The Kaw Nation, a federally recognized Native American tribe located in Oklahoma, holds a significant place in the history and culture of the Great Plains. Their story is one of resilience, adaptation, and a deep connection to the land. This article delves into the history, culture, and contemporary life of the Kaw Nation, exploring their origins, treaties, cultural practices, and ongoing efforts to preserve their heritage. The state of Kansas derives its name from the Kanza people, underscoring their historical presence and influence in the region.
Origins and Early History
The ancestral roots of the Kaw, along with the Osage, Ponca, Omaha, and Quapaw tribes, can be traced back to the lower Ohio Valley. In the late 15th century, these groups lived as a single people, sharing cultural practices and a common language, Dhegiha-Siouan, belonging to the broader Hopewell cultures. European contact and the subsequent search for better hunting grounds, coupled with pressure from Algonquian tribes to the east, prompted a westward migration around 1750.
This migration led the tribes to the mouth of the Ohio River. From there, the Quapaw continued southward along the Mississippi River, becoming known as the "downstream people." The Kaw, Osage, Ponca, and Omaha, identifying as the "upstream people," moved to the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers near present-day St. Louis. They then journeyed up the Missouri River to the mouth of the Osage River, where further division occurred. The Ponca and Omaha moved northwest into eastern Nebraska, the Osage settled in the Ozark region to the southwest, and the Kaw Nation established control over the area around present-day Kansas City and the Kansas River Valley to the west. Their territory encompassed much of northern and eastern Kansas, with hunting expeditions extending far westward.
Treaties and Land Cessions
The relationship between the Kaw Nation and the United States government was marked by a series of treaties that significantly altered the tribe’s land holdings and way of life. The Treaty of 1825 was a pivotal moment, reducing the tribe’s vast 20 million-acre domain to a 30-mile-wide, 2 million-acre reservation west of Topeka. In exchange, the Kaws were promised a $3,500 annuity for 20 years, livestock, agricultural assistance, a government blacksmith, and schools funded by earlier land sales near Kansas City. However, these promises were often unfulfilled, and the annuities were frequently diverted by unscrupulous traders. Disease further decimated the tribal population, creating immense hardship.
As a special provision, Chief White Plume’s support for the treaty earned 640-acre plots along the Kansas River for all 23 half-bloods of the tribe. However, as railroad, town, and land speculators coveted the treaty lands, the Treaty of 1846 further diminished Kaw territory to 256,000 acres near present-day Council Grove. This treaty stipulated the sale of the 2 million-acre reservation for a paltry sum of just over 10 cents per acre. The funds were allocated for a 30-year annuity of $8,000 per year, $2,000 for education and agricultural improvement, and $2,000 for a grist mill.
Despite these agreements, encroachment by white settlers continued. By 1855, at least 30 white families had illegally settled on the new Kaw reservation. When a federal agent attempted to evict the squatters, his cabin was burned, and he and his family were forced to flee. It was also discovered that the town of Council Grove was situated on Kaw reservation land. The subsequent Treaty of 1859 removed Council Grove from Kaw lands and allocated only 80,000 acres of the poorest land to the tribe, subdivided into 40-acre plots for each family. The remaining 176,000 acres were held in trust by the government for sale to the highest bidder.
The insufficient 40-acre plots of marginal land proved inadequate to sustain Kaw families, and by the late 1860s, the government was forced to provide emergency funds to prevent starvation. Finally, in 1872, against the strong protests of Chief Allegawaho, a federal act relocated the Kanza to a 100,137-acre site in northern Kay County, Oklahoma.
Allotment and Reorganization
The Dawes Act, also known as the General Allotment Act, was a federal law enacted in 1887 that authorized the President of the United States to survey American Indian tribal land and divide it into allotments for individual Indians. Those who accepted allotments and lived separately from the tribe would be granted United States citizenship. The Dawes Act was amended in 1898 and 1902.
In June 1898, Charles Curtis, who was one-eighth Kaw, sponsored a bill in Congress known as the Curtis Act. This act broke up the reservation into individual Indian allotments. Curtis and his three children received 1,625 acres. With the enactment of the Kaw Allotment Act of July 1, 1902, approximately 400 acres of land was held under government trusteeship for 249 individuals listed on the final allotment roll. This act legally dissolved the tribe until federal reorganization in 1959. The tribe’s former reservation land was later submerged in the mid-1960s by the construction of Kaw Reservoir, necessitating the relocation of the tribal Council House and cemetery.
