Who Are the Sioux?
The Sioux, or more properly Oceti Sakowin ("Seven Council Fires"), are a large confederation of Siouan-speaking peoples of the Northern Great Plains and Upper Midwest. Today numbering approximately 170,000 enrolled tribal members across numerous reservations and reserves in the United States and Canada, they comprise three major divisions: Dakota (Eastern), Nakota (Central), and Lakota (Western), each speaking related but distinct dialects. "Sioux" derives from an Ojibwe exonym; the peoples' own names (Dakota, Nakota, Lakota) all mean "allies" or "friends." The Sioux became iconic symbols of Plains Indian culture, and their resistance to American expansion—from Red Cloud's War through Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse to Wounded Knee—represents some of the most significant Native American military resistance.
Seven Council Fires
The Oceti Sakowin comprises seven major divisions: four Dakota bands (Mdewakanton, Wahpekute, Wahpeton, Sisseton), two Nakota/Dakota bands (Yankton, Yanktonai), and the Lakota (Teton), themselves divided into seven bands including Oglala, Brulé, Hunkpapa, and others. Before European contact, the Dakota lived in the woodlands of Minnesota, practicing mixed economy. The acquisition of horses transformed western groups into nomadic buffalo hunters. The Lakota expanded onto the Plains, becoming the powerful force that dominated the Northern Plains by the 19th century. The confederacy maintained alliance through kinship, trade, and occasional gatherings, though each band operated independently. This political structure frustrated American attempts at centralized treaty-making.
Resistance and Defeat
Sioux resistance to American expansion produced some of the most famous episodes in Western history. Red Cloud's War (1866-1868) was one of the few Native military victories, forcing the U.S. to abandon forts on the Bozeman Trail. The discovery of gold in the Black Hills—sacred Paha Sapa—brought renewed conflict. The Great Sioux War (1876-1877) included the Battle of Little Bighorn, where Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and other leaders defeated Custer's command—but ultimately ended in Sioux defeat. The massacre at Wounded Knee (1890) marked the end of armed resistance. Treaties established reservations, but the Black Hills claim remains unresolved; the Sioux refused a 1980 Supreme Court settlement, demanding land return rather than money.
Contemporary Sioux
Modern Sioux nations face significant challenges—Pine Ridge Reservation has some of America's highest poverty rates—while maintaining strong cultural identity. The Standing Rock protests (2016-2017) against the Dakota Access Pipeline demonstrated continued political activism and drew international attention. Lakota/Dakota languages, while endangered, have active revitalization programs. The Sun Dance and other ceremonies continue. Sioux artists, writers, and activists maintain prominent voices in Native American affairs. The Black Hills claim remains active—the Sioux have refused over $1 billion in settlement funds, insisting on land return. Figures from Sitting Bull to Leonard Peltier to Vine Deloria Jr. represent continuing Sioux resistance and intellectual leadership. The Sioux demonstrate both the costs of colonization and the persistence of indigenous identity and political struggle.
References
- Utley, R. M. (1993). The Lance and the Shield: The Life and Times of Sitting Bull
- Ostler, J. (2004). The Plains Sioux and U.S. Colonialism from Lewis and Clark to Wounded Knee
- DeMallie, R. J. (ed.) (2001). Handbook of North American Indians, Vol. 13: Plains