All about the ancient tribes
The Sioux languages were not originally written languages, so there is no single, official spelling for any given Sioux word. Some Lakota and Dakota bands, tribes, and nations have different standardized orthographies (spelling systems) than others. Some Lakota and Dakota people prefer to use phonetic spelling.
In Sioux, hello is hau, pronounced /how/; however, it is a greeting only used by males. The equivalent used by females is han. These greeting can also
Dakota (pronounced Dah-KO-tah) is the tribe’s name for themselves and may mean “friend” or “ally.” It comes from the Santee word, Dahkota, sometimes translated as “alliance of friends.” Another meaning for the name is “those who consider themselves kindred.” The Dakota are also known as the Santee Sioux.
Wašíču is the Lakota and Dakota word for people of Western European descent. It expresses the indigenous population’s perception of the non-natives’ relationship with the land and the indigenous population. Typically it refers to white people but does not specifically mention skin color or race.
There are about 150,000 Sioux.
The Sioux are a confederacy of several tribes that speak three different dialects, the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota. The Lakota, also called the Teton Sioux, are comprised of seven tribal bands and are the largest and most western of the three groups, occupying lands in both North and South Dakota.
Cherokee Words Oginalii – My friend. O’siyo – Hello. Do hi tsu – How are you. Do hi quu – I am well. Wadv – Thank you. E tsi – Mother. E do da – Father. Usdi – Little.
Waste (wash tay) = Good! Huh =Yes. Hee ya = No.
A: In Eastern Apache, the word for hello is Da’anzho (pronounced dah-ahn-zho). In Western Apache, it is Dagotee (pronounced dah-goh-tay.) Some Western Apache people also use the word Ya’ateh, (pronounced yah-ah-tay), which comes from Navajo, or Aho (pronounced ah-hoh), which is a friendly intertribal greeting.
Means “friend”, “friendly” “companion” or “allies” in the Yankton-Yanktonai and Santee dialects of the Lakota Sioux language. Koda was one of the main characters in the movie Brother Bear.
The fur traders abbreviated this name to Sioux and is now commonly used. But the tribe prefers Dakota, Lakota, or Nakota, depending on the dialect they speak.
Akicita is the Lakota word for warrior.
Ska is the Lakota word for the color white.
Sunka: (shoon-kah) General description for all dogs. When you say “sungmanitu tanka” a description of a wolf, we imagine a figure similar to a coyote but much larger.
Welcome to our Lakota vocabulary page! Lakota Word Set.
English (Français) | Lakota Sioux words |
---|---|
Man (Homme) | Wica |
Woman (Femme) | Winyan |
Sun (Soleil) | Anpetu wi, or just Wi |
Moon (Lune) | Hanhepi wi, or Hanyewi |