Who Are the Standing Rock Sioux?
The Standing Rock Sioux Reservation can be found in the states of North Dakota and South Dakota. The people of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation generally include the Upper and Lower Yanktonai. The Sioux people may have originally lived near the Great Lakes, but probably moved west onto the American prairies due to encroachment from other tribes and European settlers. When the Standing Rock Sioux moved onto the prairie, they may have displaced some of the tribes living there at the time. These tribes may have included Hidatsa, Arikara and Mandan. The people of the Standing Rock Sioux belong to the Lakota and Dakota nations. The words “Dakota” and “Lakota” mean “friends” or “allies.” Dakota and Lakota are the Sioux people’s names for themselves. The term “Sioux” originated with French traders in the 17th century.
