Sitting Bull’s personality aligns strongly with the INFJ type. His dominant Introverted Intuition (Ni) was expressed through his powerful, prophetic visions that provided guidance for his people, most famously his vision of U.S. soldiers falling into the Lakota camp like grasshoppers, which foreshadowed the victory at Little Bighorn. He was not a detail-oriented tactician but a strategic visionary who understood the broader, existential struggle for his people’s survival and way of life. His decision-making was deeply rooted in this long-term, symbolic perspective, seeking to uphold the spiritual and cultural integrity of the Lakota against overwhelming odds. His auxiliary Extraverted Feeling (Fe) manifested in his role as a unifying leader and protector. He was deeply connected to the well-being and harmony of his community, earning immense respect and loyalty. He used his influence to forge a broad alliance of tribes, demonstrating a focus on collective good. His tertiary Introverted Thinking (Ti) supported his strategic reasoning, allowing him to analyze threats and devise plans that were pragmatic within his spiritual framework. His inferior Extraverted Sensing (Se) appeared in moments of intense, present-moment action—such as his famous courage under fire—and in his appreciation for the tangible world of nature and ceremony, though he primarily lived in the world of ideas and the future. As a 1w9 Enneagram, his core drive was a righteous, principled stand (Type 1) against injustice, tempered by a desire for peace and internal stability (wing 9), unless forced into conflict.
