.
Iowa Environmental Historian, Kevin Mason, to host Cody Seaboy and Alfred Seaboy, members of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and descendants of Inkpaduta, for a panel discussion at Pilot Rock in Cherokee County on Wednesday, August 12th at 3:30pm. The conversation will surround personal stories shared by Cody and Alfred concerning their ancestry and connection to Inkpaduta and the Wahpekute, one of several tribes of the Dakota or Oceti Sakowin. Attendees are given the opportunity to listen to a moderated conversation between Kevin, Cody, Alfred and others before a performance of traditional song and dance following the panel discussion. Attendees are expected to be welcoming and show respect when conducting themselves.
Pilot Rock has long been revered as a sacred site to various indigenous groups including the Dakota. Over a dozen petroglyphs have been identified on the rock. The rock was used by early european settlers as a navigational landmark, easily identifiable due to its size and pink hue. Transported by glaciers some 20,000 years ago, the massive quartzite boulder now sits overlooking the Little Sioux River south of the town of Cherokee.
This is a listening centered event - an opportunity to respectfully listen, engage and reflect.
Kevin Mason is a rural and environmental historian of the American Midwest, with a particular focus on how human interaction with both natural and built environments shapes society over time. Mason’s work bridges scholarly research and public engagement, combining traditional academic writing with accessible, community-centered projects.
Mason’s most recent book, Retracing the Dragoon Trail in Iowa: Environmental Transformation along the Des Moines River, was published by the trade imprint of Michigan State University Press in Spring 2026. Mason is also the creator and director of Notes on Iowa. This digital history initiative invites audiences to explore Iowa’s past through multimedia storytelling, including video, essays, and archival imagery. Service is a core part of Mason’s professional mission. Mason currently serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the State Historical Society of Iowa, sit on the Board of Directors for Humanities Iowa, and collaborate with museums and nonprofit organizations across the state to promote historical education and preservation.
Dr. Kevin Mason