Decades of interaction with white Americans reshaped Native culture as they adapted to horses, guns, and trade goods. Eventually, the free-ranging lifestyle of Native peoples was permanently altered as they were forced onto reservations.
Some tribes adapted more readily than others as the days of chasing vast herds of bison came to an end. On this date in 1921, Superintendent E.D. Mossman was working with those living on the Standing Rock Reservation to establish Good Farming Associations for each district on the reservation. Mossman noted that residents were “manifesting equal interest in the project.” The purpose of the program was to help the tribe transition to an agriculture-based lifestyle.
Some tribes had a long history of agriculture. Village-based tribes like the Mandans and Hidatsas cultivated corn, beans, and squash to meet much of their nutritional needs. Women were primarily responsible for clearing the land, cultivating, and harvesting the crops. Agriculture not only provided for their needs but also served as valuable trade goods. Nomadic tribes like the Crow and Lakota traded bison meat and hides in exchange for vegetables.
Native agents from the Standing Rock Indian Agency attempted to teach European American agricultural techniques to the tribes. However, agents often sabotaged their own efforts by instructing men, who traditionally saw agriculture as the role of women. Other mistakes were made as well. Agents promoted wheat over traditional crops and insisted on row cultivation as the only acceptable method, rather than embracing the traditional practice of mixing crops. The government's goal was to help tribes become self-sufficient, but agents often failed to provide the necessary equipment, seeds, and training.
Today, much Native land has been leased to white farmers. However, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nations are moving forward with a major agricultural effort to allow the tribes to grow much of their own food. The Nations are building a 3.5-acre greenhouse complex as the first phase of the Native Green Grow project. Tribal Chairman Mark Fox said, “We once were part of an aboriginal trade center for thousands and thousands of years… all the tribes depended on us greatly as part of the aboriginal trade system.” Additional work will expand the facility by another eleven acres, making it one of the largest in the world.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Sioux County Pioneer. “Good Farming Associations.” Fort Yates ND. 12/1/1921. Page 1.
- Encyclopedia.com. “Westward Expansion and Indian Culture.” https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/westward-expansion-and-indian-culture#:~:text=Trade%20between%20whites%20and%20Native%20Americans%20encouraged%20other,learning%20each%20other%27s%20language%20and%20way%20of%20life. Accessed 10/29/2024.
- E.D. Mossman. “Report to the members of the visiting Congressional Committee regarding the Standing Rock Indian Agency, Fort Yates, North Dakota https://archivesandspecialcollections.wordpress.com/2017/09/26/report-on-standing-rock/ Accessed 10/29/2024.
- Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. “Native American Agriculture.” http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.ag.052 accessed 10/29/2024.
- KFYR TV. “North Dakota Tribe Goes Back to Its Roots.” 7/6/2024. https://www.kfyrtv.com/2024/07/06/north-dakota-tribe-goes-back-its-roots-with-massive-greenhouse-operation/ Accessed 10/29/2024.
