The Significance of Eagles
Join Michael Kurtz, the Cultural Interpreter and Naturalist for Hoċokata Ṫi as he explores the history and significance of Waŋbdí, the eagle.
Category: Dakota Culture
Lacrosse
As one of North America’s first sports, lacrosse was one of the most widely played games in the U.S. before European settlement. The Native game was an athletic competition of great skill, pride, and spiritual significance. Sometimes tribes played lacrosse—or stick ball—to celebrate important milestones, as a healing ritual, or to honor loved ones who passed away.
Moccasin Game
Learn more about the history of Háŋpa Apeda also known as the moccasin game and how it continues to be a cultural tradition at modern-day gatherings and powwows.
Dakota Artifacts
Dive into Dakota artifacts and learn about the daily items that were used in early Dakota lifeways. SMSC Director of Cultural Resources Leonard Wabasha shows us historic Dakota items, such as tools used for farming and clothing made from animal parts.
Dakota Moons
Moon cycles, or the period of time from one full moon to the next, were the basis for the Dakota calendar. These moon cycles provided the Dakota people with a guide to track time for seasonal events, such as peak harvest and hunting times. With guidance from the moons, Dakota people moved seasonally to hunt, harvest, and plant.
Wóyute Dakota Food Ways
Learn the various ways corn is significant in Native American culture!