the Mdewakanton

There are several Dakota creation stories. There is a creation story that says the Dakota came into existence about the lakes at the head of the Rum River (near Mille Lacs Lake). Another related creation story says that after a flood some of the people entered into Mille Lacs Lake and lived underwater, and later emerged from the sacred lake as human beings into this world. The wisest of teachings came from the old white haired woman in the lakes, she was the mother of a sacred lake people.

Here's the Bde/Mde Wakan (Mille Lacs Lake) Dakota (Oceti Sakowin 'Seven Council Fires') creation story:

 

After the flood, some of the people lived under the water at Bde Tanka of Bde Wakan. One day a young boy and his sister were walking together. The boy looked up and saw mniyomni,  a blue whirlpool, above them and reached up for it. The whirlpool pulled him up to the surface and threw him out onto the shore. A beautiful place of trees and hills.

 

His sister followed the bubbles of the mniyomni, reached up, and was also thrown ashore. She followed her brother's footprints, eating roots and berries along the way, and picked up a small stone to suck in order to quench her thirst. Amazed at the beauty of the place, she was distracted and swallowed the stone. It traveled through her body and she gave birth to a first born child called Inyan Hoksida, Stone Boy. Inyan Hoksida grew fast and brought about many great things to the Dakota.

 

This is how the people walked out of the lake and became people who walk on the land again." "They are the Mdewakanton, 'those who were born of the waters!” - Oceti Sakowin