The Lake Traverse Indian Reservation is the homeland of the federally recognized
Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate
The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation ( dak, Sisíthuŋwaŋ Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ oyáte), formerly Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe/Dakota Nation, is a federally recognized tribe comprising two bands and two subdivisions of the '' ...
, a branch of the
Santee Dakota
The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided int ...
group of
Native Americans. Most of the reservation covers parts of five counties in northeastern
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large po ...
, while smaller parts are in two counties in southeastern
North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, ...
, United States. The Reservation was created by treaty on April 22 1867 and called the
Flatiron Reservation in reference to its triangular shape.
It was created for the "friendly Dakota" from the Minnesota hostilites of 1862-1866. Signatories of the treaty were
Gabriel Renville,
John Otherday
John Other Day, also known as Anpetutokeca, was a Dakota mediator from Minnesota who sought peace between Native people and white settlers.
During the Dakota War of 1862
The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota ...
plus twenty-one other Sisseton and Wahpeton leaders.
[ History of Sioux Indians, Chapter XXXVI, SOUTH DAKOTA GENEALOGY TRAIL]
/ref> Gabriel Renville was the first Chief of the Reservation.
Its resident population of 10,408 persons was counted during the United States Census, 2000, 2000 census. About one-third of its inhabitants identify as of solely Native American heritage. Its largest community is the city of Sisseton, South Dakota
Sisseton is a city in Roberts County, South Dakota, Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,479 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Roberts County. Sisseton is the home to a number of ...
. It operates a tribal college, Sisseton-Wahpeton Community College.
Geography
Over 60 percent of its land area lies in Roberts County, South Dakota
Roberts County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 10,280. Its county seat is Sisseton. The county was named either for S. G. Roberts of Fargo, North Dakota, or for Solomon Robar ...
, but there are lesser amounts in Marshall, Day
A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. In everyday life, the word "day" often refers to a solar day, which is the length between two ...
, Grant
Grant or Grants may refer to:
Places
*Grant County (disambiguation)
Australia
* Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia
United Kingdom
* Castle Grant
United States
* Grant, Alabama
* Grant, Inyo County, ...
, and Codington counties in South Dakota, as well as Sargent and Richland counties in North Dakota.
Tribal information
* Reservation: Former Lake Traverse; parts of Marshall, Day, Codington, Grant and Roberts counties
* Division: Santee
* Bands: Sisseton (Sinsin Tunwan: "Swamp Village"), Wahpeton (Wahpetowan: "Leaf Village")
* Land area: 106,153 acres (without boundaries)
* Tribal headquarters: Agency Village, SD
* Time zone: Central
* Traditional language: Dakota
* Enrolled members living within former reservation area: 9,894
* Major employers: Dakota Magic Casino, Dakota Sioux Casino, Dakota Western, Dakota Crossing Grocery, Dakota Connection Casino, tribal government, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Tribal government
* Charter: None; Constitution and Bylaws: Yes -IRA
* Date Approved: October 16, 1946
* Name of Governing Body: Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribal Council
* Number of council members: (7) seven council members
* Dates of Constitutional amendments: November 21, 1978, June 9, 1980
* Number of Executive Officers: (3) Tribal Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Tribal Secretary
Tribal elections
* Primary election is held in October and the general election in November. Members of council shall serve terms of four years. Any council and executive committee member shall serve no more than two consecutive terms for a total of eight years in the same office. Any council member or executive committee member may again file for office after a two-year time period.
* Number of election districts or communities: 10
Tribal Council meetings
* The council shall meet regularly on the first Tuesday, Wednesday and third Thursday of each month or upon call of the chairman of the council.
* Quorum number: General Council members is ten percent of eligible members
Education and media
* Tribal College: Sisseton-Wahpeton Community College
The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation ( dak, Sisíthuŋwaŋ Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ oyáte), formerly Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe/Dakota Nation, is a federally recognized tribe comprising two bands and two subdivisions of the '' ...
