Native American Tribes of the Black Hills

Updated on April 7, 2025  •  7 minute read  • 1334 words

Rising dramatically from the surrounding Great Plains, the Black Hills of South Dakota – known as Paha Sapa to the Lakota Sioux – are far more than just a stunning geological anomaly. They represent a sacred landscape, a spiritual center deeply interwoven with the history, culture, and identity of several Native American tribes, most notably the Lakota. For countless generations, these pine-covered hills have served as a sanctuary for prayer, a location for vital ceremonies, a source of sustenance, and a cornerstone of tribal worldviews. This article delves into the profound and enduring connection between the Indigenous peoples and this unique, revered region.

The Lakota Sioux: Guardians of Paha Sapa

Among the tribes associated with the Black Hills, the Lakota Sioux, part of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires), hold perhaps the most widely recognized and deeply rooted historical and spiritual connection. Paha Sapa is not merely a location on a map; it is central to their cosmology, featuring prominently in creation stories and spiritual teachings. It is considered Wamaka Ognaka Icante – the heart of everything that is. This sacred space is where essential ceremonies like the vision quest (hanbleceya), a solitary journey seeking spiritual guidance and understanding, have traditionally been undertaken. The Hills provided not only spiritual sustenance but also physical resources like timber, game, and medicinal plants.

Key sites within the Black Hills hold immense significance:

• Bear Butte (Mato Paha): Located just east of the main hills, this geological formation is a sacred site for numerous tribes, including the Lakota and Cheyenne, used for prayer and ceremonies.
• Wind Cave (Washun Niya): According to Lakota oral tradition, this is the site where the Pte Oyate (Buffalo Nation) and humans first emerged onto the surface of the earth.
• Harney Peak (Hinhan Kaga Paha), now Black Elk Peak: The highest point in the hills, it was here that the Oglala Lakota holy man Black Elk received his Great Vision.

The Lakota view the Black Hills not merely as inanimate land or a collection of resources, but as a living relative – a sacred entity deserving of the utmost respect, care, and protection. This perspective shapes their relationship with the land and underscores the deep sense of loss and injustice associated with its taking.

Other Connected Tribes

While the Lakota connection is profound, they were not the only Indigenous people to utilize and revere the Black Hills. The Cheyenne (Tsitsistas/Suhtai), Arapaho (Hinono’eino), and Kiowa also have significant historical ties to the region. These tribes frequented the Hills for hunting bison and other game, gathering essential plants, and seeking refuge. Certain peaks and areas within the Hills also hold spiritual significance in their own traditions. The overlapping use and reverence underscore the Hills’ importance as a central hub for numerous Plains cultures long before the arrival of European settlers. Their histories, like the Lakota’s, are deeply intertwined with this unique landscape.

Traditional Life in and Around the Hills

The Native American tribes connected to the Black Hills adapted skillfully to the Plains environment, with the bison playing a central role in their existence. Life revolved around the seasonal movements of these massive herds.

• Sustenance: The bison was the primary food source, providing vast amounts of meat that could be eaten fresh or preserved as wasna (pemmican – dried meat mixed with fat and berries) for leaner times. However, diets were diverse. Hunters also pursued elk, deer, pronghorn, and smaller game found within the Hills and surrounding plains. Women gathered a wide array of edible and medicinal plants, including prairie turnips (timpsila), berries (chokecherries, juneberries), roots, and herbs. Streams within the Hills offered fish.
• Hunting: Bison hunts were often communal efforts, requiring coordination and deep knowledge of animal behavior. Methods included driving herds over cliffs (pishkun) or into natural traps before the widespread adoption of horses, and later, skilled horseback hunts using bows and arrows or lances. Every part of the bison was utilized – hides for shelter and clothing, bones for tools, sinew for thread, horns for containers and ceremonial objects.
• Shelter and Warmth: The iconic tipi was the quintessential dwelling for Plains tribes like the Lakota. Made from long wooden poles and covered with expertly prepared bison hides, tipis were ingeniously designed for portability, essential for a nomadic lifestyle following the herds. They were warm in winter, cool in summer, and could withstand the strong Plains winds. Bison robes provided crucial warmth for bedding and clothing, supplemented by items made from deer and elk hides. Fire, fueled by wood gathered from the Hills or dried bison dung (chips) on the open plains, was essential for cooking and warmth.
• Culture and Society: Life was deeply communal, organized around extended family groups (tiyospaye for the Lakota). Culture was transmitted through rich oral traditions, including storytelling, songs, and ceremonies that reinforced spiritual beliefs and social values. There was a profound spiritual connection to the land, viewing plants, animals, and geographical features as relatives and sacred entities. Craftsmanship flourished, with intricate beadwork and quillwork adorning clothing and ceremonial items, often depicting spiritual symbols or historical events. The rhythm of life was dictated by the seasons, the movement of the bison, and the ceremonial calendar tied to the sacred Paha Sapa.

Historical Context: Treaties, Gold, and Loss

The relationship between the tribes and the U.S. government regarding the Black Hills is marked by broken promises. The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, signed after Red Cloud’s War, explicitly recognized the Sioux Nation’s ownership of the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation, setting it aside for their “absolute and undisturbed use and occupation.” This guarantee proved short-lived.

In 1874, a military expedition led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer confirmed rumors of gold within the Hills. This discovery triggered a massive, illegal influx of white miners and settlers onto the treaty-protected lands. The U.S. government, rather than upholding the treaty and evicting the trespassers, attempted to pressure the Lakota into selling or leasing the Hills. When these efforts failed, the government initiated military action, leading to the Great Sioux War of 1876-1877. Despite notable Lakota and Cheyenne victories, such as the Battle of the Little Bighorn, the tribes were ultimately overwhelmed by military force. In 1877, under duress and threat of starvation (as rations guaranteed by treaty were withheld), some Sioux leaders were coerced into signing an agreement ceding the Black Hills to the United States – an act considered illegitimate by many Lakota then and now, as it violated the terms of the 1868 treaty requiring consent from three-fourths of adult males.

Ongoing Significance and the Fight for Return

Despite the forced cession and passage of time, the Black Hills have never lost their sacred status for the Lakota and other connected tribes. The fight for their return has persisted through generations. A landmark moment occurred in 1980 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians that the Black Hills had been illegally taken and that the government owed compensation. The court described the government’s actions as a “campaign of duress” leading to “a ripe and rank case of dishonorable dealings.”

However, the Sioux nations have consistently refused the monetary settlement (now worth over $1 billion with interest), famously stating, “The Black Hills are not for sale.” Their stance underscores that the issue is not about money, but about the return of sacred land essential to their identity, spirituality, and sovereignty. Paha Sapa remains a potent symbol of cultural survival, resilience, treaty rights, and the ongoing quest for justice for Native American people. Contemporary efforts focus on regaining stewardship, protecting sacred sites from development, and educating the public about the Hills’ true history.

Visiting the Black Hills today offers an opportunity to appreciate not only the stunning natural beauty but also the deep, complex, and often painful indigenous history embedded within the very rocks and trees. Understanding this connection enriches any visit and fosters necessary respect for the tribes who continue to hold Paha Sapa sacred and fight for its rightful return.