The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Native American tribe with a rich and complex history. Distinct from the Iowa Tribe headquartered in Kansas and Nebraska, the Oklahoma-based tribe emerged as a separate entity in the late 19th century, marking a significant chapter in the Iowa people’s story. This article delves into the history, culture, and contemporary status of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, providing a comprehensive overview of this vibrant community.
Official Tribal Information
- Official Tribal Name: Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
- Address: 335588 E. 750 Rd, Perkins, OK 74059
- Phone: (405) 547-2402
- Official Website: bahkhoje.com
- Recognition Status: Federally Recognized
The Name and Its Meaning
The tribe’s traditional name is Baxoje (pronounced Bah-Kho-Je) or Pahoja. While often misinterpreted as "dusty noses," based on phonetic confusion, the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma clarifies that Baxoje translates to "grey snow." This evocative name is said to originate from the sight of their winter lodges, blanketed in snow stained grey by the smoke emanating from their fires – a testament to their resilience and adaptation to the harsh winter conditions.
The name "Iowa" itself is a French adaptation of the tribal name. Its etymological connection remains somewhat obscure, with some suggesting a link to the word "marrow." Others propose a derivation from a word meaning "sleepy," although the precise origins of this association remain unclear. The name Ioway is an alternative spelling, and they are sometimes referred to as the Southern Iowa.
Cultural Heritage and Geographic Origins
The Iowa people trace their ancestry back to the Woodland culture, but their westward migration led them to embrace elements of the Plains culture. This fusion of traditions created a unique cultural identity. Historically, the Iowa, Oto, and Missouri tribes shared ancestral ties, originating as a single mound-building nation in the upper Mississippi region alongside the Winnebago (Hochunk; Hocak).
By the 1600s, this original nation fragmented, giving rise to distinct identities: the Ioway, Otoe, Missouri, and others. By the mid-18th century, the Otoe had relocated to Nebraska. Following devastating wars, the surviving Missouri people joined the Otoe in Nebraska during the early 1800s. The Iowa remained in Iowa and northern Missouri until 1836, when they were forcibly removed to a reservation in Kansas. Eventually, some Iowa members migrated to Oklahoma, while the Otoe relocated entirely.
Throughout their history, the Iowa undertook numerous relocations. Their journey took them from the mouth of the Rock River in present-day Illinois to the Root River in present-day Iowa, then to the Red Pipestone Quarry in southwestern Minnesota, and finally to the Spirit Lake/Lake Okiboji area of present-day Iowa.
Historical records from the early 17th century place the Ioway, descendants of the Oneota, near the Red Pipestone Quarry in southwestern Minnesota. By 1730, they were living in villages in the Lake Okoboji and Spirit Lake region of Northwest Iowa. They then moved south to the vicinity of Council Bluffs, Iowa. During the mid-18th century, a portion of the tribe moved up the Des Moines River, while the remainder settled on the Grand and Platte Rivers in Missouri.
For many years, the Iowa maintained a village near Council Bluffs, Iowa, but they abandoned it due to aggression by the Sioux and a desire to be closer to French traders. Subsequently, the Iowa primarily resided near the Des Moines River on the Chariton/Grand River Basin.
Treaties and Land Cessions
The encroachment of white settlers into western lands led to significant land cessions by the Iowa people. In 1824, they ceded their lands and were given two years to vacate. Additional lands were ceded in 1836 and 1838, resulting in the tribe’s removal to an area near the Kansas-Nebraska border. The Iowas, whose native lands once encompassed a vast area of the Missouri and Mississippi River Valleys in what is presently Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska, were reduced to a strip of land ten miles wide and twenty miles long. Subsequent treaties further diminished their land holdings.
Discontent with their conditions and treatment led to a number of Iowa tribal members leaving the Kansas-Nebraska reserve in 1878 and moving to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). In 1883, an Iowa reservation was established there, while those who wished to remain on the land in the north were allowed to do so. This division ultimately led to the recognition of two separate entities: the Northern Iowa, headquartered in White Cloud, Kansas, and the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, with offices in Perkins, Oklahoma.
Governance and Membership
To be eligible for enrollment in the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, an individual must have a parent on the tribal roll and possess at least 1/16 Iowa of Oklahoma blood quantum.
Language and Cultural Preservation
The Iowa language, known as Chiwere (also called Iowa-Otoe-Missouria or Báxoje-JÃwere-Ñút’achi), is a Siouan language closely related to Ho-Chunk (Winnebago). It was originally spoken by the Missouria, Otoe, and Iowa peoples, who originated in the Great Lakes region but later moved throughout the Midwest and Plains.
Christian missionaries first documented Chiwere in the 1830s, but since then virtually nothing has been published about the language. Chiwere suffered a steady decline after extended European-American contact in the 1850s, and by 1940 the language had almost totally ceased to be spoken.
Tragically, the last two fluent speakers died in the winter of 1996. Currently, only a handful of semi-fluent speakers remain, all of whom are elderly, making Chiwere critically endangered. As of 2006, an estimated four members of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians still speak the language semi-fluently, while 30 members of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma are also semi-fluent. There are no speakers left in the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska.
Despite the challenges, the tribe is actively involved in efforts to revitalize and preserve their language and cultural heritage.
Tribal Seal
The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma seal, adopted in 1978, encapsulates the tribe’s history and values. Designed by Bob Murray, the seal features a circle representing the Circle of Life, within which lies a bonnet of an Iowa warrior adorned with sacred eagle feathers and the sacred pipe. The plow symbolizes the agricultural tradition of the Iowa Tribe, which was adopted following their removal from their homelands. The fringe hanging from either side of the circle represents the quiver, traditionally fashioned from buffalo hide and used to carry the bow and arrows essential to early Iowa life. The four eagle feathers at the bottom of the circle represent the four winds and the four seasons.
A Legacy of Resilience
The story of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma is a testament to the resilience, adaptability, and cultural strength of the Iowa people. From their origins in the Great Lakes region to their present-day presence in Oklahoma, the tribe has endured numerous challenges, including forced removal, land cessions, and cultural assimilation. Despite these hardships, they have persevered, maintaining their cultural identity and working towards a brighter future for their community.