Lower Brule Indian Reservation
Encyclopedia
The Lower Brulé Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
that belongs to the Lower Brulé
Brulé
The Brulé are one of the seven branches or bands of the Teton Lakota Sioux American Indian nation. They are known as Sičháŋǧu Oyáte , or "Burnt Thighs Nation," and so, were called Brulé by the French...
Lakota Tribe. It is located on the west bank of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
in central South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is adjacent to the Crow Creek Indian Reservation. The Kul Wicasa Oyate (lower…men…nation), the Lower Brule Sioux, are members of the Sicangu (Burnt Thigh), one of the bands of the Lakota Tribe.
The Sioux consist of a group of self-governing tribes speaking one of three dialects of the Siouan language: Dakota, Nakota and Lakota. The Dakota or Santee, known variously to themselves as Mdewakantonwan, Wahpetowan, Wahpekute, or Sisseton, range from the Ohio River valley to South Dakota. The Dakota or Nakota, known as the Ihanktonwan/Yankton or Yanktonai/Ihanktonwanna, range from eastern Minnesota to the Missouri River valley. The Lakota, or Western Teton/Tituwan Sioux, consisting of the Oglala, Mniconjou, Sicangu, Sihasapa, Oohenunpa, Hunkpapa, and Itazipco, traditionally ranged from lands east of the Missouri River valley to the Rocky Mountains. A common history and language, a strong respect for the land and nature, the common use of Pipestone and the reverence held for the stone, and ceremonies such as the Sun Dance, Sweat lodge and Vision Quest bind these peoples together.
The name 'Brule' comes from the French word brulé (burnt), the name French fur traders used for the Sicangu in the late 17th century. The Sicangu divided into the Lower Brule and the Heyata Wicasa, or Upper Brule, in the late 18th century. The Lower Brule favored lands where the White River empties into the Missouri River, while the Upper Brule lived further south and west.
Tribal Information
- Reservation: Lower Brule Reservation; Lyman and Stanley Counties
- Division: Teton
- Bands: Sicangu (Brule or Burnt Thigh)
- Land Area: 132,601 acres (Tribal)
- Tribal Headquarters: Lower Brule, SD
- Time Zone: Central
- Traditional Language: Lakota
- Enrolled members living on reservation: 1,308
- Major Employers: Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Golden Buffalo Casino, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service. The Lower Brule Farm Corp. is the nation's number-one popcorn producer.
Tribal Government
- Charter: Yes; Constitution and Bylaws: Yes - IRA
- Date Approved: October 5, 1935
- Name of Governing Body: Lower Brule Sioux Tribal Council
- Number of council members: (3) three Council Members
- Dates of Constitutional amendments: June 17, 1974; September 2, 1986
- Number of Executive Officers: (3) Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe is a sovereign nation defined by its government-to-government relationship with the United States; as part of the Great Sioux Nation, the Tribe signed treaties in 1824, 1851, 1865 and 1868 with the federal government that constitute the legal documents establishing boundaries and recognizing the rights of sovereign tribal governments.
The Tribe was chartered under the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934. Its constitution was ratified on July 11, 1936, and bylaws were approved in 1960. The Tribe has contracted several aspects of self-government under the 1975 Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act, PL 93-638. In 1986, the Constitution/By-laws were amended and a code of ethics adopted.
Tribal affairs are conducted by a six-member Tribal Council who are elected to serve two-year terms. Council offices include the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary/treasurer, and three Council members. The Tribal Council Chairman serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Administrative head of the Tribe.
The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary-Treasurer and the three Council Member positions are elected at large.
Tribal Elections
- General Election is First Tuesday of September in even numbered years Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary and Treasurer are elected at large. The tribal council appoints, a Sergeant at Arms, a Chaplain, and other officers as necessary. Offices are held for two years.
- Number of Election districts or communities: One
Elections consist of a Primary and General Election. The Primaries are held in August and the General is held in September, with Officials being seated during the October regular meeting. Council members also serve as officers or council representatives on various boards and committees.
Tribal Council Meetings
- Meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month.
- Quorum number: five members
Tribal Courts
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribal courts are established under a quasi-separation of power relationship with the Tribal Government. The 1986 Constitution/By-law amendments created the Chief Judge as an elected position, with a 4-year term. While the Tribal Council is the final authority on the Reservation, it has formally acknowledged the legal authority necessarily vested in the Tribal Courts.The Lower Brule Sioux Court system also has established an appellate court and attendant processes. The Court hears all civil and minor criminal cases, while the federal courts hear all major felony cases.
Famous Leaders
- Chief Iron NationIron NationIron Nation was a principal chief of the Lower Brulé Lakota. He was one of the signers of the September 17, 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie along with people from Lakota, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and other tribes...
(1815–1894) led the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe through some of its most challenging years. He worked diligently, both as a warrior and statesman, to ensure the survival of his people. Iron Nation signed the treaty to establish the Great Sioux Reservation in 1868. He has been described as a just and noble leader.
