Assiniboine

The Assiniboine are an Indigenous people of the northern Great Plains, a branch of the Sioux. Historically, they inhabited a broad area that includes parts of present-day Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Montana, and North Dakota, and they have long been closely related to other Sioux groups and to neighboring Cree and Blackfoot communities.

The Assiniboine language belongs to the Siouan language family and is closely related to Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota dialects. Today, communities maintain bilingual use in English (and French in Canada) and pursue language preservation through schools and cultural programs.

Traditionally, the Assiniboine were semi-nomadic bison hunters who moved seasonally across the plains and integrated with horse culture after contact with Europeans. They participated in regional trade networks and alliances with various tribes, as well as with European traders. In the 19th century, many were moved to reserves in Canada and the United States as a result of treaties and settlement, with major communities on Canadian reserves in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and in U.S. reservations such as those associated with Fort Belknap and Fort Peck.

Social organization centered on bands and kin groups; material culture included tipis, horses, and intricate beadwork. Traditional beliefs and rituals formed part of their spiritual life, while contemporary Assiniboine communities engage in tribal governance, education, and cultural preservation efforts, including language programs and powwows.

Several places in the region carry the Assiniboine name, most notably the Assiniboine River and Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba.