Traditions
Revitalizing and Preserving our Wichohan (way of life).
“Tatanka Oyate”
is Dakota for “Bison Nation.”
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As told through one of our creation stories, the Bison and Dakota
emerged from caves and began populating the earth.
We found kinship living among
our relatives, the bison. They provided a source of quality food,
clothing, tools, and artifacts for spiritual rituals.
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Through colonization and genocide, the bison were slaughtered,
and we lost our Wichohan (way of life).
Today, once again, the bison roam our ancestral territory,
renewing our lost kinship and revitalizing our spiritual rituals—
our Wichohan (way of life)—and with it prosperity.
Preservation
Wahpeton Dakota Nation (WDN) government is part of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) group of Nations governance. The values expressed in their spiritual and cultural traditions are the foundation that guides Tatanka investments. Tatanka supports initiatives that preserve WDN spirituality, language, heritage, and art through partnerships interested in sharing WDN culturally rich stories. These initiatives serve to preserve our traditions to benefit our community and the future of humanity.
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Tatanka oversees and manages land use for WDN to guarantee that their Traditional Land Use (TLU) rights are preserved and honored.
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Revitalization
Tatanka supports and assists with the nations efforts to bring back and
revitalize the Oceti Sakowin traditions that is foundational for its governance,
investment criteria and building strong equitable partnerships.
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