The Oglala (pronounced , meaning "to scatter one's own" in

Lakota language Lakota ( ), also referred to as Lakhota, Teton or Teton Sioux, is a Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of the Sioux tribes. Lakota is mutually intelligible with the two dialects of the Dakota language, especially Western Dakota, and i ...

) are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people who, along with the

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota, a ...

, make up the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires). A majority of the Oglala live on the

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation ( lkt, Wazí Aháŋhaŋ Oyáŋke), also called Pine Ridge Agency, is an Oglala Lakota Indian reservation located entirely within the U.S. state of South Dakota. Originally included within the territory of the Gr ...

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

, the eighth-largest

Native American reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land land tenure, held and governed by a federally recognized Tribe (Native American), Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not ...

in the United States. The Oglala are a

federally recognized tribe This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the United ...

whose official title is the Oglala Sioux Tribe (previously called the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota). However, many Oglala reject the term "

Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota language, Dakota: Help:IPA, /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First Nations in Canada, First Nations peoples in North America. The ...

" due to the hypothesis (among other possible theories) that its origin may be a derogatory word meaning "snake" in

the language "The Language" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same'' (2013). "The Language" was produced by frequent collaborator Boi-1da, along with additional production by Allen Ritter and Vinylz. It also fea ...

of the

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

, who were among the historical enemies of the Lakota. They are also known as Oglála Lakhóta Oyáte.

History

Oglala elders relate stories about the origin of the name "Oglala" and their emergence as a distinct group, probably sometime in the 18th century.

Conflict with the European settlers

In the early 1800s, Europeans passed through Lakota territory in greater and greater numbers. They sought furs, especially

beaver Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...

fur at first, and later buffalo fur. The trade in fur changed the Oglala economy and way of life. 1868 brought the Fort Laramie Treaty, and in its wake the Oglala became increasingly polarized over this question: How should they react to continued American encroachment on their territory? This treaty forfeited large amounts of Oglala to the United States in exchange for food and other necessities. Some bands turned to the Indian agencies—forerunners to the Indian reservations—where they received beef and other rations from the US government. Other bands held fast to traditional ways of life. Many bands moved between these two extremes, coming in to the agencies during the winter and joining their relatives in the north each spring. These challenges further split the various Oglala bands. The influx of white immigrant-pioneers into the

Idaho Territory The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho. History 1860s The territory w ...

often meant passing through Oglala territory, and, occasionally, brought with it its perils, as described by

Fanny Kelly Fanny Kelly (1845–1904) was a North American pioneer woman captured by the Sioux and freed five months later. She later wrote a book about her experiences called ''Narrative of My Captivity among the Sioux Indians'' in 1871. Early life Fanny Wig ...

in 1871, in her book entitled, ''Narrative of My Captivity among the Sioux Indians''.

Early reservation

The

Great Sioux Reservation The Great Sioux Reservation initially set aside land west of the Missouri River in South Dakota and Nebraska for the use of the Lakota Sioux, who had dominated this territory. The reservation was established in the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 ...

was broken up into five portions. This caused the

Red Cloud Agency The Red Cloud Agency was an Indian agency for the Oglala Lakota as well as the Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho, from 1871 to 1878. It was located at three different sites in Wyoming Territory and Nebraska before being moved to South Dakota. It w ...

to be moved multiple times throughout the 1870s until it was relocated and renamed the

Pine Ridge Reservation The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation ( lkt, Wazí Aháŋhaŋ Oyáŋke), also called Pine Ridge Agency, is an Oglala Lakota Indian reservation located entirely within the U.S. state of South Dakota. Originally included within the territory of the Grea ...

in 1878. By 1890, the reservation included 5,537 people, divided into a number of districts that included some 30 distinct communities.

2022 temporary Christian missions suspension

In July 2022, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council effected a temporary suspension of Christian missions on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The council called for an investigation into the financial practices of the Dream Center Missionary, and the Jesus is King Mission was ejected from the reservation for spreading pamphlets that the tribe characterized as hateful.

Social organization

The respected Oglala elder Left Heron once explained that before the coming of the

White Buffalo Calf Woman White Buffalo Calf Woman ('' Lakȟótiyapi'': ''Ptesáŋwiŋ'') or White Buffalo Maiden is a sacred woman of supernatural origin, central to the Lakota religion as the primary cultural prophet. Oral traditions relate that she brought the "Seven S ...

