Identifier

MA 103

Dates

1989-2016

Extent

2.94 linear feet [7 document cases]

Abstract

The Oak Lake Writer’s Society hosts annual retreats for Indigenous writers. The focus of the retreat is to strengthen and preserve Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota culture, oral traditions, and histories. This collection is composed of materials related to the Oak Lake Writers Society and their summer retreats

Historical Note

The Oak Lake Writer’s Society emerged from annual retreats at South Dakota State University’s Oak Lake Field Station starting in 1993. The society and annual retreats are open to Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota (Oceti Sakowin) writers. The focus of the retreat is to strengthen and preserve Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota culture, oral traditions, and histories. The society hopes to reaffirm Dakota, Lakota, Nakota peoples’ political status and regulate outside misconceptions of the culture. Each year the society invites astute Indigenous writers to share their experiences with prospective Oceti Sakowin writers. Some examples of Indigenous writers that have been invited to speak are Elizabeth Cook-Lynn, Joseph Marshall III and Craig Howe. The retreat serves as an outlet for Oceti Sakowin people to continue their own writing and to receive feedback on them. To showcase the society members’ writings, they have also compiled them into two books. Their first book is Sapa Woihanble (Black Hills Dream) which provides Oceti Sakowin perspectives on the Black Hills. Their second book is This Stretch of the River which focuses on providing a Oceti Sakowin response to the Lewis and Clark narrative.

Content Notes

This collection is composed of materials related to the Oak Lake Writers Society and their summer retreats. A large portion of the collection is email correspondence between Charles Woodard, a member of the English department as South Dakota State University, and applicants. Folders also contain newspaper clippings, application forms, written stories, and funding materials.

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Language

English

Publisher

South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Rights

Copyright restrictions apply in different ways to different materials. Many of the documents and other historical materials in the Archives are in the public domain and may be reproduced and used in any way. There are other materials in the Archive carrying a copyright interest and must be used according to the provisions of Title 17 of the U.S. Code. The Archive issues a warning concerning copyright restrictions to every researcher who requests copies of documents. Although the copyright law is under constant redefinition in the courts, it is ultimately the responsibility of the researcher to properly use copyrighted material.

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