Written Dakota – Bde Maka Ska

Ethan Neerdaels and artist Angela Two Stars talk about the Dakota language used in the sidewalk stamps, the railing and the media at Bde Maka Ska.

“We arranged the alphabet in the summer of 1834, and our home, was completed,
and the language, thus far, reduced to writing about the same time.
The house was to stand but five years,
while the alphabet will be used
as long as [The Dakota Sioux language] is written.”

Samuel Pond

The Dakota language is the original language of this place we all call Minnesota. Historically Dakota was exclusively a spoken language; however, shortly after the arrival of missionaries in this area the Dakota language became an oral and written language. Over the past 180 years several writing systems have been developed and used in Dakota communities throughout the United States and Canada (Dakhóta Makhóčhe). On this website we feature the two most commonly used forms of written Dakota.