Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes
Name	Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes
Settlement type	Indian reservation and federally recognized tribe
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	Oklahoma

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are a federally recognized Native American tribal government located in Oklahoma, composed of members of the Southern Cheyenne and Southern Arapaho peoples. Their jurisdiction, cultural institutions, and political leadership engage with federal entities such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs and judicial matters involving the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The Tribes trace historical connections to the Northern Plains, Plains wars, and treaties like the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868) and the Medicine Lodge Treaty era relocations.

History

The Southern Cheyenne and Southern Arapaho originally inhabited regions of the Great Plains, ranging across present-day Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska. Contacts with European-American expansion included conflicts such as the Sand Creek Massacre and engagements like the Battle of Washita River, with leaders including Black Kettle, Little Raven, Red Cloud, and Dull Knife influencing trajectories. Post-Civil War federal policy, embodied by the Indian Appropriations Act, the Homestead Acts, and enforcement actions by the United States Army, produced forced movements and allotment under the Dawes Act (General Allotment Act). During the late 19th and early 20th centuries tribal members navigated reservation life alongside institutions like Fort Reno and boarding schools tied to Carlisle Indian Industrial School-era policies. The modern federally recognized entity emerged amid 20th-century legal developments including the Indian Reorganization Act and subsequent federal-tribal dialogues, later engaging with litigation and settlements involving the Indian Claims Commission and cases before the United States Supreme Court.

Government and Political Structure

Tribal governance uses a constitution and elected officials who interact with federal agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs and legislative bodies like the United States Congress on issues of sovereignty and jurisdiction. Leadership roles include a tribal council and executive officers responsible for departments mirroring functions found in other tribes such as the Navajo Nation and Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The Tribes participate in intertribal organizations including the National Congress of American Indians and regional compacts with entities like the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association and state offices of the Governor of Oklahoma. Legal matters have involved precedents from cases such as McGirt v. Oklahoma and statutes including the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.

Culture and Society

Cultural life centers on ceremonies, powwows, and practices rooted in Southern Cheyenne and Southern Arapaho traditions, often held alongside tribal community centers and museums comparable to institutions like the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian. Social structures reflect clan and band histories associated with leaders such as Roman Nose and Chief Little Wolf, oral histories transmitted through elders, and artistic expressions including beadwork, quillwork, and regalia seen in powwow circles alongside participation from groups like the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes. Religious traditions intersect with legal protections under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act and ritual practice continuity resembles revivals among other nations like the Osage Nation and Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.

Economy and Land Holdings

The Tribes manage land, enterprises, and natural resources within a reservation area in central and western Oklahoma, engaging in economic ventures including tribal enterprises analogous to those of the Cherokee Nation and Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, gaming operations regulated by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, agricultural activities, and resource leases overseen in coordination with the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Department of the Interior. Land tenure issues have involved allotment-era records and land claims adjudicated by the Indian Claims Commission and the Court of Federal Claims. Economic development partnerships have been formed with state authorities such as the Oklahoma Tax Commission and federal programs from the Small Business Administration.

Language and Education

Language revitalization for Southern Cheyenne language and Southern Arapaho language is pursued through immersion programs, curricula influenced by standards like those from the Department of Education (United States), and collaborations with universities such as University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. Educational efforts respond to historical impacts of boarding school policies exemplified by Carlisle Indian Industrial School and contemporary statutes including the Every Student Succeeds Act. Tribal education departments administer scholarships, adult language classes, and cultural curricula, while partnering with institutions like Bureau of Indian Education schools and local school districts.

Health and Social Services

Health services are provided via tribal clinics and programs working with the Indian Health Service, addressing issues similar to those faced by other tribes such as the Pueblo of Zuni and Hopi Tribe, including chronic disease management, behavioral health, substance use treatment, and elder care. Social services coordinate with federal welfare programs under the Department of Health and Human Services and initiatives funded through the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Emergency response, maternal-child health, and public health outreach often operate in partnership with county health departments and regional health centers.

Contemporary Issues and Relations

Current priorities include sovereignty assertions, resource development, cultural preservation, legal jurisdiction matters influenced by cases like McGirt v. Oklahoma, intergovernmental compacts with the State of Oklahoma and extraterritorial relations with neighboring nations such as the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Comanche Nation, and Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. The Tribes engage in regional economic initiatives, language revitalization efforts comparable to those of the Yakama Nation and Tlingit communities, and federal policy advocacy before bodies like the United States Congress and agencies including the Department of the Interior. Ongoing challenges involve land trust management, healthcare access, educational attainment, and cultural transmission in the context of federal Indian law and regional politics.

Category:Native American tribes in Oklahoma