When people are asked to voice their opinion about what the word “Indian” truly entails, many refer to the countless stories, photographs, and films particularly related to them. One such group, the Sioux are a great example of the many inaccurate depictions history has burden them with. They are seen first and foremost as savaged killers who took and never gave back. However, with time much has been revealed to show their true characteristics. It was found that they were not people of war and bloodshed, but merely of honor and strength. Stepping away from the bias, the Sioux nation was an extraordinary group of nomads who survived on the buffalo population, tribal interactions, and family contributions. The Sioux or Lakota was a “nation that was comprised of seven major divisions: the Oglala, Sinchangu, Miniconjou, Hunkpapa, Shihaspa, Itazipcho, and Oohenonpa” (Hassrick 3). The Oglalas or “Scatter One’s Own,’ lived relatively close to the northern branch of the Platte River.) This provided plenty of fertile land for crops and for any livestock they may have had. They were also the most populous of the seven. The Sichangus or “Burnt Thighs” were located just to the south-east of the oglalas. The Miniconjous or “Those Who Plant by the Stream” and the Oohenonpas or “Two Boilings, more commonly known as “Two Kettles,” lived to the north of the Sinchangus. Together, these seven divisions formed what would be known as the seven council fires. Having a
European Americans have commonly failed to recognize the plurality of American Indian groups, as they have classified all Indians as being in the same group of “natural beings” that wear feathers and ride on horses. However, there are many different American Indian groups and communities, and some groups had further divisions, such as the Lakota. The Lakota were made of seven tribes, the Oglalas, Brulés, Minneconjous, Hunkpapas, Two Kettles, Sihasapas, and Sans Arcs (7). Out of these, the Oglalas and the Brulés got the most attention, as they spent the most time in the Black Hills out of the tribes; however, the other tribes were definitely affected by United States policy too as the Europeans set up forts all over their territory (13).
: In chapter 12, the miners tried to take the Black Hills from the Sioux People but they were not going to give it away that easily they fought against the whites. They were successful for a while until the council came in, took away their home, and moved them away from their Home. The Great Council promised them a lot but failed to grant it to
Page, Jake. In the hands of the Great Spirit: the 20,000-year history of American Indians.
For the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, water is sacred, and if an oil pipeline is built it will damage sites that have great historical, religious, and cultural significance to the tribe. Aside from the desecration of sacred sites, the environmental hazards caused by the pipelines and the possibility of a spill will be catastrophic. The US does not need another oil pipeline robbing innocent people of their culture, and threatening a source that keeps us alive.
The Great Sioux War or The Black Hills War (1876- 1877) was a series of battles trying to force the Sioux and Cheyenne people back into the Great Sioux Reservation. In 1868, the Treaty of Laramie was signed by Sioux leaders to give up their lands and move west onto the reservations. In 1874 LTC George Custer was tasked to reconnoiter the Black Hills (part of the Sioux reservation). His primary task was to survey the land and look for natural resources during a time of great economic depression. After the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, rumors spread and miners flooded into the hills. Lakota Warrior, Crazy Horse, led many attacks on LTC Custer’s surveying parties in the hills. Crazy Horse and his warriors were trying to keep the white
The Saga of The Sioux Conflict and Theme Analysis After I read the book, The Saga of The Sioux, I concluded that there are two main conflicts; Man Vs. Man and Man Vs. Society. I also concluded that the Theme of the story is to treat others with equality.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe currently fights to save its only water source from natural gas and oil contamination. This troubling current event has a somewhat forgotten historical analogue where very similar themes presented themselves. The Kinzua Dam Controversy, which took place in the 1950’s and early 1960’s, resulted in the displacement of over 600 Seneca Indian families and the acquisition of a large tract of traditional Seneca Land for dam building. Additionally, the acquisition of Seneca land represented a breach of “The Treaty with the Six Nations of 1794,” which explicated prevented such action by the US Government. The dam and its construction, which primarily benefitted Pittsburg, inspired a heated discourse concerning the ethics of native relocation.
