The Dakota people, alternatively referred to as Sioux Native Americans or Oceti Sakowin (The People of the Seven Council Fires), have a storied history that extends to a time well before the arrival of European settlers. This work offers a comprehensive history of the Dakota people and is largely based on eyewitness accounts from the Dakota themselves, including legends, traditions, and winter counts. Included are detailed analyses of the various divisions (tribes and bands) of the Dakota people, including the Lakota and Nakota tribes. Topics explored include the Dakotas’ early government, the role of women within the Dakota tribes, the rituals and rites of the Dakota people, and the influence of the white man in destroying Dakotan culture.

Jessica Dawn Palmer lectures on Native American culture and wildlife issues and is the author of 29 books. She lives in Colorado and works as a wildlife rehabilitator.

Jessica Dawn Palmer
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 277
Bibliographic Info: 99 photos, maps, tables, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012 [2008]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6621-4
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5145-6
Imprint: McFarland

Introduction      1

1. The Origins of Man      3

2. Emergence      16

3. What’s in a Word?      28

4. Who Were the Oceti Sawakin?      39

5. Democracy in Motion      53

6. Of Everyday Things: Robes and Moccasins, Home and Furnishings      65

7. Hunt and Harvest      81

8. Animals of Power      100

9. Politics and Trade      113

10. War and Peace      129

11. The Way of the Warrior      148

12. Social Graces      162

13. Within the Tipi      174

14. The Power of Women      185

15. Matters of Faith      193

16. Medicine and Power      207

17. Send a Voice      220

18. The Pursuit of Happiness      234

19. Wasicu      243

Chapter Notes      257

Bibliography      263

Index      265