These were the people of the legendary Sitting Bull --
known as the "Sioux" or "enemy" among outsiders;
"Lakota" or "people" among themselves. Perhaps best
known for defeating General Custer in his famous Last Stand,
the Sioux were a proud people with a rich heritage,
and more than any other Indians, they embodied the
romance of the unspoiled West.

The Sioux Nation consisted of about 20,000 people in
7 different tribes throughout the Great Plains.
Free nomads of the Plains, 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
the mobility to pull their tepees as they traveled
and were an invaluable aid in hunting buffalo, their main staple.



Location:

The Sioux can be found throughout the northern Plains,
including North and South Dakotas, northern Nebraska, eastern
Wyoming, and southeastern Montana.


History:

The arrival of white Americans following the Louisiana Purchase lead to an end to native Sioux life due to the depletion of the buffalo. The Ghost Dance, a ceremony intended to call back the buffalo and send away the whites, gained prevalence as the Sioux attempted to regain their pre-contact lives.

Language:

There are three native Sioux dialects, Dakota, Nakota and Lakota.

Bird's eye view of Sioux camp at Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
Photographed by G. E. Trager, November 28, 1890.

Family-Oriented Warriors?

While the Sioux were known to be great warriors,
the family was considered the key unit of Sioux life.
Children, called "Wakanisha" (Waka meaning sacredness)
were of primary importance to the Sioux family and were therefore the center of attention.
While monogamy was the norm, Indian men had the ability
to take on more than one wife. The roles of men and women
were clearly defined. While the men were expected to provide
for and defend the family by hunting and making war,
the women were the matriarchs, ruling the family life and the domestic life of the tepee. When a man married a Sioux
woman, it was expected that he would move into her home.

For the Sioux, the title of Chief was viewed as a medal
earned for outstanding performance during times of
war or peace. To be Chief was considered an
honorary title. It did not mean, however, that the Chief
was solely "in charge" of his people. Rather than a linear chain
of command, the Indians traditionally ruled by unanimous
vote of a council of Chiefs of "Headmen" from
a variety of bands. Decisions made by the council
served to guide rather than command the people.

Red Cloud delegation, Washington, D.C. Left to right:
Red Dog, Little Wound, John Bridgeman (interpreter), Red Cloud,
American Horse, and Red Shirt. Oglala Sioux, before 1876.

Conflict with the White Man

What has been done in my country I did not want.
Did not ask for white people going through
my country. When the white man comes in my country
He leaves a trail of blood behind him.

~Red Cloud

Fort Buford, N. Dakota:
site of Sitting Bull surrender 1881.

Fort Laramie, Wyoming:
Site of Treaty of 1868

Battle of Little Bighorn,
Montana, 1876.

Wounded Knee,
S. Dakota, 1890

Battle of Wolf Mountain, Montana,:
Site of Crazy Horse surrender 1877.

The most famous of the Sioux Indians was Sitting Bull. Considered a great warrior and a religious and cultural leader, Sitting Bull was a composer of songs and an artist. As a leader, he had tremendous power with an extensive following behind him. A lover of the Indian way of life, Sitting Bull was unwilling to give up the cultural autonomy of his people in order to adapt to life on the reservation. Instead, he insisted on living the free life and chastised those on the reservation.

Sitting Bull
Sioux name Tatanka Iyotake (1834--90)

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