South Dakota Indian Tribes

Arapaho

According to tradition, the Arapaho at one time lived in the neighborhood of the Black Hills and warriors of the tribe often traversed the western parts of this State. (See Wyoming.)

Arikara

The Arikara lived at various points on the Missouri River in South Dakota during their migration northward after separating from the Skidi Pawnee. (See North Dakota.)

Cheyenne

From a Dakota term applied to them meaning "people of alien speech," literally, "red talkers."  See Cheyenne Location

Dakota

Signifying "allies" in the Santee or eastern dialect; in Yankton and in Assiniboin it is Nakota; in Teton, Lakota. They are more often known as Sioux, an abbreviation of Nadouessioux, the name applied to them by the Chippewa, as transmitted through French; it signifies "adders," and by derivation "enemies." See Dakota Location

Kiowa

The Kiowa lived in and about the Black Hills for a time before they were succeeded by the Sutaio and Cheyenne. (See Oklahoma.)

Mandan

According to tradition, this tribe reached the Missouri River near the mouth of White River, and settled at several places along the former within the borders of this State before passing out of it into North Dakota. (See North Dakota.)

Omaha

After having been driven from the region of the Pipestone Quarry in Minnesota, the Omaha settled on the Missouri in the territory of South Dakota and later moved downstream under pressure from the Dakota to their later seats in Nebraska. (See Nebraska.)

Ponca

This tribe was with the Omaha when it left the region of the Pipestone Quarry, but separated from it on the Missouri and went into the Black Hills for a time, after which it retired to the Missouri and settled in the present Nebraska. (See Nebraska.)

Sutaio

Significance uncertain. A Cheyenne informant of Grinnell (1923) believed it was derived from issūht', "ridge."

Connection. The Sutaio belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock, their nearest relatives being the Cheyenne.

Location.-When first brought distinctly to the knowledge of Whites, this tribe was west of Missouri River, between it and the Black Hills.

History. The Sutaio may have been the "Chousa" band of Cheyenne of whom Perrin du Lac (1805) heard. At any rate they were probably not far distant from the Cheyenne during their migrations from Minnesota to the Missouri River and beyond, though whether in front of them, or to one side, it is impossible to tell. According to Cheyenne tradition as reported by Grinnell (1923), the two tribes met three different times. At any rate we know that they lived side by side in the region eastward of the Black Hills for some time and that they finally united there into one body, the Sutaio taking their place as one band in the Cheyenne tribal camping circle.

Population. Unknown. (See Cheyenne.)

Winnebago

After leaving Minnesota in 1862 and before they took refuge with the Omaha, part of this tribe lived for a while on the Crow Creek Reservation. (See Wisconsin.)

Additional Resources

• Indian Missions

  • Interior States

• The Indian Tribes of North America

• South Dakota Indian Honored War Dead, World War II

• South Dakota Indians Wounded in Action, World War II 

Notes About the Book:

Source: The Indian Tribes of North America, by John R. Swanton, 1953, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 145, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC.

Online Publication: The manuscript was scanned and then ocr'd. Minimal editing has been done, and readers can and should expect some errors in the textual output.

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