Lakota Emergence focuses entirely on the short Lakota emergence narrative titled “How the Lakota Came Upon the World,” written down by James Walker sometime between 1896, when he first arrived at Pine Ridge to serve as the agency’s physician, and 1917 when it was published by the American Museum of Natural History. The exhibit divides […]

According to Lakota legend, long ago there was a great race between the four-leggeds and the two-leggeds.  The purpose was to determine which of the two groups of contestants would have precedence over the other.  One unintended consequence of the race was the Black Hills were caused to come into being.  The Great Race focuses […]

The Tapun Sa Win (taw-poon sha ween) narrative is organized around a story about a beautiful young Lakota woman (Tapun Sa Win, or Red Cheek Woman) who married a star and went to live with him in the sky.  Near the due date for the birth of her baby, she inadvertently created a hole in […]

“Takuwe,” which in English means “why,” centers on re-imagining the senseless slaughter of 300 Lakotas on December 29, 1890. The narrative structure of “Takuwe” is based on the words of Lakotas who were there in 1890 and 1891. Their recollections and reflections guide visitors through the exhibition in seven chronological periods: The exhibition includes songs, […]

Articles of a Treaty focuses on the articles of the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty between the “different bands of the Sioux Nation of Indians” and the United States.  The title is the first four words of the actual treaty. The 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty contains seventeen articles. Each article is interpreted through music, poetry, and […]

Iyáčhiŋ (ē ah chee), is Lakota for compare. In this exhibit, the pieces are hung in pairs encouraging a natural tendency to compare and contrast as a means of understanding. Iyáčhiŋ features artwork exclusively from the Aktá Lakota Museum’s permanent collection.

The Gift, based on the traditional Lakota narrative of the coming of the White Buffalo Woman who gave a sacred pipe to Itazipco Oyate people. The exhibit centers on the seven sacred Lakota ceremonies—‘gifts’—that Black Elk says were foretold by the White Buffalo Woman. Hanbleceya — Vision Quest Hunkapi — Making Relatives Inipi — Purification […]