VISIT THE RESERVATION - good river reservation

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WAKPA WASTE OYANKE
(GOOD RIVER RESERVATION)

The Cheyenne River Reservation-the Wakpa Waste Oyanke (or Good River Reservation), is located in north central South Dakota. The Reservation is bordered by the Missouri River on the east and the Cheyenne River on the south. The Cheyenne River Reservation covers a geographic area of 1.4 million acres, about the size of the state of Connecticut, and includes both Ziebach and Dewey counties in South Dakota.

There are unique prairie grasslands and miles of open space watched over by hawks, eagles, pheasants, and many other birds. The abundance of wildlife includes bison, elk, deer, prairie dogs, and much more.

The Reservation was originally identified as part of the Great Sioux Nation in the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851. The boundaries extended from the Big Horn Mountains on the west into Wisconsin on the east, and from Canada on the north to the Republican River in Kansas on the south. The boundaries were significantly reduced in the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty. And in the Treaty of 1889, the area was further reduced and parceled to create a group of Indian reservations, including the Cheyenne River Reservation.

The official flag of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe appears below. The blue represents the thunder clouds above the world, home to the thunder birds that control the four winds. The rainbow is for the Cheyenne River Sioux People who are keepers of the most sacred Calf Pipe, a gift from the White Buffalo Calf Maiden. The eagle feathers at the edges of the rim of the world represent the spotted eagle who is the protector of all Lakota. The two pipes fused together are for unity. One pipe is for the Lakota, the other is for other Indian nations. The yellow hoops represent the Sacred Hoop, which shall not be broken. The Sacred Calf Pipe Bundle in red represents Wakan Tanka, the Great Mystery. All the colors of the Lakota are visible. The red, yellow, black, and white represent the four major races. The blue is for heaven.

For information about the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, you can visit the Tribe's website at www.sioux.org. The website includes a section about the Tribe's history located at: www.sioux.org/our_history.html.