Lower Sioux Tribal Grant

With a new grant from MIAC, CWOO will focus on expanding Dakota language teaching capacities for Lower Sioux. In the 2020 Lower Sioux Annual Community Survey, the Community reported that 27% of the membership are learning Dakota, up from 20% in 2019 but not yet at our target of 33% by 2022. Respondents (representing half of the enrolled adult members of the tribe) revealed that only 13% of members speak Dakota daily. This is not adequate to revitalize our mother tongue. To achieve more consistent speaking of Dakota, Lower Sioux must expand its efforts. The most powerful, multi-generational language tool we have at Cansayapi is CWOO, which is the only Dakota immersion and Early/Head Start on tribal lands in Minnesota. To expand our teaching capacity and continue increasing the number and the level of Dakota language speaking within Cansayapi, CWOO's new immersion grant will expand our capacity for teaching and assessment. b) Project goal(s): The Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota (Lower Sioux) is appreciative for the opportunity to be submitting this application to MIAC for the Dakota and Ojibwe Language Immersion Grant. With the funds from this opportunity, we will be better equipped as we attempt to expand the revitalization our language. The goal of our new two-year immersion grant is "To expand the language learning and speaking capacity of the 140 Dakota students and families engaged in the CWOO Immersion School at Lower Sioux through expanded language teaching, assessment, and enrichment opportunities."