Which seven bands were represented by the seven council fires of the Oceti Sakowin?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

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 divisions—the Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota—all 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