The Lake Traverse Indian Reservation is the homeland of the federally recognized

Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation (), formerly Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe/Dakota Nation, is a federally recognized tribe comprising two bands and two subdivisions of the ''Isanti'' or Santee Dakota people. They are ...

, a branch of the

Santee Dakota The Dakota (pronounced , or ) 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 into the Eastern Dakota and the Wester ...

group of

Native American Native Americans or Native American usually refers to Native Americans in the United States. Related terms and peoples include: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North, South, and Central America ...

s. Most of the reservation covers parts of five counties in northeastern

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

, 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 people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

, United States. Its largest community is the city of

Sisseton, South Dakota Sisseton is a city in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,479 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Roberts County. Sisseton is the home to a number of tourist attractions, including the Nicollet Tower, and ...

. As of 2019, the reservation had an estimated population of 11,095.

History

The reservation was created by treaty on April 22, 1867 A.D. and called the

Flatiron Flatiron or flat iron may refer to various things, often in the shape of a wedge: Objects *Clothes iron *Hair iron Places *Flatiron Building, New York City, at the intersection of 5th & Broadway **Flatiron District, New York City, named after ...

Reservation, in reference to its triangular shape. It was created for the "friendly Dakota" from the Minnesota hostilities of 1862-1866. Signatories of the treaty were

Gabriel Renville Gabriel Renville (April 1825 – August 26, 1892), also known as Ti'wakan (Sacred Lodge), was a US-government appointed chief of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe from 1866 until his death in 1892. He opposed conflict with the United Stat ...

, John Otherday, and 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.

Geography

The reservation covers 108,589 acres. Over 60% 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 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, an early ...

, but there are lesser amounts in

Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia *Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria ** Marshall railway station Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Is ...

Day A day is the time rotation period, period of a full Earth's rotation, rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours (86,400 seconds). As a day passes at a given location it experiences morning, afternoon, evening, ...

Grant Grant or Grants may refer to: People * Grant (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Grant (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters ** Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885), the 18th president of the Un ...

and Codington counties in South Dakota, as well as Sargent and Richland counties in North Dakota.

Government

The reservation is governed by a seven-member council, one member elected from each district: Big Coulee (Iyakapta), Buffalo Lake (Can Onasa Bde), Enemy Swim (Toka Nuwan), Lake Traverse (Bde hda Kinyan), Long Hollow (Kaksize Hanska), Old Agency (Ate Yapi Tipi), and Veblen (Heipa). Councilmembers serve two-year terms. The executive committee comprises a chairman, vice-chairman, and secretary. The tribal headquarters are located in Agency Village, South Dakota.

Economy

Major employers include the Dakota Sioux Casino, the Sisseton Wahpeton tribal government, and the

Bureau of Indian Affairs The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...

Education and media

Sisseton-Wahpeton College was established in Agency Village in 1979. The newspaper ''Sota Iya Ye Yapi'' ("smoke signals") is published weekly.

Notable people

* Woodrow W. Keeble (1917–1982), U.S. Army Medal of Honor recipient *

(1824–1892), chief *

Paul War Cloud Paul War Cloud (June 18, 1930 – December 17, 1973) was a Sisseton-Wahpeton author and artist. His work depicts Dakota traditions and heritage. Early life and career Born on the Lake Traverse Reservation near Sica Hollow, War Cloud rece ...

, (1930–1973), artist

Communities

* Agency Village, South Dakota *

Claire City, South Dakota Claire City is a town in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 82 at the 2020 census. History Claire City was founded in 1913 and named by A. E. Feeney, one of the four donors of the town site, for his wife, Claire. M ...

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 wa ...

(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 B ...

New Effington, South Dakota New Effington is a town in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 234 at the 2020 census. In 1965 the high school team won the district basketball tournament in Sisseton. As part of a school approved event and classroom ...

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 Bu ...

* Rosholt, South Dakota *

Summit, South Dakota Summit is a town in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 288 at the 2020 census. History Summit was laid out in 1892, and was so named on account of the town site's lofty elevation. Geography According to the United ...

Veblen, South Dakota Veblen is a city in Marshall County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 317 at the 2020 census. Sioux country singer and actor Floyd Red Crow Westerman is buried here at Saint Matthew's Catholic Cemetery. History Veblen was laid ...

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 loca ...

(part, population 15)

References

{{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