Dakhóta Iápi Okhódakičhiye (DIO)
Dakhóta Iápi Okhódakičhiye (DIO) was created out of an international need for Dakota language materials to be implemented for language learning in the home, community and classroom. Out of necessity for the language to live and thrive for generations despite the pandemic, we envisioned the Dakota Language Distance Learning (DLDL) program. This program offers daily, online Dakota language classes to support distance learning as school districts across Minnesota navigate the impacts of COVID-19.
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Shirley Sneve (St. Paul, MN) – Shirley was Director of the Tiwahe Foundation and works in the arts and humanities largely focusing on American Indian and Alaska Native cultures. She is Lakota. |
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Travis Zimmerman (Mille Lacs, MN) – Travis works at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and has worked with MHC in a variety of programs, including as a panelist for the Veterans Voices Awards. He is Ojibwe. |
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Cheyanne St. John (Morton, MN) – Cheyanne works in the Tribal Historical Preservation Office for the Lower Sioux Indian Reservation. She is Dakota. |
Laura Benson
Minnesota Humanities Center
laura@mnhum.org
651-772-4244
$850,000 the first year and $850,000 the second year are for a competitive grants program to provide grants to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Minnesota.
The Minnesota Humanities Center must operate a competitive grants program to provide grants to programs that preserve and honor the cultural heritage of Minnesota or that provide education and student outreach on cultural diversity or to programs that empower communities to build their identity and culture. Priority must be given to grants for individuals and organizations working to create, celebrate, and teach indigenous arts and cultural activities and arts organizations and programs preserving, sharing, and educating on the arts and cultural heritage of immigrant communities in Minnesota.
In order to address the increasing language loss, low academic achievement, and negative impacts on social and cultural identity of Dakota language learners, the detailed outcomes that this project will achieve are outlined below.
Outcome 1: Increase teacher-training, while also encouraging teachers to pursue certification and continuing education credits through other DIO programming (e.g. DIO Summer Institute)
Outcome 2: Produce more Dakota language and culture teachers that are highly qualified to teach in Minnesota Public schools
Outcome 3: Increase the number of students receiving Dakota language and immersion education as well as cultural education in Minnesota Public Schools
Outcome 4: Increase the number of youth as second language learners of Dakota, those both on and off reservation
Outcome 5: Improve Dakota proficiency of students and families
Outcome 6: Increase motivation of both students and families to practice Dakota both in and out of the classroom setting
Outcome 7: Provide a best-practice Dakota curricular resource for K-12 students
Outcome 8: Increase the number of curricular materials in Dakota
Outcome 9: Increase capacity for Dakota immersion
In progress