Sicangu (Brulé) Lakota

Sicangu (Brulé) Lakota
Name	Sicangu (Brulé) Lakota
Native name	Sicangu
Regions	Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota
Languages	Lakȟótiyapi, English
Related	Oglala Lakota, Hunkpapa, Miniconjou

Sicangu (Brulé) Lakota The Sicangu (Brulé) Lakota are a branch of the Lakota people historically associated with the southern Plains and contemporary Rosebud Indian Reservation communities, known for their participation in Plains warfare, treaty negotiations, and cultural revival movements. They have been central to events including the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, the Great Sioux War of 1876–77, and interactions with figures such as Red Cloud, Crazy Horse, and Sitting Bull, while their modern institutions engage with federal agencies like the Bureau of Indian Affairs and courts including the United States Supreme Court.

Overview and Name

The name Sicangu, often rendered in English as Brulé, derives from Lakȟótiyapi terminology used by neighboring groups and early French explorers, appearing in records alongside accounts by Lewis and Clark and traders of the North American Fur Trade. Historically identified in ethnographies by scholars such as George Bird Grinnell, James Mooney, and John G. Neihardt, the Sicangu figure in treaty rolls with the United States from the mid-19th century, including signatories at councils involving leaders like Spotted Tail and Touch the Clouds. Their homeland encompassed grasslands near the Niobrara River, White River, and later concentrated on allocations such as the Rosebud Indian Reservation after the Dawes Act era and allotment policies.

History

Sicangu history intersects major Plains events: pre-contact trade networks with French colonial Louisiana, resistance during the Black Hills Gold Rush, and campaigns in the Great Sioux War, culminating in battles linked to the Battle of the Little Bighorn and subsequent military actions led by figures like General George Crook and Colonel Nelson A. Miles. Post-conflict adjustments included forced movements to agencies such as the Rosebud Agency and interactions with reformers like Carlisle Indian Industrial School proponents and activists such as Gertrude Bonnin (Zitkala-Ša). Throughout the 20th century Sicangu leaders engaged in legal efforts tied to claims in cases related to the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 and settlements adjudicated through bodies including the Indian Claims Commission and congressional acts like the Indian Reorganization Act.

Language and Culture

The Sicangu speak Lakȟótiyapi, one of the dialects of the Siouan language family, and participate in contemporary revitalization initiatives involving universities such as the University of South Dakota and programs funded via the National Endowment for the Humanities and tribal colleges like Sinte Gleska University. Oral traditions reference epic figures and events preserved in parallels with songs collected by ethnomusicologists including Franz Boas and writings by Ella Cara Deloria. Material culture—beadwork, quillwork, tipi construction—features in exhibitions at institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and regional museums like the South Dakota State Historical Society.

Social Organization and Bands

Sicangu social structure traditionally organized into bands (thiyóšpaye) such as groups corresponding to historical names recorded by observers including Pierre-Jean De Smet and John Rufus Buck. Prominent band leaders and headmen—documented alongside chiefs like Spotted Tail and councilors such as American Horse (Haŋcǧe tuŋwe)—played roles in diplomacy with representatives of the United States and other Lakota divisions including the Oglala Lakota and Hunkpapa Lakota. Kinship systems emphasized kin ties recognized in genealogies archived at repositories like the National Archives and Records Administration and oral histories preserved by tribal elders affiliated with organizations such as the Sicangu Lakota Oyate.

Economy and Subsistence

Historically, Sicangu subsistence relied on bison hunting across ranges overlapping with territories noted in maps by explorers like John C. Frémont, trade in horses and goods obtained via the Hudson's Bay Company and American traders, and seasonal gathering of wild plants including prairie turnip documented by ethnobotanists like Nancy J. Turner. The 19th-century decline of the bison precipitated shifts to rations from agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs and engagement with commodity markets and ranching introduced by settlers tied to railroads such as the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. Contemporary economic initiatives include tribal enterprises, enterprises modeled after the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, partnerships with corporations regulated by the Federal Trade Commission, and programs at institutions such as Sinte Gleska University.

Ceremonies and Spirituality

Ceremonial life integrates traditional Lakota ceremonies such as the Sun Dance, Wiping of the Tears, and Yuwipi healing ceremonies, alongside Christian affiliations through missions like the Methodist Episcopal Church and Roman Catholic Church which influenced religious practice after contact. Spiritual leaders, including medicine people and elders, engage in teachings preserved in collections by scholars like Benedict J. Anderson and recorded in oral histories archived with the Library of Congress. Ceremonial regalia and items such as sacred pipes referenced in treaty councils and anthropological records are often stewarded by family societies and community groups participating in powwow circuits organized through networks including the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial.

Contemporary Issues and Government =

Modern Sicangu governance operates through tribal institutions on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, interacting with federal programs administered by agencies like the Indian Health Service and legal processes in district courts including the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota. Contemporary issues include land and water rights litigated in venues such as the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, health disparities addressed via collaborations with facilities like Rapid City Regional Hospital, and cultural preservation projects funded by entities such as the National Endowment for the Arts. Activism engages national leaders and movements including the American Indian Movement and tribal officials negotiating compact agreements under laws like the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to support economic development and social services for the Sicangu community.

Category:Lakota