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Facts for Kids: Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Indians

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Information about the Iroquois Indians and the Haudenosaunee League for students and teachers. Covers food, clothing, longhouses,
art and crafts, weapons and tools, legends, government, and culture of the Iroquois tribes.

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Native American Technology and Art
REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF NATIVE AMERICAN CLOTHING STYLES

Northeast Region - Iroquois Tribes

Note: During the early to mid 1700's only prominent people (principal men), for the most part, would have had cloth (either obtained in trade or more likely as gifts). The transition to wearing cloth began in the pre-Revolutionary War period (around 1780). Wearing cloth became more common around the year 1812, when by that time leather clothing was only used sparingly ~~ my thanks to the Six Nations people who brought to my attention the need to clarify this point.

Return to Map and List of Culture Areas with Illustrated Clothing

Return to NativeTech's Main Leather & Clothes Menu
Leather & Clothes Bibliography and Books to Buy On-Line

Text and Graphics
© 1994 -Tara Prindle
unless otherwise cited.

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NativeTech: Northeast Region - Iroquois Tribes: REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF NATIVE AMERICAN CLOTHING STYLES

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Native American Technology & Art: a topically organized educational web site emphasizing the Eastern Woodlands region, organized into categories of Beadwork, Birds & Feathers, Clay & Pottery, Leather & Clothes, Metalwork, Plants & Trees, Porcupine Quills, Stonework & Tools, Weaving & Cordage, Games & Toys and Food & Recipes.

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Indian languages Indian cultures Indian art
Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the Sioux Indian tribe for school or home-schooling reports. We encourage students and teachers to visit ourSioux Indian homepage for more in-depth information about the tribe, but here are our answers to the questions we are most often asked by children, with Sioux pictures and links we believe are suitable for all ages.

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Sioux Tribe

There is no real difference. "Lakota" and "Dakota" are different pronunciations of the same tribal name, which means "the allies." One Sioux dialect has the letter "L" in it, and the other dialect does not. This is only a pronunciation difference, not a political one. Lakota and Dakota speakers all consider themselves part of the same overall culture.

"Sioux," on the other hand, is not a Lakota or Dakota name. It comes from theOjibwe name for the tribe, which means "little snakes." Many Lakotas and Dakotas use the word Sioux to refer to themselves when they're speaking English, however.

Yes, the Nakota, also known as the Stoney or Assiniboine, are speakers of a Siouan language similar to Lakota and Dakota. However, they were politically distinct from Lakota and Dakota people. In fact, though the Assiniboine and Sioux are allies today, in the past they were frequently at war with each other.

The original Lakota/Dakota homelands were in what is nowWisconsin,Minnesota,North Dakota, andSouth Dakota. The Sioux traveled freely, however, and there was also significant Sioux presence in the modern states of Iowa, Nebraska, Montana, and northern Illinois, and in south-central Canada. Today, most Sioux people live in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Saskatchewan.

There are 13 Sioux political subdivisions, combined into seven major tribes (the Mdewakanton, Sisseton, Teton, Wahpekute, Wahpeton, Yankton, and Yanktonai Sioux tribes.) However, today, these divisions have more cultural significance than political. Each Dakota/Lakota band is politicallyautonomous, which means it has its own land and leadership and makes decisions independently of other Sioux bands. Like most Native American tribes, each Lakota/Dakota community lives on its own reservation ("reserve," in Canada), which belongs to them and is legally under their control. However, the US and Canadian governments still consider the Sioux citizens. Each Lakota/Dakota band has its own government, laws, police, and other services, just like a small country. The political leader of a band is called "itancan" in the Dakota and Lakota language, usually translated as "chief" or "president" in English. The itancan used to be a man chosen by tribal councilmembers, but today Sioux tribal leaders can be of either gender and are popularly elected in most Dakota/Lakota bands, just as mayors and governors are.

