The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara

The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara. . , MHA Nation , The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara, today allied as the HMA Natio, haven deep historical and cultural connections to the Missouri River. The Mandan and Hidatsa, both Siouan speaking peoples. have oral histories that tie their tribe to the entirely of the Missouri River; both groups established villages all along the river and its major tributaries. The most popular known Mandan villages were densely populated, fortified settlements located along the Heart River, west of present-day Bismarck. In the vicinity of the Knife River and what is now Stanton ND, the Hidatsa established three well known villages by the seventeenth century (today referred to as the Knife River Indian Villages), The Arikara are a Caddoan-speaking-people from south-central North America who migrated along the Missouri River, establishing villages near the Cannonball River (about a day's journey south from the Mandan) by at least the early eighteenth century. , Where to Learn More , Interested in learning more about the HMA Nation? Visit one of many cultural sites nearby to explore tribal history, art, food, and traditions! The MHA Nation Interpretive Center, located at 9386 Lake Sakakawea Road in New Town, ND, provided visitors with exhibits, living history programs, and educational opportunities to create an immersive cultural experience. Nearby, visitors can attend living cultural events, enjoy trailed rides, and hear stories from members of the MHA Nation at the Earth Lodge Village. Downriver in Stanton, ND, the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is an archaeological and interpretive, destination where visitors can explore remnants of a Hidatsa trade center, including a reconstructed earth lodge and three formers village sites. , Land Acknowledgement Statement , The US Army Corps of Engineers recognizes that the Tribes of the Missouri River basin are diverse in their histories and perspectives regarding the Missouri River. These Tribes maintain current and ancestral ties to the Missouri River and possess cultural, economic, and social interests in the river. The Garrison Dam, Lake Sakakawea, and adjacent lands under the Corps' administration are the territory of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Peoples. They were stewards of this area and the broader unbounded landscape for many generations before Euro-Ameriican powers openly sought to confine and diminish Native interests. After decades of the US government steadily reducing their territory, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Peoples suffered the destruction of their towns, farms, pastures, and timberlands when the Garrison Dam impounded the Missouri River and flood the highly prized bottomlands that were home to hundreds of families. The Corps honors and respects these communities, acknowledges the harm done to the Mandan, Hidatsa,, and Arikara Peoples, and respectfully seek to build a partnership of trust, which will openly and honestly share the stories of individuals and families who have called this place home.