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

Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation ( dak, Sisíthuŋwaŋ Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ oyáte), formerly Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe/Dakota Nation, is a federally recognized tribe comprising two bands and two subdivisions of the '' ...

, a branch of the

Santee Dakota The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') 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 ...

group of Native Americans. Most of the reservation covers parts of five counties in northeastern

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. 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 Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

, 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 Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

, United States. The Reservation was created by treaty on April 22 1867 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 hostilites 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 Chief of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe from 1866 until his death in 1892. He opposed conflict with the United States during the Dakota War o ...

, John Otherday plus 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. Its resident population of 10,408 persons was counted during the United States Census, 2000, 2000 census. About one-third of its inhabitants identify as of solely Native American heritage. 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 ...

. It operates a tribal college, Sisseton-Wahpeton Community College.

Geography

Over 60 percent 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 United States 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 ...

, but there are lesser amounts in

Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...

, Day,

Grant Grant or Grants may refer to: Places *Grant County (disambiguation) Australia * Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia United Kingdom *Castle Grant United States * Grant, Alabama *Grant, Inyo County, C ...

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

Tribal information

* Reservation: Former Lake Traverse; parts of Marshall, Day, Codington, Grant and Roberts counties * Division: Santee * Bands: Sisseton (Sinsin Tunwan: "Swamp Village"), Wahpeton (Wahpetowan: "Leaf Village") * Land area: 106,153 acres (without boundaries) * Tribal headquarters: Agency Village, SD * Time zone: Central * Traditional language: Dakota * Enrolled members living within former reservation area: 9,894 * Major employers: Dakota Magic Casino, Dakota Sioux Casino, Dakota Western, Dakota Crossing Grocery, Dakota Connection Casino, tribal government, Bureau of Indian Affairs

Tribal government

* Charter: None; Constitution and Bylaws: Yes -IRA * Date Approved: October 16, 1946 * Name of Governing Body: Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribal Council * Number of council members: (7) seven council members * Dates of Constitutional amendments: November 21, 1978, June 9, 1980 * Number of Executive Officers: (3) Tribal Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Tribal Secretary

Tribal elections

* Primary election is held in October and the general election in November. Members of council shall serve terms of four years. Any council and executive committee member shall serve no more than two consecutive terms for a total of eight years in the same office. Any council member or executive committee member may again file for office after a two-year time period. * Number of election districts or communities: 10

Tribal Council meetings

* The council shall meet regularly on the first Tuesday, Wednesday and third Thursday of each month or upon call of the chairman of the council. * Quorum number: General Council members is ten percent of eligible members

Education and media

* Tribal College: Sisseton-Wahpeton Community College, Agency Village * Weekly newspaper: ''Sota Iya Ye Yapi'' (smoke signals)

Notable people

* Paul War Cloud, (1930–1973),

Sisseton-Wahpeton The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation ( dak, Sisíthuŋwaŋ Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ oyáte), formerly Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe/Dakota Nation, is a federally recognized tribe comprising two bands and two subdivisions of the '' ...

, was born in 1930 near Sica Hollow. A self-taught artist, War Cloud depicted Dakota culture and tradition in his paintings. Many of his works are on display at the Tekakwitha Fine Arts Center in Sisseton. A War Cloud mural, ''Unity Through the Great Spirit,'' hangs at the Cultural Heritage Center in

Pierre, South Dakota Pierre ( ; lkt, Čhúŋkaške, lit=fort) is the capital city of South Dakota, United States, and the seat of Hughes County. The population was 14,091 at the 2020 census, making it the second-least populous US state capital after Montpelier, ...

. *

(1824–1892) was the last chief of the Sissetowan and Wahpetowan (non-hereditary). Born in Chief Sweet Corn's village on Lake Traverse, he was born into the Rainville/Renville

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...

, a

Métis The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which derives ...

family of French and Dakota ancestry who had operated a trading post in Minnesota. His appointment by the federal government as chief in 1866 was seconded by the Sisseton-Wahpeton in 1867.

Communities

Agency Village, South Dakota Agency Village is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Roberts County, South Dakota, Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. It is the headquarters of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and home to Sisseton Wahpeton College. ...

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. Mr ...

* Goodwill, South Dakota *

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 was ...

(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. New Effington was laid out in 1913, after a proposed railroad further away from the original city Effington spurred the need to ...

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 Bur ...

Rosholt, South Dakota Rosholt is a town in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 379 at the 2020 census. Rosholt was laid out in 1913, and named in honor of Julius Rosholt, who was credited with bringing the railroad to town. Geography Acc ...

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 Summit is located at (4 ...

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

* Waubay, South Dakota (part, population 15)

References

Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota/North Dakota
United States Census Bureau {{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