In April 1863 after the U.S. Dakota War of 1862, after the hanging of thirty-eight Dakota men in the largest mass execution in U.S. History some 270 Dakota men were moved from Mankato, Minnesota, to a prison at camp McClellan in Davenport, Iowa. Separated from their wives, children, and elder relatives, with inadequate shelter, they lived there for three long, wretched years. More than 120 men died. Desperate to connect with their families, many of these prisoners of war learned to write. Their letters, mostly addressed to the missionaries Stephen R Riggs and Thomas S. Williamson, asked for information, for assistance, and for help sending and receiving news of their loved ones. Dakota elders Clifford Canku and Michael Simon, fluent Dakota speakers, provide both the Dakota transcription and the first published English translation of fifty of these letters, culled from Riggs's papers at the Minnesota historical society. They are a precious resource for Dakota people learning about the travails their ancestors faced, important primary source documents for historians, and a vital tool for Dakota language learners and linguists. These haunting documents present a history that has long been unrecognised in this country, in the words of the Dakota people who lived it. The dedication written by the authors, both of whom are descendants of Dakota prisoners of war, declares: "Our relatives are watching over us. / We are humbled as we honour our ancestors. / Woecon kin de unyakupi do / We accept this responsibility you gave us".

The "Beginning Dakota/Tokaheya Dakota Iapi Kin" workbook provides exercises for building vocabulary, practicing conversation, and reading and writing about Dakota history. Now a brand-new teacher's edition offers further support through a full answer key, classroom activities, quizzes, and worksheets that will equip teachers with tested strategies to engage and educate students of the Dakota language.

Nicolette Knudson and Jody Snow along with revered elder Clifford Canku share their expertise through activities that organize the language at its most basic level. Twenty-four lesson plans build on each other and use cultural and historical information to increase understanding of the Dakota language and world view. Exercises, including additional worksheets and suggested activities, offer opportunities to practice the language and enhance comprehension. With these features and more, this teacher's edition is an invaluable tool for instructors at all levels.

Clifford Canku, an elder of the Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota Oyate and assistant professor of practice for Dakota Studies at North Dakota State University, assisted Dakota language students Nicolette Knudson, also a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, and Jody Snow, a language instructor, in creating this helpful resource.

Members and descendants of the Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota Oyate, a division of the Great Sioux Nation, live east of the Missouri River, mostly in North and South Dakota, and speak the Dakota dialect. As the population of native speakers ages, younger generations breathe new life into study of the language. In college courses, community education classes, and study teams, learners of all ages practice speaking and writing at the same time that they come to understand the storied history of this significant Native American group. Nicolette Knudson and Jody Snow, students of the language, along with Dakota instructor and revered elder Clifford Canku share their expertise through activities that organise the language at its most basic level. Twenty-four lesson plans build on each other and use cultural and historical information to increase understanding of the Dakota language and world view. Exercises offer opportunities to practice writing and speaking, increasing vocabulary and introducing grammatical building blocks that enhance comprehension. Glossaries provide translations from Dakota to English and back again. With these features and more, this is an invaluable tool for speakers of all levels.