Dakota of the Canadian Northwest: Lessons for Survival

When the Dakota came to the Red River area in 1862, they brought with them their skills in hunting and gathering, fishing and farming. These bands faced common barriers, but responded to them differently. Some bands established themselves as commercial farmers, one band based its economy on the traditional pursuits of hunting, fishing and gathering, another adopted an economic strategy based on livestock production and the sale of labour. The Dakota at Portage la Prairie and Prince Albert were almost exclusively urban and rural wage labourers.