Nestled amidst the fertile cornfields of southwestern Minnesota, near the town of Morton, lies the Lower Sioux Indian Community. This reservation, home to the Mdewakanton Dakota people, is not merely a geographical location; it is a testament to resilience, a symbol of cultural rebirth, and a beacon of hope rekindled after generations of hardship. The story of the Mdewakanton Dakota is a narrative woven with threads of displacement, assimilation, and unwavering determination to reclaim their heritage. Today, a renewed sense of cultural pride permeates the community, driving a concerted effort to restore forgotten tribal traditions.
The evidence of the Mdewakanton Dakota’s tumultuous past is palpable. Consider Ernest Wabasha, a 73-year-old elder, his frail frame belying the strength of his lineage. In his home, a portrait gallery of his ancestors, the Wabasha line, adorns the walls, each face a stoic reminder of their enduring spirit. But it is the heavy iron shackles hanging from his mantelpiece that speak volumes. These are the very shackles that bound his great-grandfather, the legendary Chief Wabasha, during the tribe’s forced march across the plains – a brutal chapter in their history etched in iron and memory. The shackles serve as a stark reminder of the trials they endured, yet also stand as a powerful symbol of their survival.
The Lower Sioux Indian Community is currently experiencing a resurgence, a cultural awakening fueled by a desire to reconnect with their ancestral roots. As Jody Goodthunder, a council member and former chairman, aptly puts it, "We are coming together as a group again, as a Mdewakanton tribe. We are reverting back to our culture. A lot of our members are moving back to the old ways." This revitalization is not merely a nostalgic yearning for the past; it is a conscious effort to reclaim and reinvigorate traditions that were nearly lost amidst the pressures of assimilation and the trauma of displacement.
For many years, the reservation existed in a state of quiet obscurity. The landscape was dominated by cornfields, and the primary source of income for many Mdewakanton Dakota families was working for local farmers. Paid meagerly, often in goods rather than currency, families faced economic hardship. The lack of transportation further isolated the community, forcing them to walk long distances to town for basic necessities like school and church. However, the economic landscape of the Lower Sioux Indian Community has undergone a dramatic transformation.
The establishment of the Jackpot Junction casino and the Dacotah Ridge Golf Club has brought an influx of revenue to the reservation, injecting much-needed capital into the community. This economic prosperity has, in turn, spurred significant development. The reservation’s infrastructure is undergoing improvements, exemplified by the ongoing cleaning of the water tower and the construction of a new community center. This center, replacing a modest split-level house, will serve as a hub for tribal functions, fostering a sense of community and providing a space for cultural activities.
Approximately half of the nearly 800 registered Lower Sioux members reside on the 1,700-acre reservation. To receive their share of the Jackpot Junction revenue, members must live within a 10-mile radius of the reservation. While the specific amount of these distributions remains confidential, trust funds are established for Lower Sioux children, providing them with financial security and opportunities for the future. The impact of this economic transformation is undeniable.
Census figures reveal a remarkable increase in median household income on the Lower Sioux reservation. In the year 2000, the median household income reached $69,792, a staggering 300 percent increase from $16,223 in 1989. This economic upswing has not only improved the quality of life for current residents but has also attracted former members back to their ancestral homeland.
Kaye Hester, who returned to the reservation after a three-decade absence, embodies this trend. "People are gathering back together, learning the ways of each other. I never thought I’d come back. There was no hope here," she reflects. Hester’s sentiment underscores the profound impact of the community’s revitalization efforts.
Despite the progress, historical markers scattered throughout the reservation serve as somber reminders of the past. These markers commemorate the events of 1862, when the Dakota, driven to desperation by starvation and broken treaty promises, engaged in conflict with fur traders and government posts. This tragic conflict resulted in the deaths of over 500 people and culminated in the largest mass execution in U.S. history, with 38 Dakota men hanged in Mankato under President Abraham Lincoln’s orders.
Furthermore, these markers highlight the subsequent court-martials, the forced march to Fort Snelling, and the eventual exile of the Mdewakanton Dakota to reservations in South Dakota and Nebraska. The bounty placed on their heads served as a chilling deterrent against their return to Minnesota. Yet, despite these hardships, the Mdewakanton Dakota persevered.
