What actually happened to the Sheikah Tribe?

[CM30]

They're always mentioned in the recent Zelda games (Kakariko Village meant to be their home town, Impa being one in the last few games, Sheik a reference to the tribe), but we never seem to see them do we?

So what happened to them to make them so rare, and more importantly, will they ever actually be seen in a recent Zelda game as a group rather than sole individuals?

 

[F'jeris]

Now that you mention it Nin, try really don't explain much about the Sheika.
My guess would have to be that they were protectors of the triforce and the royal family with the leader protecting the king & queen and a subordinate/next in command protecting the son/daughter.
But if I were to guess as to how they died off, maybe a war broke out between them and the Gerdru, with the Sheika taking the most casualties, leaving only a few members left. (OoT) or alternatively a completely different tribe that lost in the war that lived within the multiple temples.
Who knows, only time will tell.

 

[Johnwaluigi]

It's quite complicated. We know a good few things about them though, so it is possible to divine a few things about their backgrounds. This is what we know (from my experiences and in time-line order):
A. They are all descended from the original Impa.
B. They serve the Goddess above ALL else.
C. They have unusually long lifespans.
D. They held a war, in which many of them were wiped out. As a result of this they became protectors of the Royal Family.
E. They are connected to the 7 Sages, meaning they have a connection with the original sealing away of the Triforce.
F. The Three Sheikah Treasures all have something to do with TRUTH. This is a possible reference to their origins as a 'Shadow' tribe.
That's certainly not everything about them, but it's certainly enough to get the imagination whirring.