The Cultural Survival of Dakota People
Location
CSU Ballroom
Start Date
9-4-2012 1:00 PM
End Date
9-4-2012 2:30 PM
Student's Major
English
Student's College
Arts and Humanities
Mentor's Name
Gwen Westerman-Wasicuna
Mentor's Department
English
Mentor's College
Arts and Humanities
Description
As a citizen of Minnesota one should be able to take pride in it's past and present state. The Dakota inhabitants were mistreated for a portion of our history, which has led to a cultural trauma that has gone understudied throughout the years resulting in ignorance, disrespect and mistreatment of one of Minnesota's unique cultures today, the Dakota people. I intend to shed light on what the Dakota people struggle with today and the events that led to such struggles.
I researched the topic using a variety of media such as books, historical newspapers, scholarly articles, memorandums and the Internet to find to support my research. I also conducted multiple interviews with Dakota people of different ages to grasp how Dakota people perceive their cultural situation today.
I have found that through cultural removal, misrepresentation, lack of education and manipulation Dakota people have been formed into subhuman beings that are foreign even to fellow Minnesotans, which has led to a feeling of cultural trauma and a disconnect within our state.
The repercussion of such treatment has led to a lack of communication and therefore understanding. We need to start communicating with each other; Dakota people are willing to talk to those that are interested. Dakota people exist outside of history books, they are here today and they are just people, another unique culture that makes up Minnesota, the only way to break the stereotypes is to become informed and we can do it together.
The Cultural Survival of Dakota People
CSU Ballroom
As a citizen of Minnesota one should be able to take pride in it's past and present state. The Dakota inhabitants were mistreated for a portion of our history, which has led to a cultural trauma that has gone understudied throughout the years resulting in ignorance, disrespect and mistreatment of one of Minnesota's unique cultures today, the Dakota people. I intend to shed light on what the Dakota people struggle with today and the events that led to such struggles.
I researched the topic using a variety of media such as books, historical newspapers, scholarly articles, memorandums and the Internet to find to support my research. I also conducted multiple interviews with Dakota people of different ages to grasp how Dakota people perceive their cultural situation today.
I have found that through cultural removal, misrepresentation, lack of education and manipulation Dakota people have been formed into subhuman beings that are foreign even to fellow Minnesotans, which has led to a feeling of cultural trauma and a disconnect within our state.
The repercussion of such treatment has led to a lack of communication and therefore understanding. We need to start communicating with each other; Dakota people are willing to talk to those that are interested. Dakota people exist outside of history books, they are here today and they are just people, another unique culture that makes up Minnesota, the only way to break the stereotypes is to become informed and we can do it together.
Recommended Citation
Ranweiler, Tiffany. "The Cultural Survival of Dakota People." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 9, 2012.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2012/poster-session-B/19
