Tribal Programs

Government

Who We Are

Tribal Council Representatives

The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s government is comprised of a twenty-member council, who are elected officials in accordance with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.

 

The Executive Officers of the Council are the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Primary elections are held in October and the General election in November every two years.

 

Council members serve a term of two years. There are nine election districts on the reservation. One representative is elected for every 1,000 tribal members.

 

Executive Officers Include:

Julian Bear Runner

President

PHONE: (605) 867-8487

CELL (605) 441-0077

 

EMAIL: president.bearrunner@oglala.org

Thomas Poor Bear

Vice-President

PHONE: (605) 867-4009

CELL:

 

EMAIL:

Jennifer Spotted Bear

Secretary

PHONE:(605) 867-8468

CELL:(605) 407-3526

 

EMAIL: j.spottedbear@oglala.org

Mason Big Crow

Treasurer

PHONE: (605) 867-8416

CELL: (605) 407-0626

 

EMAIL: Mason@oglala.org

Ricky Gray Grass

OST 5th Member

PHONE: (605) 867-2439

CELL:

 

EMAIL:

(Executive Committee mailing address: Po Box 2070, Pine Ridge, SD 57770)

About Us

Tribal headquarters are based out of the Red Cloud building in the town of Pine Ridge which is located on the southern border of the reservation. Governed by a constitution and bylaws that was established on January 15, 1936 the OST Council is comprised of 20 representatives. Representation varies by the 13 districts based on population.

 

Demographics

There are three diverse geographic regions within the reservation. The southern and eastern sections consist of picturesque grassy plains. The west-central section merges with the small eastern spurs of the Black Hills.

 

The result is an area of rolling pine-covered hills and ridges, providing the inspiration for the name Pine Ridge. To the north of the wooded area are approximately 160,000 acres of the Badlands National Park.

 

The reservation borders the Nebraska state line to the south, Rosebud Indian Reservation to the east and Badlands National Park to the north.

 

Tribal headquarters is in the town of Pine Ridge. The Oglala, or Scatter Their Own, are one of the seven bands of the Titowan (Lakota) division of the Great Sioux Nation.

 

DATES OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS:

December 24, 1969; December 3, 1985; July 11, 1997

 

NUMBER OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS:

(4) President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer

 

Const.and Bylaws: Yes - IRA

DATE APPROVED:

January 15, 1936

 

NAME OF GOVERNING BODY:

Oglala Sioux Tribal Council

 

NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS:

(18) eighteen council members

TRADITIONAL LANGUAGE:

Lakota

 

TOTAL ENROLLED MEMBERS:

38,332

 

ENROLLED MEMBERS LIVING ON RESERVATION:

19,639

RESERVATION:

Pine Ridge Reservation; Oglala Lakota, Bennett, and Jackson Counties

 

TRIBAL HEADQUARTERS:

Pine Ridge, SD

 

TIME ZONE:

Mountain

DISTRICTS

The districts are as follows; Eagle Nest District, Pass Creek District, LaCreek District, Wounded Knee District, Porcupine District, Wakpamni District who all have two council representatives  and Medicine Root District and Pine Ridge Village who have three council representatives.

 

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