CBS News | Unlocking 'Minne': C̣aƞtemaza Reveals the Dakota Origins of Minnesota Place Names
Why do so many places in Minnesota start with "Minne"?
"So 'mni' is 'water.' 'Sota' means 'clear,' like when you look at water and you can see through it, it's clear," C̣aƞtemaza said. "Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman ... a Dakota scholar in the 1800s, he translated Minnesota as 'the land where the waters reflects,' reflect the skies or the heavens, because this land is very beautiful."
Learn more Dakota words
The land called Mnisota Makoce is home to the Dakota people. The Dakota language reflects that relationship and it is evident in the names of different places throughout the present-day state of Minnesota. The land, language, and way of life are all connected for the Dakota people and they cannot exist without each other.
Watch or read the full Good Question interview to learn about the meanings of Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Minnehaha, and more.
Our Dakota language program is a part of a movement throughout Dakota communities in the US and Canada to counteract language extinction by creating new fluent Dakota speakers and teachers. Our courses are for heritage and non-heritage speakers at every level and are open to non-degree-seeking students. We offer a Dakota Language Teaching Certificate and a BA in Dakota Language, as well as other degree options in American Indian and Indigenous studies.
Related content: "Meet the World’s First Dakota Language Majors"
