Did You Know Thursday: Native American Heritage Month, The Cheyenne

DID YOU KNOW THAT NOVEMBER IS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH?

DID YOU ALSO KNOW THAT NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY WAS SOME OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE WHILE I WAS STUDYING FOR MY DEGREE?

For my third featured nation, I’ve chosen, The Cheyenne 

Did you know that the Cheyenne were once farmers that lived in Earthlodges but changed their lifestyles to nomadic buffalo hunters when they were forced to move to the great plains?

It’s true, originally, or in the 1700s, the Cheyenne were a farming nation that lived in earth lodges in Minnesota. Later they occupied a village of earth lodges on the Cheyenne River in North Dakota. It was most likely during this period that the Cheyenne obtained horses and became more dependent on the buffalo for food. 

The Cheyenne did not have an easy road after their town was destroyed by the Chippewa, they settled along the Missouri River near the Mandan and Arikara tribes. Near the close of the 18th century, smallpox and the aggressive Dakota Sioux decimated the village tribes. This was at the same general time that horses and guns were becoming readily available in the northeastern Plains.

Sioux aggression forced the Cheyenne to move farther west to the area of the Black Hills, where they developed a unique version of nomadic Plains culture and gave up agriculture and pottery. You see, when they moved to the Great Plains a complete lifestyle change was necessary for survival. The Cheyenne adapted quickly to their new nomadic buffalo hunting lives and lived in teepees very similar to the Sioux.   

The early 19th century brought another Cheyenne migration, this time to the headwaters of the Platte River in present day Colorado. Around 1832, a large segment of the tribe established itself along the Arkansas River. The Cheyenne then broke into 2 main groups, the Northern Cheyenne who lived along the Platte River, and the Southern Cheyenne who resided along the Arkansas River in present day Colorado and Kansas.

Religion 

The traditional Cheyenne religion believes in an Original Creator and focused on two primary deities, the ‘Wise One Above’ and a ‘God that lives in the earth’. Also, they believed that the four spirits lived at the points of the compass. I love that! So, there was a different spirit for each direction, north, east, south, and west.  

The Cheyenne performed the Sun Dance in a very elaborate form. This dance was held each summer. Dancers were pierced with a thong through their breast muscles and hung while dancing and gazing into the sun while entering a trance. They placed heavy emphasis on visions in which a guardian spirit adopted the individual and bestowed special powers upon him or her so long as certain prescribed laws or practices were observed. 

The most-cherished objects were contained in a sacred bundle. They were a hat made from the skin and hair of a buffalo cow and four arrows, two that were painted for hunting and two for battle. These objects were carried in war to ensure success over the enemy. 

Warfare

Traditional Cheyenne culture was organized into 10 major bands governed by a council of 44 chiefs and 7 military societies. These included warrior clans called the Buffalo Bull Men, Bowstring Men, Flint Men, Fox Men, Medicine Lance Men, and the most famous Dog Men, who later became known as the Dog Soldiers. 

By the 1860s, as skirmishes between natives and encroaching whites intensified, the influence exercised by the militaristic Dog Soldiers had become a significant counter to the influence of the traditional Council of chiefs, who were more likely to favor peace with the whites. The Dog Soldiers certainly contributed to the breakdown of the traditional clan system of the Cheyenne. Customarily when a man married, he moved to the camp of his wife’s band. The Dog Soldiers dropped this custom, instead bringing their wives to their camp.

Early on the Cheyenne may not have been in a constant battle with the United States like their neighbors, The Sioux. But they were constantly fighting with neighboring nations/tribes. For example, the Cheyenne fought continually with the Kiowa until around 1840, when a lasting peace was established between them. However, their warfare with incoming settlers and the United States would all change after 1857. 

From around 1857 to 1879 the Cheyenne were involved in raids and wars with the United States military. The conflicts often caused the greatest suffering for civilians, including the Cheyenne and settler women, children, and elders alike. The tribe began raiding emigrant settlements and military and trading posts on a wide front after the Sand Creek Massacre.

It was in November of 1864, when a Southern Cheyenne and Arapahoe encampment under Chief Black Kettle, flying a flag of truce and indicating its allegiance to the authority of the national government, was attacked by the Colorado Militia. This became known as the Sand Creek Massacre. This was a peaceful Cheyenne village that was viciously destroyed by the U.S. cavalry, about 150 unarmed Cheyenne were killed.

Sadly, only four years later, in November of 1868, the same Cheyenne band was attacked at the Battle of Washita River. The encampment again under Chief Black Kettle was located within the defined reservation and thus complying with the government’s orders. However, some of its members were linked both pre and post battle to the ongoing raiding happening in Kansas by bands operating out of the Indian Territory. Over 100 Cheyenne were killed, most of these were unarmed women and children.

In 1876, the Northern Cheyenne joined the Sioux at the Battle of Little Big Horn, read more about that here. The Northern Cheyenne, along with the Lakota and a small band of Northern Arapaho, destroyed George A. Custer and his 7th Cavalry. News of the event traveled across the United States and reached Washington, DC just as the United States was celebrating its Centennial. This caused an onslaught of fury towards the Cheyenne and Lakota, specifically.

Even Harder Times

Due to their involvement in the Battle of Little Bighorn the government’s attempt to capture the Cheyenne intensified. In 1877, about 972 Cheyenne were escorted to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. The intention was to reunite both the Northern and Southern Cheyenne into one nation. In any case, the conditions were dire, you see, the Northern Cheyenne were not used to the climate and soon many became ill. Not only were they falling ill with malaria, but their food rations were inadequate and of poor quality. In 1878, the two principal Chiefs, Little Wolf and Morning Star (Dull Knife) pressed for the release of the Cheyenne so they could travel back north.

That same year a group of 353 Cheyenne left Indian Territory to head north. This group was led by those same Chiefs, Little Wolf and Morning Star (Dull Knife). The Army and other civilian volunteers were in hot pursuit of the Cheyenne as they traveled. It is projected that a total of 13,000 Army soldiers and volunteers were sent to pursue the Cheyenne over the whole course of their journey north. Seems a little much? 13,000 people pursuing around 353? Several skirmishes occurred, mostly because the head chiefs were unable to keep their young warriors from attacking small white settlements along the way.

After crossing into modern day Nebraska, the group split into two. Little Wolf and his band made it back to Montana. However, Morning Star and his band were captured and escorted to Fort Robinson, Nebraska. Morning Star and his band were sequestered and ordered to return to Oklahoma, but they refused. While conditions at the fort grew tense through the end of 1878, soon the Cheyenne were confined to barracks with no food, water, or heat. 

Finally, there was an escape attempt late at night in January of 1879. Sadly, much of the group was gunned down as they ran away from the fort. However, others were discovered near the fort during the following days and ordered to surrender. Most of the escapees chose to fight because they would rather be killed than taken back to the deplorable conditions in which they were held at the fort. It is estimated that only around 50 survived the breakout, including Morning Star. 

Today, the Northern Cheyenne live in southeast Montana on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. The Southern Cheyenne, along with the Southern Arapaho, live in central Oklahoma.

Check back next week for my final installment of Native American Heritage Month. I’m so sad it’s over because there are so many nations I want to cover! There’s always next year! 

Resources 

https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/indian-tribes/cheyenne-tribe.htm

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cheyenne-people

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Cheyenne

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheyenne

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