A History Of The Dakota People In Minnesota
- ------- --------------------------- -- By Thomas Ivan Dahlheimer The Sioux, or Dakota, consist of seven tribes in three major divisions: Wahpekute, Mdewakanton, Wahpeton, Sisseton (who together form the Santee or Eastern division, sometimes referred to as the Dakota), the Yankton and Yanktonai (who form the Middle division, sometimes referred to as the Nakota), and the Teton (who form the Western division, sometimes referred to as the Lakota). ref. The words Lakota and Dakota (Lakota/Dakota) are sometimes used as different pronunciations of the same tribal name for the seven Sioux tribes, which means "the allies." ref. "In 1656, the Dakotas were living near Mille Lacs in five villages numbering about 5,000 people. It is possible that the Tetons and Yanktons had at this point already began migrating west, although Hennepin found them above the Falls of St. Anthony on the Mississippi River in 1680. In 1701, they were at Lake Traverse. The Yankon and Yantonai left...