Daḳota Iapi Ohna Ki Wáṡicu Etaƞhaƞ Ihduḣdayapi (Decolonization through Speaking the Daḳota Language)

Abstract

The Daḳota people are the original people of Minnesota. We come from the area where the Mississippi and the Minnesota Rivers meet at what we call Bdote. The Daḳota language is currently on life support in Minnesota. Due to the effects of colonization, our number of speakers has continuously dwindled since the United States invaded our lands. The trauma caused by genocide, forced removal, decades of human rights violations all by the United States, its Euro-American citizenry and the church have had an effect on Daḳota language loss. We need a safe place to teach and learn Daḳota while at the same time being medicine to each other in ways that will empower our people. What follows are my reflections on twenty-five years of teaching and learning the Daḳota language myself, observing teaching and learning in a variety of environments, and visiting with other teachers and learners. Colonization has had a profound effect on the Daḳota people (and other Indigenous people) so it has had an effect on our relationship with each other through the Daḳota language. The personal observations and reflections as a Daḳota person and as an academic have given me insight into ways that the teaching and learning of the Daḳota language is a powerful a tool for decolonization. By creating a safe place to speak, learn and teach Daḳota through traditional values as well as using best methods for Indigenous language learning (revitalization), we get a larger picture of how to be medicine to each other when we are speaking/learning/teaching Daḳota. This thesis should be accessible to all Daḳota people and other Indigenous language learners and teachers. It is not intended for an academic audience only. In an ongoing effort to decolonize the academy or at least create places of decolonization within the academy, this is necessary to facilitate open discussion on creating and maintaining a safe place to teach and learn our languages.