Cultural Legacy

Cultural Legacy. . People have made this area their home for over 10,000 years. In the Paleolithic period, hunters crossed the region hunting ice-age bison and mammoths. Over time, other animals were added to the menu, wild plants became an important food source, and large groups lived together., By 900 AD, predecessors of the Mandan, Arikara, and Hidatsa flourished in earth lodge villages up and down the Missouri. In addition to hunting, they planted corn and sunflowers for food. Cultural distinctions developed between the groups, but all valued the land and river that provided food, clothing, shelter, and recreation., Europeans had arrived by 1700 with beads, knives, and tools to trade. Horses and guns soon followed. The fur trade took off in earnest by the mid-1700s. The villages served as trade centers where different cultures mingled., The Missouri River provided an abundance of wildlife, materials, recreation, and protection to the people living along the water., Skilled American Indian hunters were contracted by fur trade companies to provide pelts., "Sioux Indian Village" by General Alfred Sully in 1837., American Indian culture thrives in South Dakota. The state is home to nine tribal governments. Powwows are held across the state, giving people the chance to celebrate and practice cultural traditions., Powwows are powerful cultural celebrations where participants can dance, socialize, and pass on cultural traditions. (Photo by South Dakota Tourism)