"Sioux" is a French version of the Ojibway (Anishinabe) name for their ancient enemies and means "Little Snakes" (not a compliment!).  There was nothing "little" about the Sioux, however.  Divided into four tribes of Eastern or Santee Dakota, two tribes of Middle Dakota (Yankton and Little Yankton), and seven tribes of Western or Teton Dakota (they say "Lakota" because L replaces D in their dialect).

All the Sioux together, living from Minnesota to Montana in 1804, probably had a combined population of about 12,000 (with some 3,000 warriors).  They were one of the most feared and famous Indian nations on the North American continent before 1804, even though the various divisions never united and rarely worked together.

The first Sioux who Lewis and Clark met were Yankton Dakota.  They had about 500 warriors and a total population of 1,600-2,000 people living at the mouth of the James (then, Jacque) River, near the present-day Yankton, South Dakota.  The first things that Lewis and Clark noticed about their village were the colorful painted tipis of tanned buffalo hides, which they had not seen before on the Expedition. 

The Yankton were the prime hunters of wolves and traders of wolf pelts in this area of the Missouri River.  They were also very friendly and had treated earlier messengers from the Corps to buffalo-robe tossing and a special dinner of roasted dog meat – two special ceremonies reserved for honored guests.

Lewis and Clark's formal parley at Calumet Bluff with the Yankton began in the morning of Thursday, 30 August.  The leading chiefs and bravest warriors came into the American camp with music playing and cannon booming to receive peace medals and presidential certificates.  The captains gave Chief Weuche, or "Handshake, " a fancy red army uniform coat, cocked hat with red feather, and a U.S. flag of 17 stars and 17 stripes.  Each side heard speeches interpreted by the old French trader, Pierre Dorion, who had known the Yankton for many years.  They also smoked the peace pipe (or calumet), carved out of red pipestone and richly decorated.  The Yankton seemed very willing to visit President Jefferson in Washington if it would lead to a more regular fur trade with the merchants of St. Louis.