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Which seven bands were represented by the seven council fires of the Oceti Sakowin?
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Oceti Sakowin
A member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe performing during the Grand Entry at the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Fair Rodeo and Powwow, Eagle Butte, South Dakota, September 4, 2016.
The Oceti Sakowin, which translates to "seven council fires," refers to the historic alliance of seven bands that constitute the tribe. These seven original bands are:
- Mdewkanton
- Wahpeton
- Wahpekute
- Sisseton
- Yankton
- Yanktonai
- Teton1
These groups are linguistically categorized into three divisionsāthe Dakota, Nakota, and Lakotaāall of which share a name meaning "friendly" or "ally." While the term "Sioux" is commonly used to refer to the Oceti Sakowin, it is an exonym derived from an Ojibwe word for the group, often translated as "enemies" or "little snakes."12