3680R Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Locator Map

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) (

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota, ...

: ''Bdemayaṭo Oyate'') is a

federally recognized This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the United ...

, sovereign Indian tribe of

Mdewakanton The Mdewakanton or Mdewakantonwan (also spelled ''Mdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'' and currently pronounced ''Bdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'') are one of the sub-tribes of the Isanti (Santee) Dakota ( Sioux). Their historic home is Mille Lacs Lake (Dakota: ''Mde W� ...

Dakota people, located southwest of

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

and

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

, within parts of the cities of

Prior Lake Prior Lake is an exurban city southwest of Minneapolis seated next to Savage and Shakopee in Scott County in the state of Minnesota. Surrounding the shores of Lower and Upper Prior Lake, the city lies south of the Minnesota River in an area ...

and

Shakopee Shakopee ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Minnesota, United States. It is located southwest of Minneapolis. Sited on the south bank bend of the Minnesota River, Shakopee and nearby suburbs comprise the southwest portion of ...

Scott County, Minnesota Scott County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 150,928. Its county seat is Shakopee. Shakopee is also the largest city in Scott County, the twenty-third-largest city in Minnesota, and the sixt ...

, pronounced Mid-ah-wah-kah-ton, means "dwellers at the spirit waters." The tribe owns and operates

Mystic Lake Casino Hotel Mystic Lake Casino Hotel is owned and operated by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) in Prior Lake, Minnesota, United States, southwest of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. With 4,100 employees, the SMSC – including Mystic Lake Casi ...

, Little Six Casino, and a number of other enterprises. While Scott County is largely rural, it is located within the

St. Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

- Bloomington, MN- WI

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

. This helps it draw from a large population to attract numerous customers for its enterprises. As of 2020, the SMSC reservation and

off-reservation trust land In the United States, off-reservation trust land refers to real estate outside an Indian reservation that is held by the Interior Department for the benefit of a Native American tribe or a member of a tribe. Typical uses of off-reservation trust ...

totaled , all of which is located within or near the original reservation established for the Tribe in the 1880s. Tribal lands are located in

and

Shakopee, Minnesota Shakopee ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Minnesota, United States. It is located southwest of Minneapolis. Sited on the south bank bend of the Minnesota River, Shakopee and nearby suburbs comprise the southwest portion of ...

. Tribal members are direct lineal descendants of Mdewakanton Dakota people who resided in villages near the banks of the lower Minnesota River. A line of leaders known as Chief Sakpe were spokesmen for their village. The first Sakpe ronounced Shock-pay meaning "six," was named by his people as such after his wife bore sextuplets. The second Sakpe signed several treaties with the US during the 19th century. The City of

later developed near this site and was named for these prominent leaders. The town of Shakopee was named after Sakpe as well.

Tribal government

The SMSC is governed by the General Council, consisting of all enrolled SMSC members ages 18 and older. The Business Council consists of three members elected every four years by the General Council. The Business Council is responsible for day-to-day operations of the tribe/reservation and implementing General Council decisions. The present Business Council consists of Chairman Keith Anderson, Vice-Chairman Cole Miller, and Secretary/Treasurer Rebecca Crooks-Stratton.

History

The Dakota people have lived in the Minnesota River Valley for centuries. Historically they fished in the river, gathered

wild rice Wild rice, also called manoomin, Canada rice, Indian rice, or water oats, is any of four species of grasses that form the genus ''Zizania'', and the grain that can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both ...

from river's edge beds, as well as nuts and roots, and hunted game.

Chief Sakpe

Chief Sakpe (Shock-pay), which means "number six" in the

Dakota language Dakota (''Dakhótiyapi, Dakȟótiyapi''), also referred to as Dakhota, is a Siouan language spoken by the Dakota people of the Sioux tribes. Dakota is closely related to and mutually intelligible with the Lakota language. It is critically endan ...

