The Keechy Tribe, also known as the Kichai, represent a fascinating, though now largely assimilated, chapter in the history of the Southern Plains Native Americans. Historically residing in a region encompassing present-day Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, the Keechy shared close linguistic and cultural ties with the Pawnee people. This article delves into the history, culture, and eventual assimilation of the Keechy Tribe, drawing upon archaeological findings, historical accounts, and linguistic data to paint a comprehensive picture of this once-distinct group.
Recognition and Affiliations
Today, the Keechy Tribe is not recognized as a separate, sovereign entity by the United States government. Instead, the descendants of the Keechy are primarily enrolled within the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. Some also identify with the Delaware Nation. These tribal affiliations reflect the complex historical relationships and migrations that characterized the Southern Plains, particularly in the face of forced relocation policies enacted by the U.S. government during the 19th century. These actions primarily targeted Caddo County, Oklahoma, as a new home for many of these displaced peoples.
Nomenclature and Etymology
The Keechy Tribe possessed its own name for themselves: Kâ‘itaish. This self-designation offers a glimpse into their unique identity and cultural worldview. Over time, this name, and the tribe itself, became known by a variety of alternate spellings and names, including Kichai, Keechi, Keeche, and Kitsai. These variations reflect the challenges of transliteration and the influence of different European languages, particularly French and English, in documenting Native American cultures.
Geographic Distribution and Territory
The Keechy were part of the broader cultural landscape of the Great Plains Tribes. Their historical presence spanned across the modern states of Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. In the early 20th century, Caddo, Wichita, and Delaware lands were divided into individual allotments. The Keechy people’s allotted lands were primarily situated within Caddo County, Oklahoma.
Archaeological evidence suggests a long history of human habitation in the region claimed by the Keechy and related groups. Specifically, the Spiro Mounds site, a significant Northern Caddoan Mississippian archaeological location in Eastern Oklahoma, offers insights into the ancestral roots of these peoples.
Archaeological phases at Spiro Mounds:
- Evans Phase (900-1050 CE): This early phase is characterized by the initial development of mound construction and agricultural practices.
- Spiro Phase (1050-1250 CE): A period of significant cultural and political development, marked by increased ceremonial activity and trade networks.
- Fort Coffee Phase (1250-1450 CE): This phase witnessed a shift in settlement patterns, with a decline in residential construction at Spiro and a dispersal of population to nearby villages.
While Spiro Mounds served as a ceremonial and mortuary center until around 1450 CE, the area was eventually abandoned, although nearby communities persisted until around 1600 CE. The cultures that followed in the wake of Spiro were less complex and hierarchical.
Ancestry and Cultural Connections
Most scholars agree that the people of Spiro were Caddoan speakers, but pinpointing their exact descendants in historic times remains a challenge. Archaeologists speculate that the Caddo Confederacy, Wichita, Kichai, or even the non-Caddoan Tunica could be related. However, the cultures of these peoples, as documented by Spanish and French explorers in the 16th and 17th centuries, differed substantially from that of Spiro.
Under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco, and Tawakonie) are recognized by the U.S. Federal government and archaeologists as the cultural descendants of the builders of the Spiro Mounds.
Historical Encounters
During Hernando de Soto’s expedition in the 1540s, the Caddo controlled a vast territory encompassing Eastern Oklahoma, Western Arkansas, Northeast Texas, and Northwest Louisiana. Archaeologists believe that the Caddo and related peoples had inhabited the region for centuries, developing their own distinct variant of Mississippian culture.
Recent excavations have uncovered a greater degree of cultural diversity within this region than previously recognized. The sites along the Arkansas River, in particular, exhibit unique characteristics. Nevertheless, scholars continue to classify the Mississippian sites found throughout the Caddo area, including Spiro Mounds, as "Caddoan Mississippian."
French explorers first encountered the Keechy Tribe along the Red River in Louisiana in 1701. By the 1830s and 1840s, the Keechy had migrated to Southern and Southwestern Oklahoma, where they coexisted with the Wichita and within the Muscogee Creek Nation.
The Keechy were enmeshed in the intricate and evolving political alliances of the South Plains. By 1772, they had primarily settled east of the Trinity River, near present-day Palestine, Texas.
Confederacy and Alliances
The Keechy were associated with the Caddoan Confederacy, a coalition of numerous tribes linked by shared languages and cultural practices. The Caddo were organized into three confederacies: the Hasinai, Kadohadacho, and Natchitoches. The Keechy frequently intermarried with members of the Kadohadacho Confederacy, forging closer ties within the broader Caddoan world.
