Native-led nonprofit receives grant for youth horse program
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Native-led nonprofit Dakota Wicohan was recently named a recipient of the inaugural Minnesota Community IDEAS Grant by the St. 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 organization’s acting executive director Doris Stands said.
“The horse helps Dakota people, has always helped Dakota people in healing and ceremonies and prayer rides,” she said.
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Youth start the program with beginner classes, learning how to ride and how to care for horses. As they progress into more advanced levels, they begin to participate in activities such as parades, performing in shows at the Renville County fair or cultural ceremonies.
Sunktanka Wicahyuapi also operates as a 4-H club. Youth have participated in art shows at the county fair and have showcased regalia that they have made for their horses.
“We bridge the gap in the community around cultural awareness and who Dakota people are, and all the misconceptions of Dakota people,” Stands said.
Priscilla Gruendemann is Dakota Wicohan’s program coordinator and said she has daughters who grew up participating in Sunktanka Wicahyuapi.
“You can just see the major change after they start working with the horses,” Gruendemann said. “They're learning about horse health. They're learning about horse commands in Dakota.”
Funds will be used to hire a full-time horse ranch helper and will help expand programming through the hiring of more contract workers, such as program alumni. Stands said the organization has had some previous youth return as adults.
“They come back and help with the younger, the new youth in the program,” she said.
The grant is a step toward what program leaders say is the goal: holding the Sunktanka Wicahyuapi program year-round. It currently runs during the summer and fall seasons with some gatherings in the winter, such as a prayer ride from Morton to Mankato.
“Hopefully, soon, in the next couple of years, I'm hoping. The kids keep asking,” Gruendemann said. Currently Dakota Wicohan has access to an outdoor arena and hopes to expand into building an indoor arena.
Dakota Wicohan runs year-round teachings through their various other programs. Stands has heard youth who are not quite old enough to join express their anticipation for when they are able to participate.
“There's an increased sense of belonging for the youth, for their culture,” Stands said.
Sunktanka Wicahyuapi will begin its summer season in the upcoming weeks.
Chandra Colvin covers Native American communities in Minnesota for MPR News via Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities.
