The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes share a deep-rooted history, forged through alliance and mutual respect. These Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples have faced immense adversity and profound transformations, their journey etched across landscapes from the Black Hills of South Dakota, to the expansive plains of Colorado, and ultimately to the present-day open fields of Oklahoma. This article delves into the rich tapestry of their culture, history, and contemporary life.
Official Tribal Information
- Official Tribal Name: Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes
- Address: 100 Red Moon Circle, Concho, OK 73022
- Phone: 1-800-247-4612, 405-262-0345
- Fax: 405-422-1184
- Official Website: http://www.c-a-tribes.org/
- Recognition Status: Federally Recognized
Names and Etymology
Understanding the names by which a people identify themselves and are known by others provides insight into their history and worldview.
- Traditional Names and Meanings: The Cheyenne Nation comprises two united tribes: the Só’taa’e (Sutai) and the Tsé-tsêhéstâhese (Tsististas). The Northern Cheyenne are referred to as Notameohmésêhese ("Northern Eaters") or Ohmésêhese ("Eaters") in their language. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are distinct.
- The Arapaho identify as Hiinono’ei, a term with varying interpretations, including "our people," "wrong rooters," or "cloud people."
- Common Names: Cheyenne, Arapaho
- Meaning of Common Names and Alternate Names: The name "Arapaho" is believed to originate from the Pawnee word tirapihu, meaning "trader," or from the Crow term for "tattooed people." Historically, they were also known as the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma.
- Alternate Spellings: Variations in spelling include Araphoe, Arapahoe, Arapajo, Arrapahoe, Hiinono’ei, Nookhooseinenno’, Boo’ooceinenno’, Bee’eekuunenno’, Noowunenno’, Nenebiinenno’, Noowo3ineheino’.
- Names in Other Languages: In Comanche, Cheyenne is paka naboo, meaning "striped arrows." The French referred to the Arapaho as Arapahos or Gens de Vache (People of the Cow).
Geographical and Territorial Context
The ancestral lands and contemporary locations of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes reflect a story of migration, adaptation, and resilience.
- Region: Great Plains
- State(s) Today: Oklahoma
- Traditional Territory: Historians generally place the Arapaho’s prehistoric homelands in the Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario provinces of Canada, as well as in the upper regions of the U.S., in present-day Minnesota and Michigan. Over time, they migrated westward into Colorado and Wyoming, eventually occupying lands spanning from northern New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas, northward into Wyoming and South Dakota.
- Arapaho territory once extended from the Big Horn Mountains in the north to the Arkansas River in the south, and from the Black Hills in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west, encompassing parts of modern-day western Nebraska and Kansas, southeastern Wyoming, and eastern Colorado.
- By 1840, the Northern and Southern bands of the Arapaho had developed distinct identities. The South Platte River of Colorado served as the approximate boundary between the two tribes, and the area around modern-day Denver became a common meeting place for intertribal trade.
- Today, the primary communities of the Northern Arapaho in Wyoming are Arapahoe, St. Stephens, and Ethete. The central communities for the Southern Arapaho are Canton and Geary, Oklahoma, with tribal administration centralized in Concho.
- The Cheyenne originated as a Woodland people in the eastern U.S. before migrating to the Plains. Despite being identified as Plains Indians following the buffalo, they maintain ties to their woodland heritage.
Social and Political Organization
- Confederacy: Arapaho and Cheyenne Confederation
- Reservations: Information on land area, tribal headquarters, and time zone is currently unavailable.
- Population at Contact: Data on the population at the time of European contact is not readily available.
- Registered Population Today: Current population figures are not provided.
- Tribal Enrollment Requirements: To be eligible for tribal enrollment, an individual must have at least one enrolled parent and a blood quantum equal to or greater than ¼ Cheyenne and/or Arapaho blood. The enrolled parent’s name must be present on the birth certificate.
- Genealogy Resources: Specific genealogy resources are not listed.
- Government: Information on charter, governing body, council members, constitutional amendments, and executive officers is not included.
- Elections: Details on election procedures are not specified.
