Yankton Sioux Tribe

Official Tribal Insignia

The design was adopted by the Yankton Sioux people as the official tribal insignia, on September 24, 1975. The slogan in the design is:

"Land of the Friendly People
of the Seven Council Fires."

The artist, Gladys L. Moore, born Yankton Sioux of Union Lake, Michigan, wanted to show the hospitality of the Dakota people. They were known to the other tribes as "The Friendly People", therefore, the tipi (home) is central to the design.

The "Y" is also a "pipe," the strength of life of Indian People. It is used before "straight talk," a means of traditional communications.

The zigzag means "prayer," to bind the home in love and safety.

The color red was chosen for several reasons: red is the color of life; also a red border was sometimes painted around the lower part of the tipi to indicate that those that visited there would be fed; or that the tipi was one of a group in which a feast was to be held. Red is a friendly welcome and indicates life.

Pale blue or white (sky colors) could have been used in print as background, but the artist preferred the sunshine color of yellow. Here used on the tipi, yellow signifies happiness in the home. She wanted the impression of a happy friendly tipi in the sun.