Flandreau Indian Reservation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Flandreau Santee Sioux Indian Reservation
Indian reservation
Location of Flandreau Santee Sioux Reservation
Tribe	Flandreau Santee Sioux
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
County	Moody
Headquarters	Flandreau
Area
• Total	9.5 km2 (3.68 sq mi)
Website	Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe

The Flandreau Indian Reservation is a special area of land that belongs to the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. This tribe is officially recognized by the United States government. They are part of the Santee Dakota people, who are a group within the larger Sioux tribe of Native Americans.

The reservation is located in a place called Flandreau Township. This is in the middle of Moody County, which is in eastern South Dakota. It's very close to the city of Flandreau.

About the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe

Here are some quick facts about the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe:

• The reservation is called the Flandreau Santee Sioux Reservation.
• The tribe is part of the Santee division of the Dakota people.
• They include two main groups, or "bands": the Mdewakanton and the Wahpekute.
• The land area is about 2,356 acres, which is roughly 3.68 square miles.
• The main office for the tribe is in Flandreau, South Dakota.
• The time zone for the reservation is Central Time.
• Their traditional language is Dakota.
• About 726 tribal members live on the reservation.
• The biggest employers on the reservation are the Royal River Casino, the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe itself, and the Flandreau Indian School.

How the Tribe is Governed

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe has its own government, just like a small country.

• They have a special document called a Constitution and Bylaws. This document explains how their government works.
• This Constitution was officially approved on April 24, 1936.
• The main group that leads the tribe is called the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal Council.
• This council has an Executive Committee with four main leaders: a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. There are also four other members called Trustees.
• The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Trustees are chosen by tribal members through elections. The Tribal Treasurer is chosen by appointment.
• The tribe has updated its Constitution several times to make sure it works best for their people. These updates happened in 1967, 1984, 1990, and 1997.

Tribal Elections

Members of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe vote to choose their leaders.

• A first election, called a primary election, happens at least 45 days before the main election.
• The main election is held when the tribe has its August General Council meeting.
• The reservation is considered one election area.
• The main leaders and Trustees serve for four years.
• The terms for the Trustees are set up so that not all of them are up for election at the same time. This helps keep things stable.

Important Meetings

The tribe holds regular meetings to discuss important matters.

• For the Executive Committee to make decisions, at least four of its members must be present. This is called a "quorum."
• For the larger General Council meetings, at least half of all eligible voters must be present.
• General Council meetings happen four times a year: on the first Saturday of February, May, August, and November.
• The Executive Committee also meets at least once a month. The President decides when these meetings will be held.

Learning and News

The local newspaper for the Flandreau area is called the Moody County Enterprise. It is based in Flandreau, South Dakota.

Important Leaders

• Chief Little Crow was a very important leader of a Santee band. He spent much of his life in Minnesota. He became a chief around 1834 and worked hard to get fair treatment for his people. He also tried to keep good relationships with white settlers. In 1862, he led his people in a difficult time known as the Minnesota Santee Conflict. This happened because his people were starving, and the government had not paid them money for their land as promised. Chief Little Crow was killed the next year. He is buried near Flandreau.

Famous People from Flandreau

Dr. Charles Eastman, Ohiyesa, a member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe

• Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman (also known as Ohiyesa) was a famous physician and author. He was a member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe.