Sioux Tribe Essay

Great Essays
The famous Chief Sitting Bull of the Sioux Tribe once said, “Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.” It is truly a shame that the Sioux culture could not provide for more generations. They had many incredible achievements and traditions that will forever be remembered. For instance, they eliminated many boundaries that were placed on mankind, including communication and connection with the Earth. Their lifestyle was controlled by one creature that provided them everything they needed in order to survive. Unfortunately, in the end, it came down to who had the most advanced weaponry and the Sioux fell short. The Sioux Tribe has an intricate culture due to their various customs, unique lifestyle and the …show more content…
If one were to wander throughout the Great Plains and listen to all the words being spoken, they would notice many are not the same. This is very important to analyze because the language of a nation determines many other aspects of their culture and their thoughts (Dvek, 116). For example, many of the tribes would tell stories of the Earth, but the language barrier created a major problem with the passing of stories orally. It was also difficult to teach the younger generations the language and many of them became multilingual (Melmer, 1). Each tribe that inhabited the Great Plains acquired their own language. Nonetheless, they all shared a common tongue, sign language (Reader’s Digest, 173). It is crucial that they all learn sign language so they can better understand each other. Sign language played a big role in assisting the communication between the Sioux and other tribes during the arrival of the whites. This helps them stay on the same page during various battles. Another reason this common tongue was important to the Sioux Tribe is it aided them during their constant movement throughout the Plains. Since the Sioux Tribe was always moving locations, they would run into other tribes repeatedly. The sign language they used helped to eliminate miscommunications throughout the Plains …show more content…
“The Presence of Early Native Studies: A Response to Stephanie Fitzgerald and Hilary E. Wyss.” Early American Literature, Vol. 45, no. 2, June 2010, pp. 251-260, p. 10. Academic Search Elite.
Dvek, Al. “Culture, Language, and Integration.” Journal of Psychology & Theology, Vol. 40, no. 4, 2012, pp. 116-121. Academic Search Elite.
Melmer, David. “Language, Culture Key to Education, Indian Educators’ Group Says.” Indian Country Today, 11/06/2000, Rapid City, SD. Newspaper Source Plus. http://www.indiancountry.com.
“MYTHS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS.” Jack & Jill, Vol.78, no. 6, 2016, pp. 16-17. MasterFILE Premier.
Newton, Cody. “Native Place, Environment, and Trade For Concentration on the South Platte River, 1835-45.” Ethnohistory, Vol. 59, no. 2, pp. 239-260. Academic Search Elite. doi: 10.1215/00141801-1536876.
Reader’s Digest. “The Great Plains Nomadic Horseman.” America’s Fascinating Indian Heritage, Reader’s Digest Association, 1978, pp.

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