, was the name of a line of chiefs of a village in this area. The city of

later developed near this site and was named for the chiefs. Chief Sakpe I received the name "Sakpe" because one of his ancestors was the sixth in a set of

sextuplets A multiple birth is the culmination of one multiple pregnancy, wherein the mother gives birth to two or more babies. A term most applicable to vertebrate species, multiple births occur in most kinds of mammals, with varying frequencies. Such bir ...

. Chief Sakpe II (died 1860) signed the 1851 Treaties with the United States on behalf of the Dakota at Traverse Des Sioux and Mendota; he traveled to Washington, DC to sign the 1858 Treaty on behalf of the Dakota. Chief Sakpe III (1811–1865) was a leader during the U.S.–Dakota War of 1862. When the Dakota people were exiled after the war, Sakpe fled to Canada. Later he was turned over to U.S. forces. Reportedly as he was preparing to be hanged on November 11, 1865, he heard a train whistle and said, "As the white man comes in, the Indian goes out."

US-Dakota War of 1862

When European-American settlers migrated into their territory in the 1800s, the Dakota people did not have a concept of permanent and exclusive ownership of land. Their conception of land use was that different peoples might live on it and share its resources. The era of settlement in Minnesota was accompanied by the United States forcing the Dakota to cede land forever, diminishing their homeland and their ability to continue their traditional way of life. The new settlers disrupted hunting grounds and restricted fishing on "their" lands. Unable to hunt, fish and gather resources adequately, the Dakota were forced to depend increasingly on the federal government's promises and provisions, often late or spoiled. The federal government's failure to deliver on these promises brought near-starvation and growing anger among the Dakota. Their resentment broke out in the US-

Dakota War of 1862 The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several ban ...

Mass execution and hardship

The US Army suppressed and defeated the Dakota warriors. It conducted the largest mass execution in United States history, executing by hanging 38 Dakota men in

Mankato, Minnesota Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the state of Minnesota. The population was 44,488 according to the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Minnesota, and the 5th-largest outside of the Minnea ...

, on December 26, 1862. The remaining Dakota were forced to walk more than 100 miles to Fort Snelling, where they were held in a concentration camp through the winter. In 1863 Congress rescinded all treaties with the Dakota and ordered their removal from Minnesota. Finally, in 1886, Congress established the Shakopee Mdewakanton Reservation,

Prairie Island Indian Community Prairie Island Indian Community (Dakota: ''Tinta Winta'') is a Mdewakanton Sioux Indian reservation in Goodhue County, Minnesota, along the Mississippi River. Most of the reservation now lies within the city of Red Wing, which developed after th ...

Reservation,

Upper Sioux Indian Reservation The Upper Sioux Indian Reservation, or Pezihutazizi in Dakota, is the reservation of the Upper Sioux Community, a federally recognized tribe of the Dakota people, that includes the Mdewakanton. The Upper Sioux Indian Reservation is located in M ...

, and

Lower Sioux Indian Reservation The Lower Sioux Indian Community, (Dakota: Caŋṡa'yapi; lkt, Čhaŋšáyapi) also known as the Mdewakanton Tribal Reservation, is an Indian reservation located along the southern bank of the Minnesota River in Paxton and Sherman township ...

for the Dakota who never left Minnesota. But for the next century, life for the Dakota people was one of poverty and hardship."Shakopee Dakota"
official website; Retrieved 2013-10-29.

Mid-20th century to present: Revitalization

In 1969 the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community gained

federal recognition This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the United ...

as a tribe. They created a government and developed an economic system. In 1982 the tribe opened Little Six Bingo Palace (later Little Six Casino) after Indian gaming was allowed on reservation lands in states that had gaming laws. In 1992 it opened the

. These enterprises have generated revenues that the tribe has invested in other economic development, tribal welfare, and philanthropy.

SMSC Gaming enterprise

The SMSC Gaming Enterprise includes Little Six Casino and

. With a total of 4,100 employees, the SMSC, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, and Little Six Casino combined make up the largest employer in Scott County. On June 4, 2012, the SMSC and

Canterbury Park Canterbury Park () (formerly Canterbury Downs), is a horse racing track in Shakopee, Minnesota, United States. Canterbury Park Holding Corporation ("Canterbury Park") hosts parimutuel wagering on live thoroughbred and quarter horse racing at i ...