Nearly all Lakota and Dakota people speak English, but about 15,000 Sioux Indians are bilingual in their nativeLakota/Dakota language. Despite pronunciation differences, Lakota and Dakota speakers can understand each other easily, just like people who speak American English and Canadian English can. If you'd like to know a few easy Sioux words, "hau" (pronounced similar to the English word "how") is a friendly greeting in both the Lakota and Dakota dialects, and "wašte" (pronounced wash-tay) means "good." You can see a picture glossary of Lakota animal wordshere-- click on each word to hear it spoken aloud.

There are many different Sioux bands. Here are the homepages of two of them,Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and theFlandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. On their websites, you can learn about Sioux history and culture and view plenty of photographs.

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They do the same things any children do--play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Sioux children like to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. In the past, Indian children had more chores and less time to play, just like early colonists' children. But they did have dolls and toys to play with, and older boys in some bands liked to playlacrosse. Sioux mothers, like many Native Americans, traditionally carried their babies incradleboards on their backs--a custom which many American parents haveadopted now.

Sioux women were in charge of the home. Besides cooking and cleaning, a Dakota or Lakota woman built her family's house and dragged the heavy posts with her whenever the tribe moved. Houses belonged to the women in the Sioux tribes. Men were hunters and warriors, responsible for feeding and defending their families. Usually only men became Sioux chiefs, but both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine.

The Dakota and Lakota people lived in large buffalo-hide tents calledtipis (or teepees). Tipis were carefully designed to set up and break down quickly. An entire Sioux village could be packed up and ready to move within an hour. Originally tipis were only about 12 feet high, but after the Sioux acquired horses, they began building them twice that size. Here are somepictures of teepees. Today, Native Americans only put up a tepee for fun or to connect with their heritage. Most Sioux families live in modern houses and apartment buildings, just like you.

Sioux women wore long deerskin or elkskin dresses. Sioux men wore loincloths, leggings, and buckskin shirts. Here is a website withloincloth and legging pictures. The Sioux woremoccasins on their feet, which they often decorated with elaborate beadwork. Here is a website with pictures ofbeaded Indian moccasins. In bad weather, they also wore buffalo-hide robes. In colonial times, the Sioux adapted European costume such as vests, cloth dresses, and blanket robes. Here are morepictures of Sioux clothing styles, and some photographs and links aboutNative American clothes in general.

Sioux warriors and chiefs were well-known for their impressiveNative American feather headdresses, but they didn't wear them in everyday life. Both Sioux men and women wore their hair long, cutting it only when they were in mourning. There were many different traditional Sioux hairstyles, but long braids were the most common. Men often wrapped their braids in fur or tied quillwork strips around them. Here is a website with pictures ofAmerican Indian braids. On special occasions, Sioux people painted their faces and arms with bright colors and animal designs. They used different patterns for war paint and festive decoration.

Today, some Sioux people still wear moccasins or a beaded vest, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead of breechcloths... and they only wear feathers in their hair on special occasions like a dance.

The Sioux tribes knew how to make Here is an article with pictures ofdugout and birchbark canoes, but more often, they traveled overland. Originally the Sioux used dogs pulling travois (a kind of drag sled) to help them carry their belongings. Once Europeans introduced horses to North America, the Sioux became known as expert riders and traveled greater distances. Here is an article with pictures ofhorse travois. Horse riding is still popular in the Sioux nation today, but like other Americans, Lakota and Dakota people also use modern vehicles like cars now.

What was Sioux food like in the days before supermarkets?
Originally the Lakota and Dakota Indians were corn farmers as well as hunters, but once they acquired horses they mostly gave up farming, and moved frequently to follow the seasonal migrations of the buffalo herds. Most of their diet was meat, especially buffalo, elk and deer, which they cooked in pits or dried and pounded into pemmican. The Sioux also collected chokecherries, fruit, and potatoes to eat. Here is a website with more information aboutNative American foods.

Sioux warriors used bows and arrows, spears, war clubs, and buffalo-hide shields. Here is a website with pictures and information aboutSioux Indian weapons. Hunters also used snares, and when Lakota or Dakota men hunted buffalo, they often set controlled fires to herd the animals into traps or over cliffs.