, "the people ran around the prairie like so many wild animals," not understanding the central importance of community. Left Heron emphasized that not only did this revered spirit woman bring the Sacred Pipe to the tribe but she also taught the Lakota people many valuable lessons, including the importance of family (''tiwahe'') and community (''tiyospaye''). The goal of promoting these two values then became a priority, and in the words of Dakota anthropologist

Ella Cara Deloria Ella Cara Deloria (January 31, 1889 – February 12, 1971), also called ''Aŋpétu Wašté Wiŋ'' (Beautiful Day Woman), was a Yankton Dakota (Sioux) educator, anthropologist, ethnographer, linguist, and novelist. She recorded Native American ...

, "every other consideration was secondary — property, personal ambition, glory, good times, life itself. Without that aim and the constant struggle to attain it, the people would no longer be Dakotas in truth. They would no longer even be human." This strong and enduring connection between related families profoundly influenced Oglala history.

Community (''Tiyóšpaye'')

Dr. John J. Saville, the U.S.

Indian agent In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with American Indian tribes on behalf of the government. Background The federal regulation of Indian affairs in the United States first included development of t ...

at the

, observed in 1875 that the Oglala tribe was divided into three main groups: the ''Kiyuksa'', the ''Oyuĥpe'' and the True Oglala. "Each of these bands are subdivided into smaller parties, variously named, usually designated by the name of their chief or leader." As the Oglala were settled on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the late 1870s, their communities probably looked something like this: Oyuȟpe Tiyóšpaye *True Oyuȟpe (Big Road's band). Other members include:

Black Elk Heȟáka Sápa, commonly known as Black Elk (December 1, 1863 – August 19, 1950), was a ''wičháša wakȟáŋ'' ("medicine man, holy man") and ''heyoka'' of the Oglala Lakota people. He was a second cousin of the war leader Crazy Horse and f ...

*''Wakaŋ'' *''Makaicu'' ( Red Dog's band) Oglala Tiyóšpaye *''True Oglala'' *''Caŋkahuȟaŋ'' (

He Dog He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...

's band). Other members include: Short Bull;

Amos Bad Heart Bull Amos Bad Heart Bull, also known as ''Waŋblí Wapȟáha'' (Eagle Bonnet) (ca. 1868-1913), was a noted Oglala Lakota artist in what is called Ledger Art. It is a style that adapts traditional Native American pictography to the new European medium ...

. *''Hokayuta'' ( Black Twin's band) *''Huŋkpatila'' (

Little Hawk Little Hawk ( Lakota: Čhetáŋ Čík’ala) (1836–1900) was an Oglala Lakota war chief and a half-brother of Worm, father of Crazy Horse ( Lakota: Tashunka-witko).... Family Little Hawk was born about 1836. His father was the holy man vari ...

and

Crazy Horse Crazy Horse ( lkt, Tȟašúŋke Witkó, italic=no, , ; 1840 – September 5, 1877) was a Lakota war leader of the Oglala band in the 19th century. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by wh ...

's band) *''Ité šíčA'' (

Red Cloud Red Cloud ( lkt, Maȟpíya Lúta, italic=no) (born 1822 – December 10, 1909) was a leader of the Oglala Lakota from 1868 to 1909. He was one of the most capable Native American opponents whom the United States Army faced in the western ...

's band) *''Payabya'' (

Young Man Afraid of His Horses Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses 'Tȟašúŋke Kȟokípȟapi''(1836 – July 13, 1893), also translated as His-Horses-Are-Afraid and ''They-Fear-Even-His-Horses'', was a chief of the Oglala Sioux. Commonly misinterpreted, his name means ''They fear ...

's band) *'' Wagluȟe'' (

Chief Blue Horse Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

American Horse American Horse ( lkt, Wašíčuŋ Tȟašúŋke) (a/k/a "American Horse the Younger") (1840 – December 16, 1908) was an Oglala Lakota chief, statesman, educator and historian. American Horse is notable in American history as a U.S. Army Indian S ...

and Three Bear's band) Kiyaksa Tiyóšpaye *''True Kiyaksa'' *''Kuinyan'' (

Little Wound Little Wound (c. 1835–Winter 1899; Lakota: Tȟaópi Čík’ala) was an Oglala Lakota chief. Following the death of his brother Bull Bear II in 1865 he became leader of the Kuinyan branch of the Kiyuksa band (Bear people). Family His father Ch ...