, Agency Village
* Weekly newspaper: ''Sota Iya Ye Yapi'' (smoke signals)
Notable people
* Paul War Cloud, (1930–1973), Sisseton-Wahpeton
The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation ( dak, Sisíthuŋwaŋ Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ oyáte), formerly Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe/Dakota Nation, is a federally recognized tribe comprising two bands and two subdivisions of the '' ...
, was born in 1930 near Sica Hollow. A self-taught artist, War Cloud depicted Dakota culture and tradition in his paintings. Many of his works are on display at the Tekakwitha Fine Arts Center in Sisseton. A War Cloud mural, ''Unity Through the Great Spirit,'' hangs at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre ( ; lkt, Čhúŋkaške, lit=fort) is the capital city of South Dakota, United States, and the seat of Hughes County. The population was 14,091 at the 2020 census, making it the second-least populous US state capital after Montpelier, ...
.
* Gabriel Renville (1824–1892) was the last chief of the Sissetowan and Wahpetowan (non-hereditary). Born in Chief Sweet Corn's village on Lake Traverse, he was born into the Rainville/Renville clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship
and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, mea ...
, a Métis
The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Canadian Prairies, Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United State ...
family of French and Dakota ancestry who had operated a trading post in Minnesota. His appointment by the federal government as chief in 1866 was seconded by the Sisseton-Wahpeton in 1867.
Communities
*Agency Village, South Dakota
Agency Village is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. It is the headquarters of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and home to Sisseton Wahpeton College. Since 2020, the CDP includes ...
* Claire City, South Dakota
*Goodwill, South Dakota
Goodwill is an unincorporated community and former census-designated place (CDP) in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. Prior to the 2020 Census, the CDP was merged into the Agency Village census-designated place
A census-designated ...
*Lake City, South Dakota
Lake City is a town in Marshall County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 45 at the 2020 census. Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, whose fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located nearby.
Lake City w ...
(most, population 46)
*Long Hollow, South Dakota
Long Hollow is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. Its population was 265 as of the 2020 census.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census ...
*New Effington, South Dakota
New Effington is a town in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 234 at the 2020 census.
New Effington was laid out in 1913, after a proposed railroad further away from the original city Effington spurred the need to ...
*Ortley, South Dakota
Ortley is a town in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 50 according to the 2020 census.
History
Ortley was laid out in 1906; an early variant name was Anderson.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bure ...
*Peever, South Dakota
Peever is a town in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 180 at the 2020 census.
Peever was laid out in 1898, and named in honor of Thomas Henry Peever, a settler.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bur ...
*Rosholt, South Dakota
Rosholt is a town in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 379 at the 2020 census.
Rosholt was laid out in 1913, and named in honor of Julius Rosholt, who was credited with bringing the railroad to town.
Geography
Acc ...
*Sisseton, South Dakota
Sisseton is a city in Roberts County, South Dakota, Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,479 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Roberts County. Sisseton is the home to a number of ...
*Summit, South Dakota
Summit is a town in Roberts County, South Dakota, Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 288 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census.
History
Summit was laid out in 1892, and was so named on account of the town site ...
* Veblen, South Dakota
*Waubay, South Dakota
Waubay is a city in Day County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 473 at the 2020 census.
Waubay had its start in the early 1880s when the railroad was extended to that point.
The school district is Waubay Public 18-3. The local ...
(part, population 15)
References
Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota/North Dakota
United States Census Bureau
{{authority control
Geography of Codington County, South Dakota
Geography of Day County, South Dakota
Geography of Grant County, South Dakota
Geography of Marshall County, South Dakota
Geography of Richland County, North Dakota
Geography of Roberts County, South Dakota
Geography of Sargent County, North Dakota
Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate
American Indian reservations in South Dakota
American Indian reservations in North Dakota
1946 establishments in North Dakota
1946 establishments in South Dakota