Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota

by Gwen Westerman, Bruce White, Glenn Wasicuna (Foreword)

Much of the focus on the Dakota people in Minnesota rests on the tragic events of the 1862 U.S.–Dakota War and the resulting exile that sent the majority of the Dakota to prisons and reservations beyond the state's boundaries. But the true depth of the devastation of removal cannot be understood without a closer examination of the history of the Dakota people and their deep cultural connection to the land that is Minnesota. Drawing on oral history interviews, archival work, and painstaking comparisons of Dakota, French, and English sources, Mni Sota Makoce tells the detailed history of the Dakota people in their traditional homelands for at least hundreds of years prior to exile.

"Minnesota" is derived from the Dakota phrase Mni Sota Makoce, Land Where the Waters Reflect the Clouds—and the people's roots here remain strong. Authors Gwen Westerman and Bruce White examine narratives of the people's origins, their associations with the land, and the seasonal round through key players and place names. They consider Dakota interactions with Europeans and offer an in-depth "reading between the lines" of historical documents—some of them virtually unknown—and treaties made with the United States, uncovering misunderstandings and outright deceptions that helped lead to war in 1862.

Dakota history did not begin with the U.S.– Dakota War of 1862—nor did it end there. Mni Sota Makoce is, more than anything, a celebration of the Dakota people through their undisputed connection to this place, Minnesota, in the past, present, and future.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Indigenous, Native American, American History, Native Americans, 21st Century

296 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2012

About the author

Gwen Westerman is a Dakota educator, writer and artist. She is the Director of the Native American Literature Symposium.

Westerman is an enrolled member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Oyate and speaker of the Dakota language. She is Professor of English and Director of the Humanities Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Westerman received a BA and MA in English from Oklahoma State University. She received a PhD in English from the University of Kansas.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Liz Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mni Sota Makoce is a compelling history of the Dakota people and Minnesota. Like the beautiful quilt on the book's cover, this history carefully pieces together a wide variety of primary material in making an eloquent case that Minnesota is the Dakota homeland. Original sources dating back to specific Dakota creation stories and also including Dakota oral histories, French maps, and Euro-American art, photos, legal documents, journals, and letters are supplemented by recent historical, legal, and anthropological scholarship, with thorough endnotes that are not to be missed and a comprehensive bibliography. Working in collaboration with Dakota tribal members, historians, educators, an anthropologist and an attorney, authors Gwen Westerman and Bruce White present a history that is as readable as it is fascinating, and that would be appropriate for anyone from middle-schoolers to post-dissertation scholars.

As an attorney, I was stunned by the side-by-side-by-side versions of the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux: written English, government drafted/ written Dakota, government interpreted and government drafted/ written English transliteration of the latter, obtained by the book's authors. Together with the government's Treaty Journal as excerpted, this should be required reading in constitutional law classes.

Personally, I loved the drawings by Robert O. Sweeny of Dakota daily life in the 1850's. He also drew a picture of his neighbor's cabin where my French several-greats-grandparents lived, along with lots of pictures of various other people and places in the area. No doubt enhanced by the personal connection, Sweeny's drawings came to life for me. I saw through Sweeney's eyes what my grandparents saw. As with Mni Sota Makoce in its entirety, Sweeny's art left me wondering, and wanting more. There has to be more material, hopefully being found, restored, and developed as we think about it, revealing everyday Dakota life over time from family stories, photos, drawings and diaries of ordinary Dakota and other persons, and I am looking forward to seeing it.

As one of those people who usually just reads a book once and then passes it on to friends, with maybe a dozen books on hand at any one time that have been passed on to me, checked out from the library, or just had to be bought, the ultimate praise I give for this book is that it stays in my small, permanent collection.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I'm really glad I read this book. I'm a hardcore, dyed-in-the-wool Minnesotan, and yet I recently realized I know almost nothing about the state's history. Reading this book was really fascinating and informative, and I think it does an excellent job of explaining just how important Minnesota is to the Dakota--and how important the Dakota are to Minnesota.

