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Native American Tribes of South Dakota

Did you know the name "South Dakota" comes from a Siouan Indian word? Dakota is the tribal name of the Dakota Sioux, meaning "friendly" or "allied." The Dakota Indians were not the only native people of this region, however.

The original inhabitants of the area that is now South Dakota included:

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The Arikara tribe

The Cheyenne tribe

The Lakota and Dakota Sioux tribes

The Ponca tribe

There are eight federally recognized Indian tribes in South Dakota today.

Here are the addresses of South Dakota's Indian reservations:

South Dakota tribes today

1 Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council:
P.O. Box 590
Eagle Butte, SD 57625

2 Crow Creek Sioux Tribe:
P.O. Box 50
Fort Thompson, SD 57339

3 Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe:
P.O. Box 283
Flandreau, SD 57028

4 Lower Brule Sioux Tribe:
P.O. Box 187
Lower Brule, SD 57548

5 Oglala Sioux Tribe:
P.O. Box H
Pine Ridge, SD 57770

6 Rosebud Sioux Tribe:
P.O. Box 430
Rosebud, SD 57570
http://tradecorridor.com/rosebud/welcome.htm

7 Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe:
P.O. Box 509
Agency Village, SD 57262

8 Yankton Sioux:
P.O. Box 248
Marty, SD 57361

Teaching and learning activities about South Dakota Native Americans:

Feel free to print these out for classroom use!

South Dakota Tribes Word Search: Printable puzzle hiding the names of South Dakota's Indian tribes.

South Dakota Language Greetings: Learn to say "hello" in several Native South Dakota languages.

South Dakota Indian Facts for Kids: Answers to frequently asked questions about the tribes of South Dakota.
We currently have pages for the Arikara, Cheyenne, and Sioux tribes.

Recommended books about South Dakota Native Americans:

South Dakota Indians: Introducing South Dakota's Native American history and culture to kids.

South Dakota Indian Dictionary: Another overview of South Dakota Native Americans for kids.

Sioux: This is a very good book on the Dakota Indians for kids and teens.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: Unmissable history of South Dakota's Wounded Knee massacre and events leading up to it.

Daughters of Dakota: Stories of friendship between settlers and Sioux Indians in South Dakota.

Lakota Woman: Autobiography of Native South Dakota activist Mary Brave Bird.

Lakota Woman, Siege at Wounded Knee: Movie version, with Irene Bedard playing Brave Bird.

My Life Is My Sun Dance: Prison writings from controversial Oglala Sioux activist Leonard Peltier.

Uses of Plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region Handbook of herbs, food crops, and plant lore among the prairie tribes.

Other resources about American Indian history, culture and society in South Dakota state:

South Dakota Reservations:
Map and profiles of the South Dakota Indian tribes.

Back to the index of Indian tribes of the United States
Back to our main map of Indian tribes
Back to our Native American websites for kids

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