Throughout North American expansion the Lakota people have suffered some of the worst and straight forward persecutions against Native American Indians, and live in some of the poorest if not the poorest conditions in the United States. This is sad for a people who use to be one of the strongest nations in the Central Plains, feared by white men and other Indian nations alike for their ferocity and warrior abilities in the heat of battle. The Lakota arrived at positions of dominance because of their success in controlling live¬stock, land, trading rights, and people. Wars for conquest were motivated principally by these practical considerations, not driven by aggressive instincts. Their success in this respect rested
A history of struggle and isolation from the rest of society has led to the deterioration of Native American cultures and customs and to their rising levels of unemployment, poverty, and crime on reservations. The United States government has had a major role in the coming about of the struggles that persist for Native Americans to this day. As crime and poverty grip the Sioux tribe, they will continue to lose their traditional culture and move farther from who they once were as a people. I will first review how European explorers introduced alcohol to Native American tribes and how this lead to a strong prevalence of alcoholism in the Sioux tribe. Next I will discuss the U.S. government’s use of forced assimilation and boarding schools led to the loss of Native American culture and customs. This led to more anger of the Sioux tribe towards the U.S. government and to outer society as a whole. Third I will analyze the living conditions and complacency felt by the Sioux tribe as seen through the photographs and interviews conducted by journalist Aaron Huey. Lastly, I will assess the efforts taken by the elders and leaders of the Sioux tribe to combat the prevalence of crime on their reservation. The people of the United States and their government have caused many struggles for the Sioux tribe since their existence in America. For these problems to be resolved, the United States needs to take an active role in acknknwoldeging the problem and allocating the necessary resources
"My People the Sioux" is a good literary work written in 1928. This book leaves an everlasting impression with some because it definitely intensifies the sympathy for the Indians. Luther Standing Bear, also known as Plenty Kill, portrays the dramatic and traumatic changes about the Sioux throughout their traditional way of life. As a young boy growing up, he experienced many of these hardships first hand between his people and the whites. This autobiography is quite valuable as it helps allow us to envision what really happened in the battling times of the Indians. Luther stated this quote, which to me, is unforgettable and very well said. It reads:
By 1876, gold had been discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The gold was found on Sioux land, and this region was considered sacred to the Lakota Sioux Indians. The he land was to be protected and respected by the United States Army, because of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 18681, but the Army could not keep miners off the Sioux ground, which led to the increase of Sioux grievances towards the Americans; some grievances that are still taken offense to today. These battles and negotiations soon were known at the Great Sioux War of 1876.
The Sioux nation was divided into 7 groups. They were known as the 7 council fires. Each council fire had its own leaders and own group of families that always camped together. The largest Council Fire lived on the western plains. It was so big it was divided into 7 groups. It was called the Teton Sioux. They spoke the Lakota dialect of the Sioux language.
Have you ever heard of the Cherokee Indians? Sure you have! Just as a reminder, they are the biggest tribe, and most known of out of all the Indian tribes there has ever been in the southeast. They are very important to American History and helped shaped us to be the Americans we are today, which is clearly what I 'll be explaining in this paper. Throughout the paper, I 'll tell you everything you need to know about the Cherokee Indians and continue to relate to the thesis.
In the novel Saga of the Sioux, it has two main conflicts. These include Man vs. Society and Man vs. Nature. “Because they had so little land left, the Santee were forced to give up their traditional way of life to learn how to farm like the white man.” is an example of how the Sioux was forced by society to be something they are not. “In the meantime Sibley decided to keep the remaining 1,700 Santee - mostly women and children - as prisoners although they were accused of no crime other than having been born Indians.” The Sioux Indian were killed by people because they did not follow the “rules” of how society wanted them. “During the first night of the flight, 12 infants and several old people froze to death” In this quote from the book it shows how they had to face the harsh weather in Nature and had lost many young and old while they battled against nature. “Their women and children were crying for food, and they needed warm shelters.” This quote shows how the Indians didn’t have any food, or
Popular culture has shaped our understanding and perception of Native American culture. From Disney to literature has given the picture of the “blood thirsty savage” of the beginning colonialism in the new world to the “Noble Savage,” a trait painted by non-native the West (Landsman and Lewis 184) and this has influenced many non native perceptions. What many outsiders do not see is the struggle Native American have on day to day bases. Each generation of Native American is on a struggle to keep their traditions alive, but to function in school and ultimately graduate.