Recently, I visited the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Administration Building, which was newly constructed just last year. DelRay German, director of the Sisseton Wahpeton Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) and chairman of the board of commissioners of the Dakota Nation Development Corporation (DNDC), showed me around the facility, and he kindly agreed to let me film his tour. Adam Rose and Taylor Higgins accompanied me on the visit to South Dakota, and we were all impressed by the beauty, design and scale of the new building.
I learned that the administration building is 110,000 square feet, and the rotunda area can hold up to 750 people. DelRay explained how the building’s unique design features were inspired by the culture and history of the Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota people, including Sun Dance arbors, teepees and the four cardinal direction colors.
The space offers one central location where tribal members can come to get many of their needs met. For example, tribal members can visit various departments — planning and development, social and child protection services, historical preservation, taxation and enrollment offices, natural resources, and tribal court. Other offices in the administration building include the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of Special Trustee.
We would like to thank DelRay German and the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribe for the tour. To see DelRay’s tour of the facility, please watch the video below.