's band) *''Tapišleca'' (

Yellow Bear Yellow Bear, ''Mato Ǧí'' ( 1844–1913), was an Oglala Lakota leader. The first Yellow Bear The first Yellow Bear was a prominent headman among the Tapisleca Tiyóšpaye (translated as the Spleen or Melt Band), one of the major divisions of the ...

's band)

Population

By 1830, the Oglala had around 3,000 members. In the 1820s and 1830s, the Oglala, along with the

Brulé The Brulé are one of the seven branches or bands (sometimes called "sub-tribes") of the Teton (Titonwan) Lakota American Indian people. They are known as Sičhą́ǧu Oyáte (in Lakȟóta) —Sicangu Oyate—, ''Sicangu Lakota, o''r "Burnt T ...

, another Lakota band, and three other Sioux bands, formed the Sioux Alliance. This Alliance attacked surrounding tribes for territorial and hunting reasons.

Culture

Gender roles

Historically, women have been critical to the family's life: making almost everything used by the family and tribe. They have cultivated and processed a variety of crops; prepared the food; prepared game and fish; worked skins to make clothing and footwear, as well as storage bags, the covering of tipis, and other items. Women have historically controlled the food, resources and movable property, as well as owned the family's home. Typically, in the Oglala Lakota society, the men are in charge of the politics of the tribe. The men are usually the

chief Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

s for political affairs, war leaders and warriors, and hunters. Traditionally, when a man marries, he goes to live with his wife with her people.

Oglala flag

First used in 1961, this flag was approved by the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council on March 9, 1962, as the flag of the Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST). The circle of nine tipi on the flag represent the nine districts of the reservation: Porcupine, ''Wakpamni'', Medicine Root, Pass Creek, Eagle Nest, White Clay, LaCreek, Wounded Knee, and Pine Ridge. The red field represents the blood shed by the tribe in defense of their lands and an allegorical reference to the term "red man," by which they were referred to by European Americans. The blue represents the sky, as seen in all four

cardinal directions The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are the four main compass directions: north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N, E, S, and W respectively. Relative to north, the directions east, south, and west are a ...

during the worship of the

Great Spirit The Great Spirit is the concept of a life force, a Supreme Being or god known more specifically as Wakan Tanka in Lakota,Ostler, Jeffry. ''The Plains Sioux and U.S. Colonialism from Lewis and Clark to Wounded Knee''. Cambridge University Press, ...

, and the elements. It also represents the Lakota spiritual concept of heaven or "the Spirit World" to which departed tribal members go. The flag pictured is the original not the current OST Flag.

Notable Oglala

Leaders

(''The Younger'') *

(''The Elder'') * Bryan Brewer *

Crow Dog Crow Dog (also Kȟaŋǧí Šúŋka, Jerome Crow Dog; 1833 – August 1912) was a Brulé Lakota subchief, born at Horse Stealing Creek, Montana Territory. Family He was the nephew of former principal chief Conquering Bear, who was killed in 1854 in ...

(''Kangisanka'') *

Kicking Bear Kicking Bear ( lkt, Matȟó Wanáȟtaka, March 18, 1845 – May 28, 1904) was an Oglala Lakota who became a band chief of the Miniconjou Lakota Sioux. He fought in several battles with his brother, Flying Hawk, and first cousin, Crazy Horse, dur ...

Old Chief Smoke Old Chief Smoke (Lakota: Šóta, pronounced Sho-tah) (October 1774 – September 1864) was an original Oglala Sioux head chief. Accomplishments Chief Smoke was a great horse capturer and great warrior in his youth. He achieved military acco ...

(''Šóta'') *

Iron Tail Iron Tail (Oglala Lakota: Siŋté Máza in Standard Lakota Orthography; 1842 – May 29, 1916) was an Oglala Lakota Chief and a star performer with Buffalo Bill's Wild West. Iron Tail was one of the most famous Native American celebrities of the ...

Flying Hawk Flying Hawk (Oglala Lakota: ''Čhetáŋ Kiŋyáŋ'' in Standard Lakota Orthography; also known as Moses Flying Hawk; March 1854 – December 24, 1931) was an Oglala Lakota warrior, historian, educator and philosopher. Flying Hawk's life chron ...

