The Brulé were the second largest group of the Otchente Chakowin, perhaps better known as Lakota, the western or Teton division of the Sioux nation. Sioux derives from a Chippewa word meaning snake or enemy.

The largest group of the Otchente Chakowin were the Oglala and others were Hunkpapa, Sans Arc, Blackfoot Teton (not to be confused with the unrelated Blackfoot tribe), Minneconjou and Two Kettle.

Sinte-Galeshka (Spotted Tail) was a chief of the Brulé who gave the following speech at Fort Laramie in April 1867 during Red Cloud’s War.

"This war did not spring up here in our land; this war was brought upon us by the children of the Great Father who came to take our land from us without price, and who, in our land, do a great many evil things. The Great Father and his children are to blame for this trouble.

"It has been our wish to live here in our country peaceably, and do such things as may be for the welfare and good of our people, but the Great Father has filled it with soldiers who think only of our death. Some of our people who have gone from here in order that they may have a change, and others who have gone north to hunt, have been attacked by the soldiers from this direction, and when they have got north have been attacked by soldiers from the other side, and now when they are willing to come back the soldiers stand between them to keep them from coming home.

"It seems to me there is a better way than this. When people come to trouble, it is better for both parties to come together without arms and talk it over and find some peaceful way to settle it."