I can’t find a Tribe in my search, what do I do?

  1. Review the BIA's most recent list of federally recognized Indian tribes and look for the Tribe.  The BIA’s list can be found here: receive-services-from-the-united-states-bureau-of
  2. To ensure a thorough search, please consider the names of any tribal ancestral groups (see below for examples) and check the spelling of the Tribe’s name, which may be different than its pronunciation. Search in Affiliated Tribes.
  3. If you need further assistance, please contact the appropriate BIA Regional Social Worker or Central Office at: https://www.bia.gov/bia/ois/dhs/icwa or
  1. If the Tribe’s name does not appear on the BIA’s list, then the Tribe is not a federally recognized Indian tribe and ICWA does not apply. (Canadian and State Recognized Tribes are not eligible for ICWA.)

Sioux (Sue or Soo) Tribe Breakdown

The name Dakota, Lakota, or Nakota means “friendly people.” This is what some Sioux groups call themselves. This could mean they are affiliated with or have membership or citizenship with  one or more of the following Federally Recognized Tribes.  If one Tribe cannot be identified, then all Tribes in the group should be sent an ICWA Notice.

Lakota      

  • Cheyene River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyene River Reservation, South Dakota
  • Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation, South Dakota
  • Oglala Sioux Tribe
  • Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota
  • Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South Dakota

Nakota

  • Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana
  • Crow Creek Sioux Tribe of the Crow Creek Reservation, South Dakota
  • Spirit Lake Nation, North Dakota
  • Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South Dakota
  • Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota

Dakota

  • Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana
  • Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota
  • Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota
  • Prairie Island Indian Community in the State of Minnesota
  • Santee Sioux Nation, Nebraska
  • Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota
  • Spirit Lake Tribe, North Dakota
  • Upper Sioux Community, Minnesota