Spirit Lake council proclaims Dakota as core tribal language

The Spirit Lake Tribal Council has designated the Dakota language as the core language of the Spirit Lake Tribe, according to a Spirit Lake Tribe press release. The council issued a proclamation Aug. 20, mandating the permanent inclusion of Dakota in schools, tribal programs and businesses under the tribe’s jurisdiction.

Signed by Tribal Chairwoman Lonna J. Street and Secretary-Treasurer Darcie Lohnes, the proclamation highlights the Dakota language as essential to heritage, identity and community. It also acknowledges the decline in fluent speakers, noting fewer than 1% of the tribe’s 7,800 members are fluent, most of them elders. Street was quoted as saying, “Our Dakota language is not just a way of speaking; it is a living part of who we are as Dakota people.” The council called on educators and community members to participate in revitalization efforts to ensure the language is spoken by future generations.