The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-06-07
THE SIOUX.

Tradition assigns to the Sioux and
cOgnate tribes an early home nearer
the Misunderstanding as far south
as Mississippi and into the central
portions of Virginia and the Caro-
linas. What caused their migration
nOrthward and westward can only be
coniectured, says Rev. A. Mattingley,
O. S. B., in the Indian Sentinel. In
all probability they followed where
nature led and resistance was the
least, up the Mississippi and it's trib-
utaries, along which course was an
abundance of game. water and fuel.
First mention is made of them in
| written history in 1640, by Father
Paul DeJeune, S. j., who evidently got
his information from Jean Nicolet,
| the first white man known to enter
Wisconsin. They were then known
| under the name of NaduessiouX, which
| seems to be of Algonquin origin and
signifies Little Snakes, or Little Enc
mics, as distinguished from the Iro-
uuois, who were the Eastern enemies
(nodowe) of the Ojibway.
| The name by which this tribe is
known among themselves is Dakota,
which name suggests an alliance of
all the bands grouped under that
designation.
| In the early written history of the
tribe we find the Dakota nation com
| posed, of seven bands. The first four
are the Mdewakantowan (Mdewakan
| tom, the Wahpetowan tWahpeton)
the Wahpekute and the Sissitowan
| (Sisseton). These occupied the terri
tory of the upper Mississippi and Min
nesota rivers and centered about
| Mile Laos, where Father Louis Hen
nepin visited them in 1880. In later
years these bands were commonly
known to the Missouri River Sioux as
the Isanati. or Santee. The desisna
ton, however, properly belongs only
to the Mdewakantowan (Mdewakan
tom. Owing to strife with their East
ern neighbors, the Ojibway, the pres
sure of white immigration and the in
PRODUCTION of Whiskey, these Mime
sofa bands became gradually dis
persed. On account of maSSacreS per
petrated by them (but largely pro
voked by unfair treatment of the
whites) many fed to Canada. A large
portion of them settled on the Sante'
reservation in Nebraska, while other:
were distributed over the Sisseton
Wahpeton and Fort Totten reserva
tions in Dakota Territory.
Other bands of the Sioux are thu
Ihanktonwan c'Yankton"), who occu
pied the lower valleys of the Missouri
and James rivers. They were late
restricted by treaty to what is nov
known as the Yankton Reservation, il
South Dakota.
Akin to the Ihanktonwan are tn
Ihanktonwanna (subdivided as fo
lows: Hunkpatina, Pabaksa, Wazi
kute, and Kiyuksa) occupying tn
country between Lake Traverse an
the Missouri, but living principall
along the upper James river. The
are now for the most part located OF
the Crow Creek, Fort Totten an
| fIOCh IcScl otloAo.
The last and most numerous div
sion of the Sioux are the Titowa
(Teton) Less is known of their his
, tory than of the other Dakota bands
They are supposed to have crosse
the Missouri about the time of tn
American Revolution. They roame
the prairies from the NiObrara to tn
Yellowstone and from the Missoul
I to the Black Hills. They are sui
divided into seven different bands a
follows: Sicangu, Oglala, Oohenor
pa, Siha-sapa, Minikanyewojupi min
conju), Itazipco (Sans Arcs) an
Hunkpapa. They are now distribute
over the Rosebud. Lower Brule, Pin
Ridge, Cheyenne and Standing Roc
, reservations.
First Missions Among the Sioux.
p The earliest contact of the Siou
J. with the missionaries OF which W
: have any record was about the yea
1865, when Fathers Marquette an
Allouez formed ga friendly acquain
ance with them. Later, in 1874, F;
|, Their Druillettes had number unde
instruction, but, owing to hostility
t the Ojibway, only little Roadway wa
| made in converting the tribe. In 1853
$ Father Louis Hennepin, Recollec
J. visited them and was held in custod
!. for some months by their head chic
Y Akepagida. During his stay wit
them he made some study of the
!, language and commenced course {
|. | religious instructions. From 1883
I. 17O1, Father Joseph Marest was of
J. cially known as Missionary to tn
| Nrodno.c;auv Other nrieStS lahore