The peoples often referred to collectively as the Sioux are more accurately understood through their own name for themselves: the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, meaning the Seven Council Fires. This term reflects a traditional political and social structure that binds together related nations sharing language, kinship, and history across the Northern Plains and the surrounding region.
The Seven Council Fires
The Očhéthi Šakówiŋ comprises seven divisions traditionally organized into three groupings distinguished in part by dialect. These are commonly known as the Dakota, the Nakota, and the Lakota, though the peoples use their own names for their divisions. Together they form a great confederation of related nations, each with its own leaders and identity, connected by shared culture and language.
The image of council fires speaks to the importance of gathering and counsel in the political life of these peoples. Coming together to deliberate, as related nations, was central to how the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ understood themselves.
Language and identity
The divisions of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ speak closely related forms of a shared language, with the Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota dialects reflecting the main groupings. These linguistic ties are one of the threads binding the confederation together, alongside kinship, ceremony, and a shared way of life.
It is important to use these peoples own names and to recognize the distinctions among them. The term Sioux, widely used historically, comes from an outside source, and many prefer the names the peoples use for themselves.
The Great Sioux Nation and the treaties
The nations of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ were central parties to the treaties made at Fort Laramie in 1851 and 1868. The 1868 treaty established the Great Sioux Reservation, and the subsequent taking of the Black Hills struck at the heart of these nations homeland. The struggles over land and treaty rights that followed are inseparable from the identity and history of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ.
A living confederation
Today, the peoples of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ live in numerous communities and nations across several states and into Canada. They continue to sustain their languages, ceremonies, and traditions, and to assert their rights and sovereignty. Understanding the Seven Council Fires helps readers appreciate the depth and continuity of these nations. To read more, see our articles on understanding the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota and the concept of Oyate Omniciye, or browse the native sovereignty category.
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