Life in the Sioux tribe
Children
They do the same things any children do, play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Sioux children like to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. In the past, Indian children had more chores and less time to play, just like early colonists' children.
Men and women
Sioux women were in charge of the home. Besides cooking and cleaning, a Dakota or Lakota woman built her family's house and dragged the heavy posts with her whenever the tribe moved. Houses belonged to the women in the Sioux tribes.
Men were hunters and warriors, responsible for feeding and defending their families. Usually only men became Sioux chiefs, but both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine.
Transportation & Food
The Sioux tribes lived a nomadic life and more often traveled on land. Originally the Sioux used dogs pulling travois (a kind of drag sled) to help them carry their belongings. Once Europeans introduced horses to North America, the Sioux became known as expert riders and traveled greater distances. Here is an article with pictures of horse travois. Horse riding is still popular in the Sioux nation today, but like other Americans, Lakota and Dakota people also use modern vehicles like cars now.
Originally the Lakota and Dakota Indians were corn farmers, hunters, and gatherers, but once they acquired horses they mostly gave up farming, and moved frequently to follow the seasonal migrations of the buffalo herds. Most of their diet was meat, especially buffalo, elk and deer. The Sioux also collected chokecherries, fruit, and potatoes to eat. Here is a website with more information about Native American foods.
Children
They do the same things any children do, play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Sioux children like to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. In the past, Indian children had more chores and less time to play, just like early colonists' children.
Men and women
Sioux women were in charge of the home. Besides cooking and cleaning, a Dakota or Lakota woman built her family's house and dragged the heavy posts with her whenever the tribe moved. Houses belonged to the women in the Sioux tribes.
Men were hunters and warriors, responsible for feeding and defending their families. Usually only men became Sioux chiefs, but both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine.
Transportation & Food
The Sioux tribes lived a nomadic life and more often traveled on land. Originally the Sioux used dogs pulling travois (a kind of drag sled) to help them carry their belongings. Once Europeans introduced horses to North America, the Sioux became known as expert riders and traveled greater distances. Here is an article with pictures of horse travois. Horse riding is still popular in the Sioux nation today, but like other Americans, Lakota and Dakota people also use modern vehicles like cars now.
Originally the Lakota and Dakota Indians were corn farmers, hunters, and gatherers, but once they acquired horses they mostly gave up farming, and moved frequently to follow the seasonal migrations of the buffalo herds. Most of their diet was meat, especially buffalo, elk and deer. The Sioux also collected chokecherries, fruit, and potatoes to eat. Here is a website with more information about Native American foods.
Clothing
"Sioux women wore long deerskin or elkskin dresses. Sioux men wore breechcloths and leggings and buckskin shirts. The Sioux also wore moccasins on their feet and buffalo-hide robes in bad weather. In colonial times, the Sioux adapted European costume such as vests, cloth dresses, and blanket robes. Here are more pictures of Sioux clothing styles, and some photographs and links about Native American clothes in general."
"Sioux warriors and chiefs were well-known for their impressive Native American Indan headdresses, but they didn't wear them in everyday life. Both Sioux men and women wore their hair long, cutting it only when they were in mourning. There were many different traditional Sioux hairstyles, but long braids were the most common. Men often wrapped their braids in fur or tied quillwork strips around them. Here is a website with pictures of American Indian braids. On special occasions, Sioux people painted their faces and arms with bright colors and animal designs. They used different patterns for war paint and festive decoration."
Religion
Traditional religious beliefs center around Wakan Tanka, their god and creator. They were a very spiritual group and believed that all things have spirits. Each Sioux Native American must perform seven sacred rituals over the course of their life. This was introduced by a legendary supernatural figure known as the White Buffalo Calf Woman. Other riruals were a test of manhood: Sweat Lodge, Soul Ceremony, Vission Quest, and Sun Dance. Also sacred items, one of the most important sacred items included to medicine wheel.THE MEDICINE WHEEL REPRESENTS ENLIGHTENMENT, STRENGTH, GROWTH, AND KNOWLEDGE. This wheel instructs the beholder how to learn more of themselves and the universe. All arrows pointing in the center symbolizes an attainment of enlightenment when all four directions of thought are joined together.
"Sioux women wore long deerskin or elkskin dresses. Sioux men wore breechcloths and leggings and buckskin shirts. The Sioux also wore moccasins on their feet and buffalo-hide robes in bad weather. In colonial times, the Sioux adapted European costume such as vests, cloth dresses, and blanket robes. Here are more pictures of Sioux clothing styles, and some photographs and links about Native American clothes in general."
"Sioux warriors and chiefs were well-known for their impressive Native American Indan headdresses, but they didn't wear them in everyday life. Both Sioux men and women wore their hair long, cutting it only when they were in mourning. There were many different traditional Sioux hairstyles, but long braids were the most common. Men often wrapped their braids in fur or tied quillwork strips around them. Here is a website with pictures of American Indian braids. On special occasions, Sioux people painted their faces and arms with bright colors and animal designs. They used different patterns for war paint and festive decoration."
Religion
Traditional religious beliefs center around Wakan Tanka, their god and creator. They were a very spiritual group and believed that all things have spirits. Each Sioux Native American must perform seven sacred rituals over the course of their life. This was introduced by a legendary supernatural figure known as the White Buffalo Calf Woman. Other riruals were a test of manhood: Sweat Lodge, Soul Ceremony, Vission Quest, and Sun Dance. Also sacred items, one of the most important sacred items included to medicine wheel.THE MEDICINE WHEEL REPRESENTS ENLIGHTENMENT, STRENGTH, GROWTH, AND KNOWLEDGE. This wheel instructs the beholder how to learn more of themselves and the universe. All arrows pointing in the center symbolizes an attainment of enlightenment when all four directions of thought are joined together.