That said, I did have some issues with the book. I found the pronunciation guide to be fairly unhelpful, and since the book constantly mentions names of rivers, towns, lakes, and counties, a detailed map really should have been included in the front or reference pages. I had to print out my own and used it as a bookmark so I could refer to it whenever the authors started going on about geography/place names. I also think the book would have been more compelling and easier to read if it had been written and presented in a more regular book format rather than in a sort of textbook format. Finally, the writing itself could use some work--the style was a bit erratic, sometimes repetitive, and sometimes just confusing. The middle and last sections were much more organized, but the first hundred or so pages were messy and a bit difficult to get through.

But still. It's such an important subject, and if you're looking for a book about the Dakota in Minnesota, this would be a good place to start.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

-An extensive and thorough compilation of history of the Dakota people, from their lives pre-colonization, to the interactions with French and British traders, then to the Americans and mass white settlement, up to today
-I learned a lot, and appreciated how many primary sources were cited-- akin to a textbook of sorts
-My only gripe is with the way the first third was written relative to the other two-thirds of the book... the first bit is written in a very dense and textbook-like fashion, with historic details of various places and sub-groups of Dakota written in a very plain manner (nothing wrong with this, ofc). Yet the second part of the book is written in a much more digestive style-- still very detailed and historical, but much easier to follow along with as a narrative. I'm not sure if this was due to multiple authors and numerous contributors compiling facts, or something more intentional, but unfortunately it made the first part of the book very difficult to read and digest. The first third read more as a primary source itself, whereas the other 2/3rds were a subtle presentation of all of the primary sources, with a bit of secondary narrative added for understanding.

[Raven McKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't typically read a lot of straight-up history, so I don't feel qualified to give a very informed review, but I will say I'm really happy to have read this. I learned so much about the history of this region. Maybe some of this is common knowledge if you grew up in/around Minnesota, but this helped me pull together a lot of the piecemeal knowledge I'd picked up here and there about Dakota (and even a little Ojibwe) history. I appreciated the attention to reading between the lines of French & British reports of early contact in the 17th-18th century. Also completely flabbergasted by a) how Dakota names were recorded (aka butchered) in early French documents and b) how anyone realized that (for example) "Nehogotowannah" (British attempt) and "Ohanonghetaouateba" (French attempt) could both be referring to the same people. As someone who has never done very serious historical research, I'm kind of in awe of the work that went into this book!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this is a book that every Minnesotan should read if they get the chance to. I was assigned to read this book for one of my classes this semester, and it really emphasized some of the points we are currently talking about in class. Overall, this is a really good book and I'm glad I got the chance to hear about it, and then actually read it.

Read this book a second time again for class, above still stands! Highly recommend to everyone!

[Tanner Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For an academic text that I was assigned to read for class, this book was surprisingly not as boring-history-book as I was expecting. As a white person who grew up and lives in Minnesota, it was an extremely eye-opening read. In regards to Native history, I knew very little before attending this class and reading this text. We are not taught about Native people, their history, and their cultures in beyond a paragraph or two here and there during early education. Rather, Native history is taught through an extreme colonizer lens and fails to recognize the discrimination and disaster that colonization and white civilization did to these communities. Intergenerational trauma exists and is further hurting Native communities today. This text really emphasizes the importance of learning about a history from its source; it offers insight into Native history in Minnesota better than any other educator due to the fact that this book was created by Native people. I have had the opportunity to take a class taught by one such person whose family (and herself) put years into the project and creation of this text. I think that it should be read by and taught by every Minnesotan school (and should definitely be implemented in other surrounding states as well). Never forget that we live on stolen land and we must respect the people who lived here before us.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota is an eye-opening volume. Having grown up in Mankato, Minn., where 38 Native Americans were infamously hung in late December 1862, some of the history was always lurking around my childhood--but there was so much I was never taught or exposed to as a child. Bits and pieces were evident to me, but this book makes a heroic effort to share more of the story of Native Americans' history in Minnesota from a Native perspective. It was extremely instructive and illuminating. Certain photos within it were ones I'd never seen before but that I found fascinating. Although I've previously understood the value of Land Acknowledgment Statements, this laid bare for me the absolute necessity of these statements and erased any possible impatience I might have had with them. We NEED these. We are NOT the first to tread these grounds. We DID unfairly seize from others lands on which their homes were established. History is VITAL. We need to know and learn more than what we can gain from our own experiences and lifetimes. Read history, including--and maybe especially--that of the region in which you currently live, and strive for enlightenment and growth in knowledge and empathy.

[Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book at Louise Erdrich's bookstore in Minneapolis this summer as I was looking for a book on Native American history in Minnesota because as a boy I didn't learn about tribes in Minnesota while learning about Minnesota history in 4th grade. The text is laid out in textbook form and the first 100 pages are bit dry as the history of the Dakota tribes is through the contact with French and British traders and missionaries during the 16th and 17th century, and there were language barriers. The book becomes more interesting when the American military and other westward expansionists start creating treaties with the Dakotas and the fallout that led to the 1862 rebellion and the removal of the Dakotas from Minnesota in 1863. The mistakes the westerners made with the Dakotas is their understanding of property or property boundaries as the Dakotas saw the land as a gift from the Great Father as it provided for all their needs, but westerns thought that they could just buy out the natives and they would be fine living elsewhere. The Dakotas were never looked at as equals and are still struggling make sure their origin and culture in Minnesota is not forgotten. Recommend for those who want a better understanding of the Dakotas and their origin story in Minnesota.

[Joseph Coburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a relatively new Minnesota resident, having moved to Rochester two years ago from the west coast. As I’ve lived here, I’ve found myself wondering about the original residents; city names, rivers, etc all announce “this is Dakota land”, but any understanding of the history and importance of the state and Dakota history has been really hard to find - that is, until Dr. Westerman introduced me to her book!

Reading this book has been incredible in helping me to understand the Dakota people and how the land is connected to them as a people.

The book will make you smile, will make you mad, and will (if you’re white, like me) make you incredibly ashamed; it will help you understand how Minnesota has formed as a state, will provide context for the current U.S.-Dakota relations, and ultimately will introduce toy to the rich history and culture of the Dakota and their homeland.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in Minnesota, I was taught the European American perspective on America's westward expansion (Manifest Destiny) with little said about the Dakota other than Dakota War of 1862. After reading Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota, I have an entirely new perspective on their history and place in Minnesota.

Chapter Four - Drawing Lines on Sacred Land: The Dakota Treaties introduced me to the concept of master stories. The framework of conflicting master stories helped me to understand why the course of history for the Dakota went the way it did with the arrival of European Americans in Minnesota.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really comprehensive review of the history of the Dakota people in the land now known as the state of Minnesota. An important book that was also really interesting. This covers way more than anything I was ever taught in school, though my kids have units in middle school. The only thing I struggled with was the format. There were sections enclosed in boxes and it was hard for me to follow the book. But I'm really glad I read this and think every Minnesotan should, too. Written and edited by researchers from the Dakota nation.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book and the information about the 1862 Dakota-US War. However, some of the background information at the beginning is confusing and the information could be presented in a more organized manner.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! A much-needed account of Dakota history in Minnesota, written by Dakota researchers. Fairly enjoyable, easy read but I did skim some parts that got more in the weeds than I needed. Required reading for anyone who lives in southeastern Minnesota.

[Jamie Wellik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Groundbreaking look at Minnesota history before European settlement. Opens a whole new era on the history of the land and contact with settlers. A must-read.

[C.E. G · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's powerful and righteously unsettling to read about the Dakota history of the land that I live on.

[Esther McLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dense, but educational.

[Iris Olwen]

I am doing this so I feel better about not reading anything for fun all term

[Leann · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this for class. was very interesting and included perspectives from many different people.

