Who Are the Sioux?
The Sioux (Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, "Seven Council Fires") are one of the largest Native American nations, numbering approximately 170,000 enrolled members across multiple tribes in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Montana, and Canada. "Sioux" (from Ojibwe "little snakes," considered derogatory) encompasses three major divisions: Lakota (Teton), Dakota (Santee), and Nakota (Yankton/Yanktonai). They speak Siouan languages. The Lakota became the iconic Plains Indians—Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Red Cloud—who defeated Custer at Little Bighorn. The Sioux continue as powerful political presence, from Wounded Knee protests to Standing Rock.
Seven Council Fires
The Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires) represents the great alliance of Sioux peoples. The Lakota (Teton Sioux) comprise seven bands: Oglala, Sicangu (Brulé), Hunkpapa, Miniconjou, Sihasapa (Blackfeet Sioux), Itazipcho (Sans Arc), and Oohenunpa (Two Kettles). The Dakota include Mdewakanton, Wahpekute, Wahpeton, and Sisseton. The Nakota include Yankton and Yanktonai. Originally from the Great Lakes region, Sioux moved onto the Plains (1700s), mastering horse culture and dominating vast territory. This complex political organization—autonomous bands within larger nations—enabled both independence and coordinated resistance.
Resistance and Defeat
The Sioux resisted American expansion with legendary determination. Red Cloud's War (1866-1868) closed the Bozeman Trail—rare Native victory. The 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty guaranteed the Great Sioux Reservation and Black Hills. Gold discovery (1874) brought invasion; the Great Sioux War (1876-1877) followed. Little Bighorn (June 25, 1876) saw combined Lakota-Cheyenne-Arapaho forces destroy Custer's 7th Cavalry—the Army's worst Plains defeat. But overwhelming force eventually prevailed. Sitting Bull fled to Canada; Crazy Horse surrendered, then was killed. The Ghost Dance movement offered spiritual resistance; Wounded Knee Massacre (1890) killed 250-300 Lakota, ending armed resistance.
Reservation Era
The Great Sioux Reservation was broken up (1889); multiple smaller reservations remain. Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations (Oglala and Sicangu Lakota) are among America's poorest places—unemployment over 80%, life expectancy decades below national average. The Black Hills remain contested; the Supreme Court awarded compensation (1980) for the illegal taking, but the Sioux refuse money, demanding land return. Standing Rock Sioux gained global attention opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline (2016-2017). The 1973 Wounded Knee occupation marked the American Indian Movement's height. Sioux activism continues shaping Native American politics.
Contemporary Sioux
Modern Sioux nations pursue sovereignty, economic development, and cultural revival. Language programs combat decline—Lakota has perhaps 2,000 fluent speakers. The Sun Dance, outlawed until 1978, thrives publicly. Lakota spirituality attracts global interest. Some tribes have developed gaming; others remain economically struggling. The Black Hills claim—sacred Paha Sapa—remains central to Lakota identity; $1.3 billion in compensation sits unclaimed. Climate activism at Standing Rock connected indigenous rights to environmental justice. How Sioux address crushing poverty, preserve culture, and reclaim sacred lands shapes this great nation's future—from Little Bighorn's victors to Standing Rock's water protectors.
References
- Ostler, J. (2004). The Plains Sioux and U.S. Colonialism from Lewis and Clark to Wounded Knee
- DeMallie, R. J. (ed.) (2001). Plains (Handbook of North American Indians, Vol. 13)
- Estes, N. (2019). Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline