Dakota is the name of a Native American people who originally lived in the northern Great Plains, in what is now Minnesota, North and South Dakota, and parts of surrounding states. The Dakota are one of three major divisions of the Sioux people, along with the Lakota and Nakota. These divisions speak related but distinct dialects of the same language family.

The word Dakota means “friend” or “ally” in their language, reflecting how these bands saw themselves as connected peoples. The Dakota maintained a rich culture centered on buffalo hunting, agriculture, and strong community ties. They lived in different types of dwellings depending on the season: earth lodges for permanent villages and tipis when following buffalo herds.

Two states took their name from the Dakota people: North Dakota and South Dakota. The Dakota continue to live throughout this region today, maintaining their language, traditions, and tribal governments on several reservations. Many cities, counties, schools, and landmarks across the northern United States also bear the Dakota name, a reminder of the people who lived on this land for thousands of years before European settlers arrived.