The North Dakota Tribal History & Culture book series teaches students about the Indigenous nations that share geography with the state. The goal of the series is for North Dakotans from these nations to explain their cultures in their own words. The books were written by experts, scholars, and elders from each nation, with review by the North Dakota Tribal College System (NDTCS). The provided content is distributed by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI), the North Dakota University System (NDUS), and NDTCS. The original books were released from 1995-2002, with a revised edition released in 2024. The books are used in the 8th grade and high school North Dakota Studies classes, as well as in higher education. The revision was prompted by the passage of North Dakota Senate Bill 2304 in 2021, which mandates that all elementary and secondary public and nonpublic schools include Native American history and culture in their curriculums.
The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate nation (Dakota: Sisíthuŋwaŋ Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ Oyáte) also shares geography with North Dakota. However, the original four History & Culture books did not include a fifth book for Sisseton Wahpeton because Agency Village, its capitol, is outside the state. In North Dakota, the general vicinity around the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation is referred to as "South Dakota."
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North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, JT Shining Oneside, Carol Davis, Eugene Hale, Oliver Gourd, Demus McDonald, Marilyn Hudson, Linda Gourneau, Emma Jean Blue Earth, Sunshine Archambault-Carlow, and Angeline Fourth Iron Road
North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings is a resource booklet intended to help educators better connect with their students from various tribal backgrounds. These seven essential understandings can create a framework for learning that makes students from all backgrounds feel more welcomed and thereby help them thrive in school. Based on research in the area of culture-based education, this material was developed by tribal elders from across the state and published by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
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Journey to Understanding: An Introduction to North Dakota Tribes
Cheryl Ann Kary, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, North Dakota Department of Health & Human Services, and State Historical Society of North Dakota
Journey to Understanding: An Introduction to North Dakota Tribes is an introductory booklet intended to give a quick overview of Indigenous culture in North Dakota. It is a starting point for the rest of the North Dakota Tribal History & Culture series. The booklet explains the names and backgrounds of the nations that share geography with North Dakota. It also teaches basic cultural competency to facilitate interaction for people from a different background. The content is presented in the form of self-quizzes with provided answers. Journey to Understanding was originally used within the North Dakota Department of Human Services (NDDHS) --now part of the North Dakota Department of Health & Human Services (NDHHS)-- and was developed by NDDHS in collaboration with the Native American Training Institute. After its initial publication, it soon made its way from state government and into classrooms. With the permission of NDHHS, it is now distributed as part of the North Dakota Tribal History & Culture series.
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The History and Culture of the Mandan, Hidatsa, Sahnish (Arikara)
Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College and North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
History & Culture of the Mandan Hidatsa & Sahnish (Arikara) is a guide to the Three Affiliated Tribes nation, past and present. The book is divided into three sections: one for each tribe. Elders, scholars, and other experts from the nation contributed the content of this book, which was reviewed by Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College and published by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) for use in middle and high school North Dakota Studies classes, as well as in higher education.
The MHA nation is known as the following in its languages: Mandan: Miiti Naamni, Hidatsa: Awadi Aguraawi, Arikara: ačitaanu' táWIt. The Fort Berthold Indian Reservation shares geography with western North Dakota, with land on either side of the Missouri River basin. New Town is this sovereign nation’s capital.
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The History and Culture of the Mni Wakan Oyate (Spirit Lake Nation)
Cankdeska Cikana Community College and North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
History & Culture of the Mni Wakan Oyate Spirit Lake Nation is a guide to the Spirit Lake nation, past and present. Elders, scholars, and other experts from the nation contributed the content of this book, which was reviewed by Cankdeska Cikana Community College (English: Little Hoop Community College) and published by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) for use in middle and high school North Dakota Studies classes, as well as in higher education.
The Spirit Lake Nation’s name in the Santee Dakota language is “Mni Wakan Oyate” (also transcribed “Mniwakaƞ Oyate”). The nation was formerly called the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe in various English-language materials. It is comprised of the Pabaksa (Iháŋkthuŋwaŋna), Sisseton (Sisíthuŋwaŋ) and Wahpeton (Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ) bands of the Dakota people. The Spirit Lake Dakota Reservation shares geography with eastern North Dakota, beside Devils Lake. Fort Totten is the capital of this sovereign nation.
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The History and Culture of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
Turtle Mountain Community College and North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
History & Culture of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa is a guide to the Turtle Mountain nation, past and present. Elders, scholars, and other experts from the nation contributed the content of this book, which was reviewed by Turtle Mountain Community College and published by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) for use in middle and high school North Dakota Studies classes, as well as in higher education.
The Turtle Mountain nation is called Mikinaakwajiw-ininiwag in the Ojibwe language. This sovereign nation’s capital is Belcourt. The Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation shares geography with northern North Dakota, along the border with Canada. The rest of its land base exists as parcels of trust land across Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota, defying easy summarization.
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The History and Culture of the Standing Rock Oyate
Standing Rock Community College and North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
History & Culture of the Standing Rock Oyate is a guide to the Standing Rock nation, past and present. Elders, scholars, and other experts from the nation contributed the content of this book, which was reviewed by Standing Rock Community College and published by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) for use in middle and high school North Dakota Studies classes, as well as in higher education.
The Standing Rock Reservation (Lakota: Íŋyaŋ Woslál Háŋ) shares geography with southern North Dakota and with South Dakota. The capital of this sovereign nation is Fort Yates.