Welcome to the Web Site for Crow Creek Arts.
The first thing you need to know is that all the art and craft items on this site were created by people who live on Crow Creek Reservation. Most of the visual arts – the cards, the calendar, the star ornaments, and others – were created by students.
There are several students who have a significant artistic gift but they had no appreciation for their ability. Members of the tribe wanted them to have pride in themselves and their ability and to understand that others appreciated what they did with that ability. To that end, we created the Wakan Yeja Okodakiciye Co.
Cultural and Tribal Information
The Crow Creek Reservation is located on the east bank of the Missouri River in central South Dakota. Its major town is Fort Thompson. The area of the reservation was a hunting ground for the Dakota for many years when they lived in Minnesota. The Arickara tribe lived in the area from the 14th century. The Dakota did not come to live in South Dakota until after 1863 as a result of the Minnesota uprising of 1862.
The Dakota had migrated from the Carolinas up through Ohio and Indiana through Iowa to Minnesota before the Europeans came to this continent. They settled in Minnesota and were there until the uprising of 1862. For the full story, read The Peace Seekers by Dr. Elden Lawrence.