The land Gustavus occupies was home to the Dakota people until the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was signed in 1851. A student-curated exhibit created for the 150th anniversary of the Dakota Conflict is available in digital form, thanks to the Gustavus College & Church Archives. Contact us if you would like to borrow the 12-panel display for an exhibition.
Searching for information about indigenous peoples can be complicated by the politics of naming. Do catalogers use the word Sami, Sapmi, or Lapp? What about Eskimo versus Inuit? Dakota or Sioux? Ojibwe, Anisinaabe, or Chippewa? As you search, be aware that the names of groups have changed over time and subject headings or database descriptors may use a name that seems incorrect or even offensive.