What other Native Americans did the Sioux tribe interact with?

The Sioux traded regularly with other tribes of the Great Plains. They particularly liked to trade buffalo hides and meat to farming tribes like theArikara in exchange for corn. These tribes usually communicated usingWhat are Sioux arts and crafts like?
Sioux women are known for their decorative embroidery withsign language.

The Sioux also fought wars with other tribes. Plains Indian tribes treated war differently than European countries did. They didn't fight over territory but instead to prove their courage, and so Plains Indian war parties rarely fought to the death or destroyed each other's villages. Instead, their war customs includedcounting coup (touching an opponent in battle without harming him), stealing an enemy's weapon or horse, or forcing the other tribe's warriors to retreat. Some tribes the Sioux frequently fought with included theAssiniboine,Ojibwa, andKiowa Indians.
What kinds of stories do the Sioux people tell?
There are lots of traditional Sioux legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the Sioux Indian culture. Here is a Lakota story about
beads andporcupine quills, and the men are known for their elaborateWhat about Sioux religion?
Spirituality and religion were important parts of Sioux ssiniboine life, and some people continue to practice traditional beliefs today. It is respectful to avoid imitating religious rituals for school projects since some Sioux people care about them deeply. You can read and learn about them, however. You can visit this site to learn more aboutbuffalo-hide paintings. Sioux artists also makeclay pots,star quilt blankets, and ceremonialcalumets (pipes carved from catlinite.)Can you recommend a good book for me to read?
You may enjoy a book of Sioux myths and legends, such as

Thunderbird. Here's a website where you can read more aboutSioux mythology.

Sioux religious traditions or this site aboutHow do I cite your website in my bibliography?
You will need to ask your teacher for the format he or she wants you to use. The authors' names are Laura Redish and Orrin Lewis and the title of our site is Native Languages of the Americas. We are a nonprofit educational organization working to preserve and protect Native American languages and culture. You can learn more about our organizationNative American spirituality in general.

Sons of the Wind. For younger readers, two excellent illustrated stories areMoon stick, a story about changes in the traditional Sioux Indian lifestyle, andBrave Bear and the Ghosts, a Sioux legend. If you want to know more about Sioux culture and history, three good sources for kids are The Sioux Indians,If You Lived With The Sioux, andThe Sioux and Their History. You can also browse through our reading list of recommendedNative American books in general. Disclaimer: we are an Amazon affiliate and our website earns a commission if you buy a book through one of these links. Most of them can also be found in a public library, though!

here. Our website was first created in 1998 and last updated in 2020.

Thanks for your interest in the Sioux Indian people and their language!

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An overview of the Sioux Indians, their language and history.

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Siouan language samples, articles, and indexed links.

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Related links about the Sioux people past and present.

Sioux Words

Sioux Indian vocabulary lists.

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Native Languages of the Americas website © 1998-2020 Contact us Follow our blog

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Facts for Kids: Sioux Indians (Lakota and Dakota)

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Information about the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Indians for kids and other students. Covers Sioux clothing, food, homes, weapons and tools, canoes, and the culture of the Lakota and Dakota tribes.

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Chiefs - Sioux, Nation - Galafilm, Montreal

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Native American Technology & Art: a topically organized educational web site emphasizing the Eastern Woodlands region, organized into categories of Beadwork, Birds & Feathers, Clay & Pottery, Leather & Clothes, Metalwork, Plants & Trees, Porcupine Quills, Stonework & Tools, Weaving & Cordage, Games & Toys and Food & Recipes.

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NativeTech: Southwest Region: REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF NATIVE AMERICAN CLOTHING STYLES

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Native American Technology & Art: a topically organized educational web site emphasizing the Eastern Woodlands region, organized into categories of Beadwork, Birds & Feathers, Clay & Pottery, Leather & Clothes, Metalwork, Plants & Trees, Porcupine Quills, Stonework & Tools, Weaving & Cordage, Games & Toys and Food & Recipes.