Language and Culture
Language is a cornerstone of culture, preserving history, traditions, and a unique worldview. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes have distinct linguistic identities.
- Language Classification (Cheyenne): Algic >> Algonquian >> Plains Algonquian >> Cheyenne
- Language Dialects: Southern Cheyenne
- Language Classification (Arapaho): Algic >> Algonquian >> Plains Algonquian >> Arapaho
- Arapaho is one of five Algonquian languages in the Plains culture area, the others being Cheyenne, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, and Blackfoot. Arapaho diverges significantly, especially in grammar, suggesting a long separation from the Great Lakes proto-Algonquian (or Algic) stock.
- Historically, the Arapaho language comprised at least five dialects, representing separate bands or subtribes, including Hitouunenno’ (Beggar Men), now known as the Gros Ventre. By the end of the eighteenth century, the Arapaho proper had separated from the Gros Ventre tribe, which remained in the northern Plains in present-day Montana.
- Number of Fluent Speakers: At the beginning of the twenty-first century, approximately five hundred Northern Arapaho senior tribal members spoke the "Arapaho proper" dialect.
- Dictionary: Dictionary resources are not specified.
- Origins: Information on the origins of the languages is not provided.
- Bands, Gens, and Clans:
- Cheyenne principal divisions and bands
- Arapaho Divisions and bands
Relationships with Other Tribes
- Related Tribes:
- Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation
- Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation
- Traditional Allies: Arapaho, Cheyenne, Lakota Sioux (sometimes)
- Before European contact, the Cheyenne were sometimes allied with bands of the Lakota (Sioux) and Arapaho. In the 18th century, they migrated west away from Lakota warriors, but by the next century, bands of Lakota followed them into the Black Hills and Powder River Country. By the mid-nineteenth century, they were sometimes allied with other Plains tribes. The Arapaho were allied with the Cheyenne, Gros Ventre, and sometimes the Lakota.
- Traditional Enemies:
- The Cheyenne waged war at the tribal level, first against their traditional enemy, the Crow, and later (1856–1879) against US forces. They were also enemies of the Pawnee. Arapaho war parties raided on Eastern Shoshone and Utes to the west, the Crow to the north, the Pawnee to the east, and the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache south across the Arkansas River. By 1840, the Arapaho had made peace with the Sioux, Kiowa, and Comanche, but were always at war with the Shoshone, Ute, and Pawnee until they were confined upon reservations.
Cultural Practices and Contemporary Life
- Ceremonies / Dances: Sun Dance
- Modern Day Events & Tourism: Specific events and tourism information are not listed.
- Legends / Oral Stories: Details on legends and oral stories are not included.
- Art & Crafts: Information on traditional and contemporary art forms is absent.
- Animals: French traders reported that the Cheyenne Indians in Kansas obtained their first horses in 1745.
- Clothing: Details on traditional clothing styles are not provided.
- Adornment: Information on adornment practices is not included.
- Housing: Details on traditional housing structures are not provided.
- Subsistence: Information on traditional subsistence practices is not included.
- Economy Today: Information on the current economy of the tribes is not provided.
- Religion & Spiritual Beliefs: Details on traditional religious and spiritual beliefs are not included.
- Burial Customs: Information on burial customs is not provided.
- Wedding Customs: Details on wedding customs are not included.
- Education and Media:
- Tribal College: Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal College
- Newspapers: The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Tribune
Historical Events and Figures
- Catastrophic Events:
- Sand Creek Massacre
- Washita River Massacre (also known as the Battle of Lodgepole River)
- Tribe History:
- Northern Cheyenne Tribal Timeline
- Descendants Remember Battle of Little Big Horn
Further Exploration
- Arapaho Journeys: Photographs and Stories from the Wind River Reservation
- The Cheyenne Indians: Their History and Lifeways
- Arapaho Stories, Songs, and Prayers: A Bilingual Anthology
This overview of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes provides a glimpse into their enduring legacy, cultural richness, and ongoing journey. Further research and engagement with tribal resources are encouraged for a more comprehensive understanding.