Knowra Dakota people Dakota people The Dakota are an Indigenous people of the Upper Midwest, with communities including the Mdewakanton in Minnesota. They speak Dakota, a Siouan language, and maintain distinct political and cultural traditions.
Dakota traditional territory : The Upper Midwest homelands associated with Dakota communities, especially in present-day Minnesota and neighboring states. These homelands anchor Dakota histories and relationships to place.
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community : A federally recognized Mdewakanton Dakota tribal nation based in Prior Lake, Minnesota. It is one contemporary political expression of Mdewakanton community life.
Treaty of Prairie du Chien (1825) : A treaty establishing boundaries among Indigenous nations in the Upper Midwest, negotiated with the United States in 1825. It preceded later U.S. treaty negotiations that transformed Dakota land claims.
Bishop Henry Whipple : The first Episcopal bishop of Minnesota, who advocated clemency for Dakota prisoners after the 1862 war. His interventions reveal one strand of Christian and political responses to the conflict.
Dakota language revitalization : Community-led work to teach, document, and strengthen Dakota language use across generations. These efforts sustain a language central to Dakota identity and knowledge.
Mdewakanton : One of the four principal divisions of the Dakota people, historically centered in Minnesota. Mdewakanton communities are a central part of the Dakota presence in Minnesota.
Prairie Island Indian Community : A federally recognized Mdewakanton Dakota tribal nation near Red Wing, Minnesota. Its government represents a Dakota community along the Mississippi River.
Treaty of Mendota : An 1851 treaty in which Mdewakanton and Wahpekute Dakota leaders ceded lands to the United States. Its cession opened much of Dakota territory in Minnesota to U.S. settlement.
Dakota 38 : The 38 Dakota men executed in Mankato, Minnesota, on December 26, 1862, after military trials. Their execution remains a focal point of Dakota remembrance and calls for justice.
Dakota beadwork : A Dakota art tradition using beads to create designs on clothing, accessories, and ceremonial objects. Beadwork expresses artistic skill and cultural knowledge in Dakota communities.
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