The Brulé are one of the seven branches or bands (sometimes called "sub-tribes") of the Teton (Titonwan) Lakota American Indian people. They are known as Sičháŋǧu Oyáte (in Lakota), or "Burnt Thighs Nation", and so, were called Brulé (literally "burnt") by the French. The name may have derived from an incident where they were fleeing through a grass fire on the plains.
Many Sicangu people live on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota and are enrolled in the federally recognized Rosebud Sioux Tribe, known as Sicangu Oyate. A smaller population lives on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation, on the west bank of the Missouri River in central South Dakota. Others live on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The different federally recognized tribes are politically independent of each other.
The term "Sičhą́ǧu" appears on pages 3 to14 of Beginning Lakhota.
"Ká Lakȟóta kį líla hą́ske. 'That Indian (over yonder) is very tall.'"
"Hą, hé Sičhą́ǧú. 'Yes, that's a Rosebud Sioux.'"
It appears to be a compound word of the Thítȟųwą Lakȟóta dialect meaning "burned thigh".
Historic Brulé Tiyošpaye or bands
Together with the Oglala Lakota, who are mostly based at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, they are often called Southern Lakota. They were divided in three great regional tribal divisions:
Lower Brulé (Kul Wicasa Oyate, ″Lowland People″, lived along the White River to its mouth into the Missouri River (Mnišoše) as well in the Missouri River Valley in South Dakota, some ventured south to the Niobrara River)
Upper Brulé (Heyata Wicasa Oyate - ″Highland People″, ventured further south and west onto the Plains along the Platte River between the North and South Platte River in Nebraska in the search for buffalo, the allied Southern Cheyenne and Southern Arapaho welcomed them as strong allies to this lands which they had further claimed, along the Loup River - the former center of the Skidi or Wolf/Loup Pawnee - they went down south to plunder enemy Pawnee and Arikara camps, therefore also known as: Kheyatawhichasha - ″People away from the (Missouri) River″)
(Upper) Brulé of the Platte River (actually a splinter group of the Upper Brulé and the southernmost Brulé group, generally along the South Platte River in Colorado with hunting bands south to the Republican River - home to the enemy Kithehaki / Kitkehaxki of the South Bands Pawnee, also known as: Kheyatawhichasha - ″People away from the (Missouri) River″)
According to the Brulé Medicine Bull (Tatánka Wakan), the people were decentralized and identified with the following tiyošpaye or extended family groups who collected in various local tiwahe (English: Camps or family circles):
Iyakoza
Chokatowela
Shiyolanka
Kanghi yuha
Pispiza wichasha
Waleghaunwohan
Wacheunpa
Shawala
Ihanktonwan
Nakhpakhpa
Apewantanka
Mary Brave Bird, author
Leonard Crow Dog, spiritual leader, American Indian Movement activist
Paul Eagle Star (1866-24 August 1891), performer with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show
Hollow Horn Bear, chief
Iron Nation, chief
Iron Shell, chief
Little Thunder, chief
Arnold Short Bull, a well-known Sicangu holy man, who brought the Ghost Dance to the Lakota in South Dakota in 1890
Michael Spears, actor
Eddie Spears, actor
Spotted Tail or "Sinte Gleska", 19th-century chief
Moses Stranger Horse, artist
Two Strike, chief
Albert White Hat, Lakota language teacher
Dyani White Hawk, contemporary painter and former curator of All My Relations Arts gallery
Chauncey Yellow Robe, educator, lecturer and activist
Rosebud Yellow Robe, folklorist, educator and author
Rosalie Little Thunder spiritual activist, language teacher, bead worker
Frank Waln, is a Sicangu Lakota rapper
