How is the Dakota Indian nation organized?
There are 13 Sioux political subdivisions, combined into seven major tribes (the Mdewakanton, Sisseton, Teton, Wahpekute, Wahpeton, Yankton, and Yanktonai Sioux tribes.) However, today, these divisions have more cultural significance than political. Each Dakota band is politically autonomous, which means it has its own land and leadership and makes decisions independently of other Dakota bands. Like most Native American tribes, each Dakota community lives on its own reservation (“reserve,” in Canada), which belongs to them and is legally under their control. However, the US and Canadian governments still consider the Dakotas citizens. Each Dakota band has its own government, laws, police, and other services, just like a small country. The political leader of a band is called “itancan” in the Dakota language, usually translated as “chief” or “president” in English. The itancan used to be a man chosen by tribal councilmembers, but today Dakota tribal leaders can be of either gender and a
