The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe became a reservation on March 2, 1889. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe was defined by the Act of March 2, 1889 including all right-of-way, waterways, watercourses and streams running through any part of the reservation and to such others lands as may hereafter be added to the reservation under the law of the United States. The United States Government works in three lev
els: Federal, State and Tribal. The Tribal Government have a government-to-government relation with the United States. The Great Sioux Nation signed 1851 and 1868 treaties with the United States which are binding documents that retain our rights as a government. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe operates under a constitution approved on April 24, 1959 by the Tribal Council of Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Tribal Council consists of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, a Secretary and fourteen additional Councilmen which are elected by the tribal members. The Tribal Council Chairman provides leadership and administrative direction to the tribe. The Tribal Council Chairman and Council serve a term of four years. Six of the fourteen additional Council members shall be residents of the Reservation without regard to residence in any district or state. Each of the remaining additional council members shall be a resident of the district from which his/she is elected. The At-large Council members are elected by the district people as whole. Regular Tribal Council meetings are the first Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the month. The last Monday of the month is for gaming and other tribal business.