Did you know it takes roughly 35 gallons of pure sap to produce one gallon of maple syrup? Since time immemorial, Native Americans have been tapping maple trees, and would often arrange their livelihood and camp location based on the maple sugar season.

Traditionally, a seven-day week is not a Dakota concept. The moon and weather were often used to track the days, months, and seasons. However, after contact with settlers, the terms below were established to refer to the days of the week. Day of the Week Dakota Monday, First Day Aŋpetu Tokaheya Tuesday, Second Day Aŋpetu...

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) is a federally recognized, sovereign Native American tribe. Sovereignty means the tribe has the right to govern itself and interact on a government-to-government basis with local, county, state, and federal units of government. The SMSC is governed by the General Council and the Business Council. To gain a better...

A moon cycle, or lunar cycle, is the period of time between one full moon to the next. Traditionally, lunar cycles were an important resource for the Dakota people in many ways. With guidance from the moon, the Dakota people moved seasonally, varying their work according to the time of year. Ca popapi Wi meant...

Hoċokata Ṫi’s public exhibit, Mdewakanton: Dwellers of the Spirit Lake, provides visitors with a cultural experience that enhances their knowledge and understanding of the Mdewakanton Dakota people and their history. Furthermore, the exhibit helps team members and employees to understand and appreciate Dakota lifeways. Dakota people often align their lives with the changing seasons—so what...