Many embarked on arduous journeys back to Minnesota, walking hundreds of miles from Nebraska and South Dakota. They regrouped in small clusters, and in 1874, a Dakota leader named Good Thunder purchased 80 acres at the Lower Sioux community. Over time, a small colony formed, providing refuge for those who had been protected by sympathetic white settlers. By 1936, the census recorded a growing community of Mdewakanton families.
Despite the passage of time, some Lower Sioux members acknowledge the lingering undercurrent of division between Indians and non-Indians in the surrounding area. Generations have inherited a sense of resentment, often without fully understanding the historical context. Goodthunder, a descendant of the 19th-century leader, recalls the challenges of growing up in this environment. "We had to live the hard way, wondering why people felt the way they did about us," he says. "Our parents tried to protect us by not telling our history. It probably would have helped us if we would have understood why they had prejudice against us."
He recalls biased depictions of Native Americans in public school, further perpetuating negative stereotypes. The Lower Sioux, traditionally known as "Cansa yapi" or "where they marked the trees red," were at the center of the government’s assimilation efforts, aimed at transforming them into Christian farmers. These efforts followed treaties in 1851 that drastically reduced the tribe’s land holdings. The [keyword] Mdewakanton Dakota Tribe is dedicated to remembering and building up the traditional ways of life.
The band is actively engaged in recovering tribal traditions that were suppressed during the assimilation era or abandoned during the forced exile after 1862. Central to this effort are Crystal Mountain and her husband, Virgil, who operate the Buffalo Horse Camp on the outskirts of the reservation. At the camp, children and elders collaborate to create gardens using heirloom seeds and traditional farming methods.
They cultivate tobacco, emphasizing its sacred significance, and reintroduce important medicinal herbs, such as sage and sweetgrass, to the area. "If you don’t use them, they will go away," Crystal Mountain explains. She emphasizes the importance of restoring a sense of identity among the youth. "It’s about reinstalling their sense of identity," she says. "A lot was lost culturally and the effects are still here. It’s a process to really look and find the people who possess that knowledge." This [keyword] Mdewakanton Dakota Tribe is striving to ensure the community is connected to its past.
Elders like 86-year-old Maude Williams and her 77-year-old sister, Betty Lee, play a crucial role in preserving and transmitting traditional knowledge. The sisters, both widowed, reside together in a modest house near the reservation’s water tower. From their front window, they can see a stone church, and nearby, the Lower Sioux recently conducted a traditional burial for Dakota remains recovered from museums and universities.
The sisters share stories of their childhood, recalling simpler times when there were few families living on the reservation and no electricity or running water. Their father, Samuel Bluestone, served as the first chairman of the Lower Sioux in the early 1930s, working for a farmer in exchange for basic necessities. "We didn’t know we were poor," Williams says. "We didn’t see the other side." As girls, they were sent to Indian boarding schools and later moved to the Twin Cities. Lee returned to the reservation in the early 1970s to care for her mother and brother, followed by Williams in 1985.
Lee, who became a longtime tribal council member, witnessed the reservation’s transformation through gambling revenue. She emphasizes that the Lower Sioux didn’t become rich, but they were finally able to afford basic necessities. "At least we got caught up to what a normal person would have in life, at least we have a comfortable life," she says. "Our children get a little more food."
The [keyword] Mdewakanton Dakota Tribe is committed to education. More band members are pursuing higher education, benefiting from scholarships funded by the Lower Sioux. Goodthunder highlights the diverse locations where band members are continuing their education, including Arizona, California, and Minneapolis. The band’s vision extends beyond the casino, with plans to develop family-friendly attractions like a water park, transforming the Lower Sioux into a destination for recreation and cultural immersion.
In the nearby town of Morton, furniture store owner Kate Colwell praises the progress she has witnessed on the reservation. She recalls her former classmates from Lower Sioux as talented artists and respected members of the community. While acknowledging the differing perspectives between the reservation and the surrounding community, Colwell credits the casino for attracting visitors to her store. "They came from such poverty," she says. "It’s wonderful to see the reservation now." The restoration of [keyword] Mdewakanton Dakota traditions is the goal.
The Mdewakanton Dakota’s journey is a testament to the enduring power of cultural identity and the unwavering spirit of a people determined to reclaim their heritage. From the shackles of the past to the promise of the future, the Lower Sioux Indian Community stands as a symbol of resilience, renewal, and hope.