Brulé

The Brulé are one of the seven branches or bands (sometimes called "sub-tribes") of the Teton (Titonwan) Lakota American Indian nation. They are known as Sičháŋǧu Oyáte (in Lakota), or "Burnt Thighs Nation," and so, were called Brulé (lit. "burnt") by the French. The name may have derived from an incident where they were fleeing through a grass fire on the plains.

Many Sicangu people live on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, where they are federally recognized as the Rosebud Sioux Tribe or Sicangu Oyate. A smaller population lives on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation, on the west bank of the Missouri River in central South Dakota. The two tribes are politically completely independent of each other.

Historic Brulé Tiyošpaye or bands

Together with the Oglala Lakota, who are based at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, they are often called Southern Lakota. They were divided in three great regional tribal divisions:

Brule

Brule, Brulé or Brûlé may refer to:

Native American

Places

Canada

United States

People

Brulé (band)

Brulé & AIRO is a contemporary Native American New Age/Worldbeat music group based in South Dakota. They have sold over one million CDs worldwide, won a number of awards, and have made media appearances with the Live with Regis and Kathie Lee television show, CNN WorldBeat, QVC, and others. They maintain a schedule of well over 100 performances a year including full stage productions with traditional dancers, an annual holiday tour, performances at Milwaukee's Indian Summer Festival, Indian Art Markets in Denver, Arlington (Tx.), and Overland Park, Kansas, Harbor Fest in Virginia Beach, the world-renowned Ordway Theater in St. Paul, Foxwoods Casino, and many additional outdoor festivals and events. They have released 11 CDs over their 12-year existence.

History

Hidden Heritage

Paul LaRoche grew up as part of a white middle-class family in the small community of Worthington in southwest Minnesota. He was adopted at birth, and his talent for music was evident at an early age. Paul knew about his adoption but his true heritage was kept a secret. After Paul lost both of his adoptive parents in the same year, Paul's wife Kathy discovered his adoption papers. After several years of grieving and healing, a breakthrough came in 1993 when Paul discovered his biological Lakota family. His homecoming was a happy one and he was reunited with a brother, sister, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. The effect on his music career was monumental. Armed with the new knowledge of his heritage, Paul re-entered the world of music in the relatively new genre of contemporary Native American music. Mixing the traditional sounds of Native America with the music he grew up with, rock, pop, jazz and everywhere in between, Paul cut his first CD, We The People, and Brulé was born.