North Dakota from the Great Lakes area. The word "Dakota" is a Sioux (Lakota/Dakota) word meaning "allies" or "friends". The primary historic tribal nations in or around North Dakota, are the Lakota and the Dakota ("The Great Sioux Nation" or "Oceti Sakowin," meaning the seven council fires), the Blackfoot, the Cheyenne, the Chippewa (known as Ojibwe in Canada), and the Mandan. The federally recognized tribes have Indian reservations in the state. Social gatherings are known as "powwows" (or wacipis in Lakota/Dakota) continue to be an important part of Native American culture and are held regularly throughout the state. Throughout Native American history,
White Bird (Native American leader) White Bird (Native American leader) White Bird ("Peo-peo-hix-hiix", "piyóopiyo x̣ayx̣áyx̣" or more correctly "Peopeo Kiskiok Hihih" - "White Goose"), also referred to as White Pelican (died 1892), was leader, war chief and "tooat" (Shaman or Prophet) of the "Lamátta" or "Lamtáama" band of the Nez Perce tribe with the Lamata village along the Salmon River. His band and the village took its name from "Lahmatta" ("area with little snow"), by which White Bird Canyon was known to the Nez Perce. Chief White Bird, like many of his people, was a Dreamer, a follower of the teachings of Smohalla, the Wanapam