* Big Mouth *

Cecilia Fire Thunder Cecilia Fire Thunder (born Cecilia Apple; October 24, 1946) is a nurse, community health planner and tribal leader of the Oglala Sioux. On November 2, 2004, she was the first woman elected as president of the Tribe. She served until being impeac ...

* Theresa Two Bulls *

Red Shirt (Oglala) Red Shirt (Oglala Lakota: ''Ógle Šá'' in Standard Lakota Orthography) (a/k/a "Ogilasa" and "Joseph Red Shirt") (1847 – January 4, 1925) was an Oglala Lakota chief, warrior and statesman. Red Shirt is notable in American history as a U.S. Arm ...

Luther Standing Bear Luther Standing Bear (Óta Kté or "Plenty Kill," also known as Matȟó Nážiŋ or "Standing Bear", 1868 - 1939) was a Sicangu and Oglala Lakota author, educator, philosopher, and actor. He worked to preserve Lakota culture and sovereignty, and ...

Henry Standing Bear Henry Standing Bear (c. 1874 – 1953) ("Matȟó Nážiŋ") was an Oglala Lakota Chief. A founding member of the Society of American Indians (1911–1923), he recruited and commissioned Polish-American sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to build the ...

Russell Means Russell Charles Means (November 10, 1939 – October 22, 2012) was an Oglala Lakota activist for the rights of Native Americans, libertarian political activist, actor, musician, and writer. He became a prominent member of the American Ind ...

(''Oyate Wacinyapin'') * John Yellow Bird Steele *

Steve Livermont Steve Livermont (born December 13, 1955) is a Native American politician and rancher, who served as a Republican member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing the 27th district from 2017 until 2021. He chose not to seek re ...

Military personnel

Ed McGaa Ed McGaa (April 16, 1936 - Aug. 25, 2017)RAPID CITY , dward McGaa, 81 http://rapidcityjournal.com/obits/mcgaa-edward/article_6f5a1954-8f79-5bcb-aed5-cbe8d3ac3782.htmldied Aug. 25, 2017. New Age & Spirituality"''Eagle Vision: Return of the Hoop'' ...

–

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

and

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

veteran *

Ola Mildred Rexroat Ola Mildred Rexroat (August 28, 1917 – June 28, 2017) was the only Native American woman to serve in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Rexroat was born in Argonia, Kansas, to a Euro-American father and an Oglala mother. The family ...

–

WASP A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Artists

Imogene Goodshot Arquero Imogene Goodshot Arquero is an Oglala Lakota beadwork artist from South Dakota, who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Personal Imogene Jessie Goodshot Arquero is the great-great-granddaughter of the Oglala Lakota war chief, Crazy Horse (–1877). ...

, beadwork artist * Arthur Amiotte, mixed-media artist *

, ledger artist

Poets

* Layli Long Soldier

Athletes

Billy Mills Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a youn ...

, Olympic champion (

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

) *

Teton Saltes Teton Saltes (born May 4, 1998) is an American football offensive tackle for the Arlington Renegades of the XFL. He played college football at the University of New Mexico, where he was the 2020 recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy, given to the pla ...

, professional football player signed by the New York Jets of the NFL (2021)

Performers

* Albert Afraid of Hawk – member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show who died and was buried in Danbury, Connecticut, while on tour in 1900. His remains were exhumed and re-interred on Pine Ridge Reservation in 2012.

Culinary activists

Sean Sherman Sean Sherman (born 1974) is an Oglala Lakota Sioux chef, cookbook author, forager, and promoter of indigenous cuisine. Sherman founded the indigenous food education business and caterer The Sioux Chef, as well as the nonprofit North American Trad ...

(

Pine Ridge, South Dakota Pine Ridge (Lakota: ''wazíbló'') is a census-designated place (CDP) and the most populous community in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,138 at the 2020 census. It is the tribal headquarters of the Oglala S ...

), co-author of '' The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen'' From website ("Sean Sherman: Founder / CEO Chef"): "The Sioux Chef team continues with their mission statement to help educate and make indigenous foods more accessible to as many communities as possible."

Notes

References

Oglala Sioux Tribe: A Profile
* Pritzker, Barry M. ''A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. .

External links

Official Oglala Lakota Nation websiteOglala Lakota CollegeNational Museum of the American Indian: Oglala Lakota art
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oglala Lakota Native American tribes in South Dakota Native American tribes in Nebraska Federally recognized tribes in the United States Native American history of South Dakota