Tribal members are direct lineal descendants of Mdewakanton Dakota people who resided in villages near the banks of the lower Minnesota River. A line of leaders known as Chief Sakpe were spokesmen for their village. The first Sakpe Shock-pay, meaning "six," was named by his people as such after his wife bore sextuplets. The second Sakpe, also known as the Eaglehead, was one of twin sons of an Ojibwe chief, who gave him to this band so that they might have a leader, and he was adopted by the first Sakpe as his son. He signed several treaties with the US during the 19th century.