A bill that codifies the official indigenous language of South Dakota as that of the O’ceti Sakowin is now one step away from the governor’s desk.
The bill recognizes the three dialects of South Dakota’s tribes as Lakota, Dakota and Nakota.
Nakina Mills is an elected official with the Oglala Sioux Tribe. She testified in favor of the bill.
“I wasn’t able to learn or maintain the language as a young person and as an adult,” Mills says. “To be able to see my son get up there and introduce himself in the language and say who his parents are, it was such an emotional feeling. I honestly didn’t think that I’d ever see that day.”
Supporters say, if passed, South Dakota will become the first of the lower 48 states to officially recognize an indigenous language.