Foods and Clothing:

The life on the plains was very hard. The Sioux were very brave warriors. They depended almost entirely on hunting for their survival. The buffalo were part of their life. The buffalo was believed to have great powers, and by hunting it, the Indian could get some of its powers. It was a dangerous job to catch a buffalo. Sometimes, after they killed a buffalo, they ate the buffalo raw.

 

Not a single part of the buffalo was wasted after it was killed. The buffalo was used for everything including meat, clothing, tools, and objects for ceremonies. The Sioux moved from place to place hunting large game and added to their diet wild fruits, vegetables, and other kinds of food through trade. They also fished and traded fish for pelts.

 

The Sioux had jackets and pants made out of buffalo skins. Then when it got colder, they wore very thick gowns to keep them warm. They used the animal skins to make jackets and decorated the jackets.

Religion: 

Religion was part of everyday life for the Sioux. The Sioux believed that everything was controlled by the Wakan Taka, or Great Spirit, and that everything had a spirit. It was the Great Spirit that let them live on his land. Each tribe had one medicine man who could see into the future and heal wounds.

Religious festivals took place through the whole year. They celebrated by dancing and chanting to a certain spirit. They also believed that dreams and visions was a way to talk with the spirits.

In Sioux Indian tales, Spider or Iktomi was a trickster who gets what he wants by using mischief. Spider was once a man but when he started in his mischievious behavior, he fell into evil ways. There are many stories about Iktomi or Spider.

Arts and Crafts:

The Sioux were great artists. They could make beautiful things with wood. They would paint the wood. They also made art on their clothes. They would hang teeth on their clothes. They also put beads on the jackets they wore.