How We Learn the Dakota Language during COVID

The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (aka Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, the government’s name for these Dakota) has been working hard to preserve the ancient Dakota language. It’s a cross-generational effort. All our teachers are also required to be learning, so we can use Dakota in our classes.

Here’s one of the videos the Dakotah Language Institute produces to allow all the learning even when our reservation remains in lock-down/ stay-at-home.

The boy with the black and red shirt is Cokaya, a second grader in my Beginning Reading class. I hope the video works! If not, here is the link: https://youtu.be/xlkV2mFjwa4