Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
About Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community represents a living continuation of Dakota people whose ancestors have inhabited the Prior Lake and Shakopee region for centuries. As part of the Oceti Ṡakowiŋ (Seven Council Fires) comprising the Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota nations, the SMSC embodies a rich cultural legacy spanning approximately 13,000 years of indigenous presence in what is now Minnesota. The Community's identity is deeply rooted in traditional lifeways guided by the stars, moon, and seasonal rhythms that shaped ancestral hunting, harvesting, and planting practices.
Driven by fundamental Dakota values of living in harmony with the earth and generously sharing resources with others, the SMSC maintains unwavering dedication to serving its members while supporting tribes and organizations across the country. The Community actively works to heal from the painful era of forced assimilation and boarding school policies that stripped away the Dakota language and cultural practices. Through the Hoċokata Ṫi Cultural Center and ongoing language revitalization efforts, the SMSC creates spaces where members celebrate, explore, and preserve Mdewakanton Dakota heritage, traditions, and language for future generations.
As a good neighbor, employer, and steward of the earth, the SMSC demonstrates commitment to protecting lands and waters for the next seven generations while bolstering the local Prior Lake economy. The organization honors its ancestors through traditional celebrations like the annual Wacipi gatherings and continues advancing resilience, unity, and cultural pride within the Community and beyond.