The Cheyenne Tribe

Overview

• Native American tribe traditionally living on the American Great Plains.
• Divided into two groups today:
  • Northern Cheyenne (reservation in Montana)
  • Southern Cheyenne (reservation in Oklahoma)

Historical Background

• Originally farmers in present-day Minnesota.
• Migrated to Great Plains after introduction to horses by Europeans.
• Began hunting buffalo.
• Signed treaties with the US government, which were later broken, leading to land loss.
• Allied with Lakota and Arapaho to resist settlers, but eventually forced into reservations.

Housing

• Early Cheyenne in Minnesota lived in permanent Earth lodges (wood frames, Earth, and grass).
• On the Great Plains, they lived in teepees made from buffalo hides and wooden poles (portable).

Language

• Spoke their own unique language, part of the Algonquian language group.
• Cheyenne alphabet consists of 14 letters.

Clothing

• Warm months: Deer skin clothing, men wore breechcloths, women wore long dresses.
• Cold months: Covered with robes made from buffalo hides.

Diet

• Early Cheyenne: Farmed corn, beans, and squash; hunted small game (rabbits, deer).
• Great Plains Cheyenne: Primarily hunted buffalo.

Governance

• Divided into 10 bands across the Great Plains.
• Main governing body: Council of 44 (four chiefs from each band plus four old man chiefs).
• Chiefs generally held office for 10 years.
• Had military societies for order and hunts; notable society: Dog Soldiers.

Cultural Aspects

• Buffalo integral to culture, providing food, shelter, and clothing.
• Annual Sundance ceremony in spring lasting 4 days.
• Called themselves "Tsitsistas" (Little Hearted People).

Interesting Facts

• Name "Cheyenne" likely from a Sioux word meaning "people of a different language."
• Participated in the Battle of Little Bighorn against George Custer and the US Army.
• Allies with Arapaho and friendly with Lakota Sioux; enemies of the Pawnee and Crow tribes.