[Michael McNulty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spectacular book, ought to be required reading for any one living in Minnesota. So much about the history of the Dakota and the places of Minnesota & their significance. Both a tragic history and celebration of the Dakota. Honestly I won't be able to look the same at many areas and landmarks knowing their history and significance.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here’s another great find that I may not have picked up hadn’t I been at the MN Book Awards the year this title won an award. It’s very unique; probably the first accurately written account of the plight of the Dakota people. Many Minnesotan’s have stories about the Dakota War. The land my family has occupied since 1859 was Dakota land; there are two burial mounds on our property; one side of the family was tipped off that “trouble is coming” and they headed back to the safety of Pennsylvania; the other side of the family had stories of the war -- there’s the uncle who was killed defending the city of New Ulm; his family survived by hiding in their corn field, his wife almost smothering her youngest child, a baby at the time, to keep him from crying. The local townswomen, lead my the mother of the famous Mayo brothers, gathered all the women in town, had them dress in men’s clothes and carry pitch forks and brooms upside-down (to look like guns) so the town looked like it was being defended while the men were away fighting. This book tells us what happened before settlement; what the Dakota people did and how they lieved for thousands of years before us white folks got here. I also learned more about Pierre Charles Le Sueur, the guy for whom my hometown is named after, in this book than any other one I’ve come across. The usual story told is he was sent back to France in shame, taking what he thought was copper ore to his king, only to find it was just Minnesota River clay. That’s all our history books say about him . However this book goes deeper – and intentional or not, Le Sueur is responsible for mapping many of the only known Dakota villages at the time of his “exploration.” And he lived amongst the Dakota for several years – they just don’t teach that in MN schools. So the good news here is that this book accurately (for it’s well researched) tells the story of the Dakota, their sad plight, but also leaves one with hope for continued and future understanding.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most enlightening books I've ever read. I learned a lot of things about the area where I live, and when I learned them, I felt quite foolish that I'd never wondered about these things before. For example, I live near Rice Creek. Why is it named Rice Creek? Well, it might be named after Sen. Henry Mower Rice, one of the first senators from Minnesota. Or it might be named Rice Creek because wild rice, an important Dakota food source, once grew plentifully on its shores. The first one would have occurred to me; the second one never would have. I finished the book feeling like I was standing uninvited in someone else's living room. It was uncomfortable, but I tried to welcome it. My discomfort is not more important than my understanding.

[Laura Waterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compelling new way to look at an old story. It is steeped in good research and spares no one. We all should read this.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fascinating, engaging, and often heartbreaking history of the state now called Minnesota should be required reading for any and every citizen of the state.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome explanation and thorough listing of all the broken treaties between the whiet settlers and the Dakota. Eye opening.

[Luke Koran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mni Sota Makoce ... "Land where the water reflects the clouds." The Dakota people sure have a beautiful native language, and their chosen names for various places throughout their native homeland of Minnesota eloquently showcase the Dakota's respect and deep relationship with this land. Take a look at any of the artistic depictions featured throughout this book, like the front cover for example, and you will notice how important Mother Nature is to these peoples. This truly will forever be their homeland.

This was the main book used during my collegiate course a few years back. The class, titled "Dakota Tribal History", was wonderfully taught by a Dakota man living on the Lake Traverse Reservation in northeastern South Dakota. As a Minnesotan, I greatly enjoyed learning about my home state and how the Dakota lived there for hundreds, if not thousands, of years before the white man arrived. Though they were expelled from the state following the U.S. - Dakota War of 1862, the Dakota continue to have a great relationship with Minnesota - as in regards to the land and culturally significant sites.

This book is a great read for both the casual reader with interest in native peoples as well as the person who may be Dakota themselves - and possibly even living on a reservation, but they acknowledge that they don't know as much about their centuries of history and culture as they should. Find comfort in the fact that this book was published by the prestigious Minnesota Historical Society and was composed by two great Dakota scholars who utilized plenty of European, American, and Dakota source material. In regards to the importance of the land to the Dakota people, along with plenty of historical, cultural, and religious aspects - in addition to plenty of rare illustrations, you really can't beat this book!