Culture and Traditions
The Kaw Nation‘s cultural heritage is rich and deeply intertwined with the natural world. The tribe’s traditional name, Kanza, meaning "People of the South Wind," reflects their connection to the wind and its symbolic importance in war ceremonials, where it represented power and reconnaissance.
Tribal Emblem
The Kaw Nation Seal embodies the relationship between the Southwind and the Kaw (Kanza) people. The Kaw lived in harmony with the Southwind, which was believed to carry messages, scout enemies, and guide them to resources such as buffalo, nuts, fruits, and grains.
Language
The Kaw language, nearly lost with the passing of the last full-blood speaker, is now undergoing a revival. Language lessons are being taught to elementary school children, and weekly conversational classes are offered to adults and children. In the 1970s, linguist Robert Rankin collaborated with Maudie McCauley Rowe to document and preserve the language, resulting in a 3,500-word dictionary.
Lifestyle
Traditionally, the Kaw were semi-sedentary farmers who cultivated community vegetable gardens. However, their primary food source was the bison. Kaw hunters engaged in semi-annual hunting expeditions onto the plains of western Kansas. They constructed two types of dwellings: bark-covered lodges and earth lodges. The bark-covered lodges were large, rectangular structures made of stout poles and covered with bark and mats. Earth lodges were circular structures built partially underground, with a covered tunnel entrance. When traveling or hunting, they used portable skin-covered tipis.
Clothing
Kaw men wore breechcloths, deerskin leggings, and moccasins, sometimes adding a blanket for warmth. They often adorned themselves with shells, beads, and metal ornaments in their ears and wore long, slender hair pipes. Men typically shaved their heads, leaving only a scalp lock, which they might color with vermilion or decorate with an eagle feather. Women wore moccasins, knee-length leggings, skirts, and occasionally a cloth draped over one shoulder. They wore their hair long, parted in the middle and colored with vermilion. Tattooing was common among both men and women.
Contemporary Life
Today, the Kaw Nation is a vibrant and self-governing tribe with approximately 3,376 enrolled members. The tribe’s headquarters are located in Kaw City, Oklahoma.
Government
The Kaw Nation is governed by the Kaw Nation Tribal Council, comprised of all mentally competent tribal citizens above the age of 18. The tribe operates under a constitution ratified in 2011, which was the result of extensive community input and revisions.
Economy
The tribe’s economic enterprises include the Braman Travel Plaza, the Kaw Nation SouthWind Casino near Newkirk, an experimental pecan tree farm at Washunga Bay, and Discount Tobacco Shops in Ponca City and Newkirk. KEDA Enterprises also operate Woodridge Market and Tobacco Row Inc. in Ponca City.
Culture Preservation
The Kaw Nation is actively engaged in preserving its cultural heritage. They sponsor a powwow during Council Grove’s annual Washunga Days in June and host the Kaw Nation’s Annual Oklahoma Powwow at Washunga Bay in October. These events are open to the public and provide opportunities to learn about Kaw traditions, music, and dance. The tribe’s efforts to revive the Kaw language and promote cultural education ensure that future generations will remain connected to their heritage.
Notable Kaw People
Throughout history, numerous Kaw individuals have made significant contributions to their tribe and beyond. These include:
- Allegawaho: A Kaw Chief who led his people during a difficult period of transition.
- Charles Curtis: The only Native American to serve as Vice President of the United States.
- Lucy Tayiah Eads: Elected Chief of the Kaw in the 1920s and advocated for federal recognition.
- William A. Mehojah: The last Kaw full-blood, honored with the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park.
- Jim Pepper: A renowned jazz saxophonist and composer of Kaw and Creek ancestry.
- Maude McCauley Rowe: A fluent speaker of the Kansa language who helped preserve it for future generations.
- Washunga: A principal chief of the Kaws who led his people during a time of significant change.
- White Plume: A Kaw Chief who visited President Monroe in 1822, representing his people on a national stage.
Conclusion
The story of the Kaw Nation is a testament to their resilience, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to preserving their cultural heritage. Despite facing numerous challenges, including forced removal, land cessions, and cultural assimilation, the Kaw people have persevered and continue to thrive. Through language revitalization, cultural education, and economic development, the Kaw Nation is ensuring that its rich history and traditions will endure for generations to come. Their story serves as a reminder of the importance of honoring and respecting the heritage of all Native American tribes and of working towards a future of justice and reconciliation.