Cheyenne

Cheyenne. The Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, comprising two federally recognized tribes: the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. Their historical territory spanned from the Missouri River to the Black Hills, and they played a central role in the 19th-century conflicts of the American Indian Wars. Today, their communities are primarily based on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana and in central Oklahoma.

History

Originally an agricultural people near the Great Lakes, the Cheyenne migrated westward, acquiring horses and becoming nomadic Plains Indians bison hunters. This shift brought them into alliance with the Arapaho and Lakota people, and into conflict with nations like the Pawnee and United States Army. Key events in their resistance include the Sand Creek massacre in 1864, the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876 alongside Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, and the subsequent Northern Cheyenne Exodus led by chiefs Dull Knife and Little Wolf. Their forced relocation culminated in the establishment of reservations following treaties like the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868) and the Medicine Lodge Treaty.

Culture

Traditional Cheyenne culture was organized around the buffalo hunt, warrior societies like the Dog Soldiers, and sacred ceremonies. The Sun Dance is a central spiritual rite, while the Arrow Renewal Ceremony involves the care of the tribe's most sacred objects, the Mahuts or Sacred Arrows. The Cheyenne military societies enforced tribal law and organized warfare. Artistic expression is evident in elaborate beadwork, parfleche containers, and distinctive ceremonial attire, including feathered war bonnets. The annual Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming, while not a tribal event, borrows the name and celebrates Western heritage.

Language

The Cheyenne language, Tsėhesenėstsestotse, is part of the Algonquian language family, related to languages like Arapaho and Blackfoot. It is a tonal language with a complex sound system distinct from most other Algonquian tongues. Efforts to preserve and revitalize the language are ongoing, led by tribal programs and institutions such as the Chief Dull Knife College in Lame Deer. Linguistic documentation was significantly advanced by early researchers like Rodolphe Petter of the Mennonite Church.

Government and politics

The modern Cheyenne are governed through their federally recognized tribal governments. The Northern Cheyenne Tribe operates under a constitution approved by the Department of the Interior, with an elected Tribal Council headquartered in Lame Deer. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes in Oklahoma are governed by a joint Business Committee, with offices in Concho. These governments manage a range of sovereign services, including law enforcement through the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Police, judiciary systems, and natural resource management on trust lands. They engage in intergovernmental relations with entities like the State of Montana and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Notable people

Notable Cheyenne individuals include the peace chief Black Kettle, who survived the Sand Creek massacre only to be killed later at the Battle of Washita River; the resistance leaders Dull Knife and Little Wolf; and the warrior Roman Nose, a prominent figure in the Battle of Beecher Island. Modern figures include educator and statesman Lawrence Hart, a traditional Peace Chief; artist and ledger art innovator Harvey Pratt; and attorney and activist Michealene Risling. The lineage of notable leaders also includes figures like Two Moons, who was present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Category:Native American tribes Category:Plains tribes