Native Tribal Relationship to Land
and FoodDr. Reverend Clifford Canku,
Retired Faculty, Dakota Studies
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND
Dakota Nation Land
According to Dakota oral traditions, legends and history, the Dakota Nation were always living in the area of the Minnesota River and Mille Lacs Lake.
Picture Source: http://www.d.umn.edu/~bart0412/Cause.htm
Mitakuye Owasiŋ - Reciprocity
• Kinship Relationship
• Dakota
• Other Tribal Nations
• The Creator
Dakota People
Kinship
Relations
Other Tribal Nations
The Creato
r
Responsibility to Unci Maka
• Dakota belief is that all living things originate from a great, mysterious Creator.
• Relational connection to their Creator
Dakota Relationship to Land
Land cannot be divided because it was used by everyone (Meyer 1993, pg. 40)
Image Source: http://mn.audubon.org/minnesota-important-bird-areas
Dakota Relationship to Food
• Food is a natural nutritious gift from the Creator.
• Original genetic relationship of Creation to the Creator
• Spiritual – Natural Ecology
Wild Rice – P’sin - Manoomin
• Endowed with spiritual attributes
• Recounted in legends and dreams
• Ceremonial use
• Social aspect of harvest in late summer
Image Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Manoomin_picking%2C_1905%2C_Minnesota.jpg
Commercial Exploitation
• Commercial sale of wild rice by non-Indians
• Modern agriculture practices
• Pollution of water by sulfates from mining operations.
• Research by John Moyle
Image Source: www.friends-bwca.org
Government in Traditional Indian Culture
• Little distinction between political and spiritual world.
• Political decisions made with spiritual guidance.
Image of painting titled “Sioux Indian Council” by Capt. Seth Eastman, 1852