HISTORIC INFORMATION ON THE SIOUX NATION

 

The Sioux Nation consisted of about 20,000 members; they were free nomads of the Great Plains - areas of South and North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Montana, and Wyoming. They took great advantage of available horses which were originally brought to the Americas by Cortez and the Spanish in 1519. The horse allowed them their mobility as nomads and was an invaluable aid in hunting buffalo, their main staple.
Their society consists of small communities living in tepees and in close harmony with nature. The Sioux were a very proud nation and attached much importance to spiritual life, family life, tradition, and children (the Siouan word for children means "sacredness").
The Sioux were also known for their many successful battles against other tribes and the U.S. army (especially at Little Bighorn).
Their nation can be separated into three major language communities of the Siouan language, the Lakota, the Dakota, and the Nakota. People of the Lakota dialect constituted the western division of the linguistic group and were also called the TITONWAN (Dwellers of the Plains); Dakota people constituted the eastern division and were called the ISANYETI (Knife Makers); and Nakota people constitued the northern and southern divisions and were also known as IHANKE-TOWAN (Camps at the End), for the southern branch, or HOHE (Stonies), for the northern branch.

Lakota bands (Oceti Sakowin or the seven council fires):

Oglala ("they scatter their own", or "dust scatterers"),
Sicangu (or Brule - "Burnt Thighs"),
Hunkpapa ("end of the circle"),
Miniconjous ("planters beside the stream"),
Sihasapa (or Blackfeet, not to be confused with the separate Blackfeet tribe),
Itazipacola (or Sans Arcs: "without bows"),
Oohenupa ("Two Boilings" or "Two Kettle").

Dakota bands:

Mdewakantonwon
Wahpeton
Wahpekute
Sisseton

 

Nakota bands:

Yankton
Upper Yanktonai
Lower Yanktonai

TRIBES WHICH STILL EXIST NOWADAYS:

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (Lakota)
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe (Dakota)
Flandreau Santee Siox Tribe (Dakota)
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe (Lakota)
Oglala Sioux Tribe (Lakota)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe (Lakota)
Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Nation (Dakota)
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Dakota/Lakota)
Yankton Sioux Tribe (Dakota)

Chronology of important historic events concerning the Sioux: http://www.historychannel.com/cgi-bin/frameit.cgi?p=http%3A//www.historychannel.com/exhibits/sioux/

Sioux territory of the past and today:

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