, a horse racing track, announced a ten-year cooperative marketing agreement. The agreement called for the SMSC Gaming Enterprise to create the Mystic Lake Purse Enhancement Fund, which would increase horse racing purses at Canterbury Park by $75million over the ten years. Edward Stevenson, CEO of the SMSC Gaming Enterprise announced that the agreement would also create new joint marketing opportunities between Canterbury Park and Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, with the Park receiving $8.5million in payments for these marketing ventures over the course of the agreement. The Mystic Lake Derby was established in 2012 as a new purse race, and the Mystic Lake Mile in 2013. Prior to the start of the 2013 race season, a new

tote board A tote board (or totalisator/totalizator) is a numeric or alphanumeric display used to convey information, typically at a race track (to display the odds or payoffs for each horse) or at a telethon (to display the total amount donated to the chari ...

was erected at the racetrack.

Non-gaming enterprises

The SMSC also has retail and other business enterprises, including Dakota Mall, Dakotah Meadows Mini Storage, Dakotah Meadows RV Park, Dakotah! Ice Center, Dakotah! Sport and Fitness, Wozupi Tribal Gardens, Mazopiya (natural food market), Mystic Lake Store at Mall of America in Bloomington, Playworks, Playworks LINK Event Center, Shakopee Dakota Convenience Stores #1 and #2, SMSC Organics Recycling Facility, SMSC Water Bottling Facility, and The Meadows at Mystic Lake (golf course). The tribe also owns the JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America, a 15-level luxury hotel that opened in 2015. Mystic Lake Center is the newest addition to Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. The 70,000-square-foot meeting and event space accommodates groups of all sizes for a range of meetings and events – from business meetings to holiday parties to conferences and expos to weddings. Mystic Lake Center features a nine-story, 180-room hotel tower; three large ballrooms with flexible layouts; several smaller meeting rooms and an executive conference room; and plenty of natural light and stunning golf course views.

Charitable giving and loans

The tribe has donated more than $350million to organizations and causes, and is the single-largest philanthropic benefactor for Indian Country nationally. In 2015, the SMSC launched Seeds of Native Health, a five-year, $11million campaign that represents the single-largest coordinated philanthropic effort in American history focused on improving Native American nutrition. Launched in 2019, the tribe’s latest charitable campaign is Understand Native Minnesota, a three-year, $5million strategic philanthropic initiative to improve the Native American narrative in Minnesota schools. In addition to charitable giving, the tribe has provided $500million in economic development loans to fellow tribes. The SMSC made a $31million loan to Red Lake Nation in 2010, and a $27million loan in 2013, the latter so that the Red Lake Tribe could construct and operate a gaming casino to generate revenues.

Reservation

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community reservation had an area of , all of it land. The community also held

with a total area of . The combined reservation and off-reservation trust land have a total land area of . The community has worked actively to expand its land holdings, adding more than into trust status between 2016 and 2019.

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, the combined population of Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and Off-Reservation Trust Land was 779. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 280 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the reservation and off-reservation trust land was 63.2% Native American, 20.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 1.9% Asian, 0.9%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.3%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 1.4% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 11.9% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 5.9%

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. The 2020 census results may be inaccurate for locations like the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community owing to the Census Bureau's implementation of differential privacy protections.

Notable tribal members

* Norman Melvan Crooks (1917–1989), tribal chairman * Stanley R. Crooks (1941–2012), tribal chairman *

Charlie Vig Charlie Vig is the former Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota. Vig served as the Vice Chairman from January 2012 until August 2012. He then served as Chairman from August 2012 to January 2020. The Shakopee Mdewakan ...

(2012–2020), tribal chairman

Notes

External links

Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
official website
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel website

Little Six Casino website
{{authority control American Indian reservations in Minnesota Federally recognized tribes in the United States Native American tribes in Minnesota Populated places in Scott County, Minnesota 1969 establishments in the United States