Treaties and Governmental Relations
The Keechy Tribe, along with other Southern Plains tribes, were party to treaties with the United States government. One notable example is the Treaty With The Comanche, Aionai, Anadarko, Caddo, Etc., 1846. These treaties, often negotiated under duress, resulted in the cession of vast tracts of land and the relocation of Native American populations.
Population Dynamics
In 1950, only forty-seven full-blooded Kichai individuals resided in Oklahoma. By the late 20th century, that number had dwindled to a mere four. This drastic population decline underscores the devastating impact of disease, warfare, and forced assimilation on the Keechy Tribe.
Linguistic Heritage
The Kichai language belongs to the Caddoan language family, which also includes Arikara, Pawnee, and Wichita. Sadly, the Kichai language is now extinct. Kai Kai, a Kichai woman from Anadarko, Oklahoma, was the last known fluent speaker. She worked with Dr. Alexander Lesser to document and preserve what remained of the language.
Kinship and Cultural Affiliations
The Kichai were most closely related to the Pawnee. They also shared kinship ties with the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, the Delaware Nation, Arikara, Hidatsa, Mandan (now known as the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation), Tawakoni, and Waco. These affiliations highlight the interconnectedness of various Native American groups across the Great Plains.
Allies and Enemies
In 1712, the Keechy engaged in conflict with the Hainai along the Trinity River. However, they maintained alliances with other member tribes of the Caddoan Confederacy and intermarried with the Kadohadacho during this period. Interestingly, early European observers identified them as enemies of the Caddo, reflecting the fluid and complex nature of intertribal relations.
The Spiro Mounds Legacy
Spiro Mounds stands as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Caddoan peoples, including the ancestors of the Keechy. This 80-acre site, located near the Arkansas River in Fort Coffee, Oklahoma, served as a major religious and political center between the 9th and 15th centuries. The local people established a powerful center culturally linked to the Mississippian Ideological Interaction Sphere (MIIS).
Spiro represented a major western outpost of Mississippian culture and is currently under the protection of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, treasure hunters acquired the rights to excavate Craig Mound, the second-largest mound at the site, in search of artifacts. They unearthed a unique burial chamber containing extraordinary pre-Columbian artifacts, including fragile textiles and feathers remarkably preserved within the chamber.
The treasure hunters sold these artifacts to art collectors, some as far away as Europe. While some of these artifacts have been repatriated to regional museums and the Caddo Nation, others remain unaccounted for. The site has been significant for North American archaeology since the 1930s, especially due to its many preserved textiles and wealth of shell carving.
Caddoan Mississippian Culture
The Caddoan Mississippian region encompassed numerous towns in addition to Spiro, including the Battle Mound Site. Scholars believe that Battle Mound, located along the Great Bend of the Red River in Southwest Arkansas, was even larger than Spiro. However, limited excavation has been conducted there to date.
Caddoan Mississippian towns typically featured a more irregular arrangement of earthen mounds and associated villages compared to towns in the Middle Mississippian heartland to the east. They also lacked the wooden palisade fortifications commonly found in major Middle Mississippian towns. This may reflect the fact that the Caddoan peoples, situated on the western periphery of the Mississippian world, faced fewer military threats from their neighbors. Their societies may also have exhibited a somewhat lower degree of social stratification.
Social stratification refers to a society’s categorization of people into socioeconomic strata based on factors such as occupation, income, wealth, social status, or power. Generally, greater social complexity within a society leads to the development of more social strata.
Battle of Stone Houses
The Battle of Stone Houses, fought on November 10, 1837, saw the Texas Rangers clash with the Keechy Tribe. Despite losing their leader in the initial attack, the Kichai emerged victorious.
In conclusion, the story of the Keechy Tribe is a poignant reminder of the complex history and cultural diversity of the Southern Plains. While the tribe no longer exists as a distinct, federally recognized entity, its legacy endures through its descendants, its language (albeit extinct), and its contributions to the broader cultural heritage of the region. The Keechy’s story is interwoven with that of the Caddo, Wichita, and other related tribes, demonstrating the intricate web of relationships that shaped the Native American experience in the face of colonization and forced assimilation. The archaeological record, particularly the findings at Spiro Mounds, offers invaluable insights into the ancestral roots and cultural achievements of the Keechy and their forebears, ensuring that their story continues to be told and remembered.