Search results
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC; Dakota: Bdemayaṭo Oyate) is a federally recognized, sovereign Indian tribe of Mdewakanton Dakota people, located southwest of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, within parts of the cities of Prior Lake and Shakopee in Scott County, Minnesota. Mdewakanton, pronounced Mid-ah-wah-kah-ton, means "dwellers ...
Life on the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community was like that on many other reservations. Deficient government policies had left us with dirt roads, inadequate housing, and few prospects for a better future for our children. Health care, educational opportunities, and steady employment on the reservation seemed only to be a dream.
- Finding Prosperity in Prior Lake
- Leadership, Timing, and Luck
- The ‘Transformative’ Growth of Gaming
- The Political Consequences of Casinos
- ‘We Know Our Own Communities Best’
- Building, and Funding, Relationships
- Getting The ‘Light Bulb’ to Turn on
- Finding A Focus on Farm Issues
- A New Political Reality
The big, purple shuttle buses leave from a lot of places — Minneapolis, St. Paul, Anoka, Brooklyn Park — but they all exit Highway 169 at the South Canterbury Road exit, in Shakopee. The buses head south off the highway, beginning a four-mile ride through typical Twin Cities exurbia — a stout Hampton Inn, a Lowe’s, empty fields, scattered homes. Th...
That the people of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux have grown so prosperous is due to a combination of shrewd leadership, good timing, and pure luck. But that prosperity and stability has been a long time in the making. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux are Dakota, or Sioux, people, meaning they share linguistic and cultural characteristics with a grou...
According to the SMSC, the U.S. government began purchasing land for the tribe around Prior Lake in the 1880s, more than 30 years after land was promised to the tribe in a treaty. It was not until 1969 that the federal government recognized the SMSC as its own tribe. The first decade of tribal recognition for the SMSC — the 1970s — was marked by ex...
For the SMSC, and for many other tribes, gaming has fueled a political revolution, giving them the resources needed to establish a D.C. presence and compete successfully in the high-stakes, high-dollar environment of the capital. To be sure, tribal advocates have argued for their interests in the capital as long as the U.S. has existed. In 1852, a ...
A striking example of that change is Spirit Rock Consulting, a small lobbying firm based in the Beltway that is run by a team of Native women. Spirit Rock was founded by Martin, who grew up on the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in northern Wisconsin. She has a three-decade career of working on tribal issues in Washingto...
Native advocates say that the process of building relationships over time with elected officials is what made the progress on the Violence Against Women Act possible, when it might not have been possible even a few years prior. Jacqueline Pata, the executive director of the National Congress of American Indians, an umbrella organization representin...
On a recent fall morning on Capitol Hill, dozens of representatives of tribal nations gathered in a hearing room in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, where the wood-paneled walls are adorned with Navajo rugs and tribal art. They were there to hear from members of Congress as part of the National Congress of American Indians’ “fly-in,” an annual r...
Beyond protecting gaming and fighting budget cuts, tribes are now, more than ever, focused on advancing a positive agenda in Washington. One lobbyist described the essence of the change as trying to make good stuff happen, as opposed to stopping bad stuff from happening. For the SMSC, that means taking on leadership roles in advancing issues of con...
That Indian Country is finding ways to make progress on issues like food and criminal justice does not mean that tribes have let their guard down. The need to play defense, tribal advocates say, could again become a top task for tribes during the presidency of Donald Trump. Speaking at the NCAI fly-in, McCollum said there has been an undeniable arc...
The Spirit of Shakopee: Exploring the Mdewakanton Sioux Community The name "Shakopee" evokes images of vibrant history, cultural richness, and a strong sense of community. Nestled in the heart of Minnesota, the city of Shakopee holds a special place in the state’s narrative, deeply intertwined with the story of the Mdewakanton Sioux, one of the seven bands of the Dakota people.
www.shakopeedakota.org Learn more about the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community as a sovereign nation, good neighbor, and proud community with a living cult...
- 19 min
- 14.2K
- Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
Nov 20, 2017 · The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux are Dakota, or Sioux, people, meaning they share linguistic and cultural characteristics with a group of about 20 tribes across the upper Great Plains, on both sides ...
People also ask
What was life like in Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux?
Who are the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux?
Why are the Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota proud?
Does Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux have a gaming business?
When did Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux get federal recognition?
How much money does Shakopee Mdewakanton give to 18 tribes?
Through periods of scarcity, adversity, and prosperity, the Native American tribes of Minnesota have grown and adapted to meet changing times and conditions. This is our story. For a detailed look of our latest accomplishments and the people of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, view our Donation and Four-Year Reports. Swipe or use the ...
