Healing with language

Language and kinship are the roots of Dakota culture; form the basis of our identity and strengthen our wellbeing. Government policies and practices such as the 1862 war that exiled the Dakota from Minnesota, boarding schools and the Indian Relocation Act have had devastating effects on our tiwahe (family), tiospaye (those that eat together), and oyate (community). While the language and culture have survived, they are not thriving. Though we are all kin to one another, our people have been separated into four small federally recognized Dakota tribal communities in Minnesota; Upper Sioux, Lower Sioux, Shakopee and Prairie Island communities and one non-federally recognized community: the Mendota Mdewankanton community. There are only nine fluent D-dialect Dakota speakers remaining across our Minnesota Dakota communities. These elder speakers are aged 69 to 96 and in a few years, they will be gone. It is our responsibility to preserve their legacy.

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