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Native American Technology & Art: a topically organized educational web site emphasizing the Eastern Woodlands region, organized into categories of Beadwork, Birds & Feathers, Clay & Pottery, Leather & Clothes, Metalwork, Plants & Trees, Porcupine Quills, Stonework & Tools, Weaving & Cordage, Games & Toys and Food & Recipes.

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History >>Native Americans for Kids

Who were the Iroquois?

The Iroquois were a League or Confederacy of Native American nations in the Northeastern part of America. Originally they were formed by five nations: the Cayuga, Onondaga, Mohawk, Seneca, and Oneida. Later, in the 1700s, the Tuscarora joined.

Iroquois 6 Nations Map by R. A. Nonenmacher

The French named them the Iroquois, but they called themselves the Haudenosaunee which means People of the Longhouse. The British called them the Five Nations.

How was the Iroquois League governed?

The Iroquois had a type of representative government. Each nation in the Iroquois League had its own elected officials called chiefs. These chiefs would attend the Iroquois council where major decisions were made regarding the Five Nations. Each nation also had its own leaders to make local decisions.

What type of homes did they live in?

The Iroquois lived in longhouses. These were long rectangular buildings made with wood frames and covered with bark. They were sometimes over 100 feet long. They didn't have any windows, just a door at each end and holes in the roof to let smoke from cooking fires out. Many families would live in a single long house. Each family would have its own compartment that could be separated from the others for privacy using a partition made of bark or animal skin.

Iroquois Longhouse by Wilbur F. Gordy

Longhouses were part of a larger village. A village would have several longhouses which would often be surrounded by a fence called a palisade. Outside of the palisade would be the fields where the Iroquois would farm crops.

What did the Iroquois eat?

The Iroquois ate a variety of foods. They grew crops such as corn, beans, and squash. These three main crops were called the "Three Sisters" and were usually grown together. Women generally farmed the fields and cooked the meals. They had a number of ways to prepare corn and the other vegetables they grew.

The men hunted wild game including deer, rabbit, turkey, bear, and beaver. Some meat was eaten fresh and some was dried and stored for later. Hunting animals was not only important for meat, but for other parts of the animal as well. The Iroquois used the skin for making clothing and blankets, the bones for tools, and the tendons for sewing.

What did they wear?

Iroquois clothing was made from tanned deerskin. The men wore leggings and long breechcloths while the women wore long skirts. Both men and women wore deerskin shirts or blouses and soft shoes made of leather called moccasins.

Did they have Mohawk hair styles?

Although the Mohawk hairstyle gets its name from the Mohawk Nation, Mohawk warriors actually wore a different hairstyle. They typically had a square of hair on the back crown of their head with three short braids of hair. Girls would wear two braids in their hair until they got married, then they would have a single braid.

Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy by Himasaram

Interesting Facts about the Iroquois

Even though longhouses were more permanent structures, the village would move every 10 years or so to find fresh land and hunting grounds.

Up to 60 people would live in a single longhouse.

As long as there was food, no one ever went hungry in a village as food was freely shared.

There was a trail that connected the Five Nations called the Iroquois Trail.

The Iroquois Great Council still meets today.

The women had a large role in social government and even chose the representatives that went to meet at the Great Council.

Lacrosse was first played and invented by the Iroquois Indians. They have several different names for the game including Teh hon tsi kwaks eks, Guh jee gwah ai, and Ga lahs.

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Native American History for Kids: Iroquois Tribe

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Kids learn about Native American Indian tribe the Iroquois from the Northeast of the United States.

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Welcome to Britannica School , a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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Welcome to Britannica School , a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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Welcome to Britannica School , a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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Welcome to Britannica School, a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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Native Americans of the Pacific Coastal Northwest Region of the United States and Canada in Olden Times for Kids and Teachers - Native Americans in Olden Times for Kids

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Early people of North America (during the ice age 40,000 years ago)