Great Sioux Nation

The Great Sioux Nation is a general term sometimes applied to the Sioux.

Subdivisions

The Great Sioux Nation is divided into three linguistically and regionally based groups and several subgroups. Linguistically, all three language groups belong to Siouan languages.

1. Lakota (a.k.a. Lakȟóta, Teton)
   • Northern Lakota (Húŋkpapȟa, Sihásapa)
   • Central Lakota (Mnikȟówožu, Itázipčho, Oóhenuŋpa)
   • Southern Lakota (Oglála, Sičháŋǧu)
2. Western Dakota (a.k.a. Yankton-Yanktonai or Dakȟóta)
   • Yankton (Iháŋktȟuŋwaŋ)
   • Yanktonai (Iháŋktȟuŋwaŋna)
3. Eastern Dakota (a.k.a. Santee-Sisseton or Dakhóta)
   • Santee (Isáŋyathi: Bdewákhathuŋwaŋ, Waȟpékhute)
   • Sisseton (Sisíthuŋwaŋ, Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ)

The term "Great Sioux Nation" is also sometimes applied to a hypothetical state in the western and midwestern United States, which would occupy the following recognized Indian Reservations:

• Oglala (Pine Ridge Indian Reservation)
• Sićangu (Rosebud Indian Reservation)
• Hunkpapa (Standing Rock Indian Reservation/Cheyenne River Indian Reservation)
• Minniconjou (Cheyenne River Indian Reservation)
• Sans Arc (Cheyenne River Indian Reservation)
• Two Kettles (Cheyenne River Indian Reservation)
• Crow Creek Indian Reservation
• Lower Brule Indian Reservation
• Santee Indian Reservation
• Yanktonai (Yankton Sioux Indian Reservation)
• Flandreau Indian Reservation
• Lake Traverse Indian Reservation (Sisseton-Wahpehton)
• Lower Sioux
• Upper Sioux
• Shakopee-Mdewakanton
• Prairie Island
• Standing Rock Indian Reservation
• Spirit Lake Tribe (Formerly Devil's Lake Reservation)

The hypothetical state would also include the defunct Great Sioux reservation and other "unceded Indian territory" in four states, as well as parts of the following states:

• South Dakota
• Montana
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• Wyoming

Therefore, the theoretical Great Sioux Nation occupies only parts of the United States where Sioux tribes have some legal claim with regard to treaties with the Federal government. (See, e.g., Treaty of Fort Laramie and map of treaty land in External Links section, below.)

Historically, the Great Sioux Nation and the United States have had a turbulent relationship. The last great Indian battles, the Battle of Little Bighorn and the Wounded Knee Massacre, were fought between these two peoples.

Controversy

In one of the oldest, unresolved cases in US legal history, the "United states Vs the Sioux Nation," the US Court found that the United States was guilty of breaking the terms of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, which had exempted the Black Hills from all white settlement forever. However, when European Americans discovered gold there in 1874, miners swept into the area in a gold rush. The US government re-assigned the Lakota, against their wishes, to other reservations in western South Dakota. The US Court refused to give the hills back and offered monetary compensation, which the Sioux Nation has steadfastly refused.^{[citation needed]}

Canada

The Assiniboine (Nakota) speak a Siouan language closely related to the Yanktonai. They became a separate people sometime before 1640 when they are first documented by French missionaries. The Assiniboine were not a member of the Seven Council Fires, however, and instead were members of the Iron Confederacy (with Cree and Saulteaux), and became long-term enemies of the remaining Sioux. Because of this other Sioux-speakers referred to them as the Hohe or "rebels". The Assiniboine were the first of the Sioux-speaking peoples to leave the Eastern Woodlands and move onto the Great Plains.^[1] Canadian Nakoda (Stoney) began as westernmost branch of the Assiniboine, but were referred to as a separate people after about 1744.

Further reading

References

External links

• Map of treaty land
• "Sioux," Encyclopedia of the Great Plains
• "Sioux," Countries and Their Cultures