* Have never been on a YouthWorks trip
* Have previously attended a YouthWorks trip
Learn about the Dakota people's culture while partnering with the community to meet the needs of their residents.
The prairies, hills and valleys of the Lake Traverse Reservation in northeastern South Dakota offer opportunities to camp, hunt and fish. Aside from being an area of great natural beauty, this is home to the people of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Oyate (the word 'oyate' is Dakota for 'family'). Sisseton is right beside the north/south continental divide and is also completely surrounded by glacial melt lakes, making it look distinct from the rest of South Dakota. There is a tower outside of town where you can see a beautiful view spanning across three states (North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota). Quite different from most reservation towns, the town of Sisseton is 47% white and 47.8% Native American; this fact gives Sisseton a very different feel from many of our other reservation sites, though the two racial groups remain largely separate from one another.
The Lake Traverse Reservation is home to the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe, part of the larger band of Dakota Sioux. The Dakota originally inhabited southern Minnesota, eastern North Dakota, and eastern South Dakota. As more European settlers infiltrated the Minnesota River Valley, taking food sources from the native people, the Dakota signed treaty agreements with the U.S., ceding large portions of their land in order to get food and financial compensation from the government needed to survive. In 1862, due to limited rations, a harsh winter, miscommunication, and broken promises, the Dakota were headed towards starvation. Desperation led to a series of conflicts known as the Dakota War, which ended with the unjust mass execution of 38 Dakota leaders (and had been authorized by President Abraham Lincoln). Fort Sisseton was established in South Dakota after the war to protect settlers and their new land seized from the tribe. Racial tensions can still be felt today between Sisseton, a mostly white community on the reservation, and the surrounding native communities. The tribe has taken major steps to create infrastructure, but unemployment and poverty are still prominent on the reservation. YouthWorks serves as a bridge between the white and native communities in the summer, working to bring people together. By facilitating Kids Club, we can provide a safe place for kids to come and experience Jesus. We also work alongside community members, doing minor home repair and painting. Spending time on the Lake Traverse Reservation serves as a good introduction to the social and racial issues prominent in many reservations in the U.S. and can act as a springboard into educating youth about the lesser-known history of our nation.