The Lakota Dakota Nakota Language Summit was created by Tusweca Tiospaye in 2008 in an effort to unite the Oceti Sakowin, Seven Council Fires of the Lakota Dakota Nakota Oyate, also known as the Great Sioux Nation, in efforts to keep the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota languages alive.

 

Today the Oceti Sakowin are located on reservations, reserves, and communities in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Montana, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

 

The Seven Council Fires Include:

1. Mdewakantunwan

2. Wahpe Kute

3. Wahpetunwan

4. Sinsintunwan

5. Ihanktunwan

6. Ihanktunwanna 

7. Tintatunwan

 

Also includes the Stoney and Assiniboine People.

 

 

The 2^nd Annual Tusweca Tiospaye Lakota Dakota Nakota Language Summit was held at the Ramkota Hotel and Convention Center in Rapid City, South Dakota, November 12 – 14, 2009.  The theme of the summit continues to be “Uniting the Seven Council Fires to Save the Language.”

500 people representing every Lakota Dakota Nakota reservation, reserve, and community in the Unite States and Canada along with other tribal and non-tribal members from across the United States and Canada took part in the three-day conference.

The conference opened with the entrance of the Eagle Feather Staffs and a welcome address in Lakota from 11-year-old Jordan Carlow from the Oglala Sioux (Lakota) Tribe, Pine Ridge, SD. Wilmer Mesteth, Oglala Lakota, gave the opening prayer for the summit. The Crazy Horse Singers from Oglala, SD offered the flag song and an opening song. Three lunches and two breakfasts were served to all participants. Sitting Bull College from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation offered Continuing Education Units to all registered participants free of charge.

Keynote speakers for the summit were Ryan Wilson, Founder of the National Alliance to Save Native Languages, Darrell Kipp, Co-founder of the Piegan Institute, and Oswald McKay, Co-founder of the Canku Kaga Dakota School.  Language educators, linguists, and advocates facilitated breakout sessions and the summit also included a youth panel where youth from several reservations gave their feelings and input about language revitalization.

On the first evening of the summit, entertainment included Lakota language games, traditional hand-games, and hymns in the Dakota language. On the second day of the summit, Lakota artist Scotti Cliff provided music during lunch and on the second night of the summit Tusweca Tiospaye also hosted the Oceti Sakowin Wacipi.  More than 100 dancers, 16 drum groups, and 400 people took part.