Native-led nonprofit Dakota Wicohan was recently named a recipient of the inaugural Minnesota Community IDEAS Grant by the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. Dakota Wicohan is located in Morton, near the Lower Sioux Indian Community. It works towards language revitalization and Dakota lifeways through various family and youth programming.

The organization will receive $160,000 for its youth horse program, Sunktanka Wicahyuapi, which means “they care for horses.” Established over a decade ago, the program empowers youth in grades 5-12 to work with and learn the importance of horses in Dakota culture through songs, stories and intergenerational mentorship.

Dakota people have a unique relationship with horses and youth can deepen their sense of identity through interacting with them, the or

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