Nakota facts for kids

The Nakota (also called Nakoda or Nakona) are a group of Native American people in North America. They are known as the Assiniboine (or Hohe) in the United States and the Stoney in Canada.

These tribes speak a language related to the Sioux nation. Long ago, they separated from the main Sioux groups. They moved from the forests of what is now Minnesota to northern and western areas. These include Montana and North Dakota in the U.S., and Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta in Canada. The words nakota, dakota, and lakota all mean "friend" or "ally" in their different languages.

Understanding the Name: Nakota

For a long time, experts thought the large Sioux nation had three main language groups.

• The Dakota (also called Santee) were the eastern group.
• The Nakota were thought to be the central groups, the Yankton and Yanktonai.
• The Lakota (also called Teton) were the western group.

The Assiniboine tribe separated from the main Dakota family a long time ago. Their language is also called Nakota. It became very different from the Lakota and Dakota languages. Speakers of these languages could not easily understand each other.

Who are the True Nakota?

In 1978, a group of language experts studied the Sioux and Assiniboine tribes. They found that the Santee, Yankton, and Yanktonai people all called themselves "Dakota." The name Nakota (or Nakoda) was only used by the Assiniboine and their relatives in Canada, the Stoney.

This discovery was very important. However, many books and articles still used the old, incorrect way of naming the groups.

Why the Confusion Started

Jan Ullrich, another expert, confirmed these findings in his 2008 Lakota dictionary. He explained that the mistake began in the mid-1800s. Missionaries working with the Santee people misunderstood a language rule. They thought the Yankton and Yanktonai called themselves Nakota, but this was wrong.

This incorrect idea spread widely. Even some Lakota and Dakota people started to believe it. But older records of the Sioux languages do not mention "Nakota" for the Yankton and Yanktonai. For example, a dictionary from 1902 by John P. Williamson called the Dakota people "Dakota." It did not use "Nakota."

Also, a Yankton scholar named Ella Cara Deloria (born in 1888) was one of the first to point out this mistake.

How They Call Themselves Today

Today, these groups use the following names in their own languages:

• Dakhóta (or Dakhód) – the Santee
• Dakȟóta (or Dakȟód) – the Yankton and the Yanktonai
• Lakȟóta (or Lakȟól) – the Teton (though they mostly just call themselves Lakȟóta now)
• Nakhóta (Nakhóda or Nakhóna) – the Assiniboine
• Nakhóda (or Nakhóta) – the Stoney

Connecting Past and Present

Recently, the Assiniboine and especially the Stoney tribes have started to emphasize their connection to the larger Sioux tradition. They want to show their shared history. You can see this on official websites for the Stoney in Alberta. For example, the Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation uses "Sioux" in its name. The Nakoda First Nation also talks about their Sioux ancestors. They value their native language. They say they prefer to speak and do business in their "Siouan mother tongue." Assiniboine and Stoney tribes in Saskatchewan also feel a strong link to the Sioux tradition.

Working to Save Languages

The Assiniboine and Stoney tribes have supported efforts to bring back native languages. These efforts are often called "pan-Sioux," meaning they involve all Sioux-related groups. Representatives from these tribes attend yearly "Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Language Summits."

Since 2008, a Lakota non-profit group called Tusweca Tiospaye (Dragonfly Community) has sponsored these summits. Their goal is to "Unite the Seven Council Fires to Save the Language." This means bringing together the different Sioux groups to protect their languages.

Even though they are working together, their languages have changed over time. They are no longer easy for everyone to understand. Lakota and Dakota speakers cannot easily understand Assiniboine. And neither of them can understand Stoney. So, creating one single Sioux language again will be a very difficult goal to reach.