Tribal Infrastructure
In 1963, the Big Bend dam on the Missouri River was completed. The operation of the dam caused flooding on the Lower Brute community and surrounding bottomlands in the heart of the reservation. The waters inundated miles of roadways and a significant amount of fertile farmland and destroyed most of the Reservation’s native trees, shrubs and medicinal plants. The federal government established the Lower Brule Infrastructure Development Trust Fund Act in 1997 in compensation for the lands lost nearly 50 years before.In response to the Act the Tribe established the Infrastructure Development Authority, a committee of tribal members who oversee the Trust Fund and recommend action and expenditures to the Tribal Council. The Authority has been involved in the development of the Administration Building and Community Center located in Lower Brule. The Authority is also overseeing the construction of the Lower Brule Justice Center.- ROADS
The Reservation has approximately 200 miles of roads. These include 107 miles of gravel roads, 65 miles of asphalt, 11 miles of graded dirt roads and 10 miles of unimproved roads.
- HOUSING
There are 392 residences on the reservation, 300 of them constructed with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds. The Lower Brule Housing Authority manages 228 of the homes. Only 36.8 percent of the units on the reservation are owner-occupied, compared to a State average of 68.2 percent. The housing market is very tight on the reservation with the majority of housing intended for low-income residents. The Tribe is planning to develop additional housing to meet the needs of Tribal residents who do not satisfy the low-income requirements.
- ELECTRICITY
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe is a member of the West Central Rural Electric Cooperative. The majority of tribal members are also Cooperative members, as it is the major electricity provider in west central South Dakota.
- FUEL
The Tribe operates a propane company and serves all residences within the reservation, as well as areas adjacent to the reservation. Unleaded and diesel gasoline are available at the local gas station. Fuel oil is available from the nearest Fanners Union in Reliance, South Dakota (15 miles).
- WATER SUPPLY
The Lake Sharpe Reservoir serves as a virtually unlimited water source for the Lower Brule community. The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe's Rural Water System (RWSS) supplies clean water to the communities of Lower Brule and West Brule for both domestic and agricultural use. This system is a part of the Mni Wiconi Water Project, authorized to provide water for the Pine Ridge Reservation, Rosebud Reservation, Lower Brule Reservation and counties located in west central South Dakota.
- SOLID WASTE
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, in coordination with the Indian Health Service, operates a solid waste collection and transfer facility. The Solid Waste Program gathers all solid waste from receptacles located throughout the reservation. All solid waste is disposed in approved landfill facilities in Pierre , South Dakota , and Pukwana , South Dakota.
- SEWAGE DISPOSAL AND TREATMENT
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, in coordination with the Indian Health Service, operates a sewage disposal and treatment system for the towns of Lower Brule and West Brule. The major treatment for wastewater is evaporation and settling in evaporation and settling ponds in two lagoon areas; the system uses limited aeration.
- TRANSPORTATION
Commercial airline, freight, and train services are available in Pierre , South Dakota . The town of Chamberlain provides the nearest landing strip and bus service. Truck service is available locally, and most retail businesses on the reservation receive service from suppliers in distributor-owned trucks. There are charter buses and limousines serving patrons of the Golden Buffalo Casino, and Greyhound Bus terminals are located in Chamberlain and Pierre. River City Transit runs a daily bus/van transportation service between Lower Brule and Pierre.
- TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Local telephone service is furnished by the Golden West Telephone Company as well as various cell phone providers. Internet services are available through Golden West and the West Central Rural Electric Cooperative.
- COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Lower Brule has an Elderly Center that provides an elderly nutrition program and other activities and a Teen Center that sponsors youth recreational activities. The Tribe’s $5.8 million dollar Veteran's Memorial Community Center has a swimming pool, full-size basketball court, weight and exercise rooms and a large kitchen. The Golden Buffalo Casino operates a Convention Center that holds 120 people comfortably. A Horseman's Club sponsors several "Play Days" throughout the summer. The Tribe has a recreational area and boat launch at South Iron Nation and other informal beach areas and boat ramps along the shoreline of the Missouri River.
- EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
The Lower Brule Education system consists of a Head-start Program, a K-5 elementary school, a 6-8 middle school, and a 9-12 High School. The Tribe also operates the Lower Brule Community College , accredited under Sinte Gleska University
Sinte Gleska University
Sinte Gleska University is a four-year private American Indian tribal college, located in Mission, South Dakota, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, a Brulé Lakota Indian Reservation...
of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. In addition, the Tribe is involved in a Video-Cultural Program where students, teachers and elders document important cultural activities and histories.
- HEALTHCARE
The Tribe contracts with Indian Health Services to operate a Tribal Health Department that oversees the tribal ambulance services and employs Community Health Representatives. The Tribal Health Department provides examinations and eyeglasses to tribal members at reduced costs as well as coordinating health delivery services. The Lower Brule IHS Service Unit operates a dental clinic, medical clinic and conducts several outreach programs, which provide services to the Members of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe on a regular basis, and to anyone in an emergency. Full service hospital facilities are available in the neighboring communities of Chamberlain and Pierre.