Tribal Archives - Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate

FAIN: ZPA-283772-22

Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate (Agency Village, SD 57262-0509)
Tamara St.John (Project Director: May 2021 to present)

The creation of three archival positions and one tribal outreach historian to strengthen archival preservation and digitization at the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Archives for community education and outreach as well as future exhibitions. 

The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Archives collects, processes and preserves all records, written and oral, both past and present, concerning the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (SWO) Tribe. The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the work of the SWO Tribal Archives and the Tribal Historic Preservation Office. As of May 2021, both offices continue to work at a limited capacity in response to tribal restrictions, which are more cautious than both state and federal guidelines. Prior to the pandemic, SWO Tribal Archives and Tribal Historic Preservation Office regularly hosted tours with schoolchildren, sharing the rich history of the Dakota with new generations from across South and North Dakota. Unfortunately, at this time, visitors are still prohibited. NEH funds will jumpstart stalled efforts to organize Archive collections, digitize documents and artifacts, create a searchable catalogue, and build educational resources for visitors, regaining ground lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic.