Catawba
The Catawba tribe inhabited the Piedmont region of South Carolina. “Early Catawbas lived in villages which were surrounded by a wooden palisade or wall. There was a large council house in the village as well as a sweat lodge, homes, and an open plaza for meetings, games, and dances. The homes were rounded on top and made of bark. The dwellings were small with extended families living in a single structure. Catawbas were farmers. They planted crops like corn and squash along the banks of the river.”
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CHEROKEE
The Cherokee originated from what is now the southeastern United States, but were forced to relocate to Oklahoma in the mid 1800s. Prior to their forced removal, “the Cherokee Nation had a written language, a newspaper that was published in both Cherokee and English, and a constitutional government.”
“Today, the Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States with more than 430,000 tribal citizens worldwide. More than 141,000 Cherokee Nation citizens reside within the tribe’s reservation boundaries in northeastern Oklahoma.”
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CHICKASAW
The Chickasaw were originally from present-day North Mississippi, Northwest Alabama, West Tennessee, and Southwest Kentucky. The Chickasaw were part of the “Great Removal”, or “Trail of Tears,” where they were forced to leave their land and move west to Oklahoma.
They built some of the earliest schools, banks, and businesses in what was known as Indian Territory, in Oklahoma.
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CREEK
Like the Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Catawba tribes, the Creek – now known as the Muscogee Nation – originally hail from the southeastern United States, particularly Southern Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Northern Florida.
The Muscogee Nation is now part of the 5 Civilized Tribes that includes the Choctaw, Cherokee, Seminole, and Chickasaw nations. The Muscogee Nation is the fourth largest tribe today, with around 97,000 citizens.
Like other nations who were part of the “Trail of Tears,” the Muscogee (Creek) were removed from their homeland by the US Government and now reside in Oklahoma.
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DELAWARE
The Delaware Nation, or Lenape in their original language, is the oldest known Native American nation in the Northern Hemisphere.
They originate from present-day New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Today, they live in small communities all over the United States and Canada, with a larger community in Oklahoma.
The Lenape people were given the name Delaware by European settlers due to their proximity to the Delaware River, which was also named by settlers, and not the people who originally lived on that land.
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HURON
The Wendat-Huron nation was originally from Ontario, Canada, and was given the name Huron by French settlers. The name has to do with their style of hair at that time.
The Wendat-Huron lived in bark-covered longhouses that housed extended families all in one place.
As settlers began to encroach on their land, the Wendat-Huron drifted between parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ontario, Ohio, and Quebec. Eventually, they were forced to sell their lands and moved west to Kansas and Oklahoma.
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KICKAPOO
“The Kickapoo are a Woodland tribe, speaking an Algonquian language, and were related to the Sac and Fox.”
By the mid 1700s, the Kickapoo lived in two communities: one in Illinois along the Sangamon River, and the other in Indiana, east of the Wabash River.
As is true for most Native American communities, the Kickapoo were eventually forced to leave their native lands and migrated west. Today, there are Kickapoo communities in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and Mexico.
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MIAMI
The Miami, or Myaamia – meaning “downstream people,” lived in an assortment of villages along the Wabash River, from Fort Wayne to Vincennes, Indiana. They also inhabited land where the St. Joseph River meets Lake Michigan.
“Together these villages maintained a common language, hunting, farming, and cultural practices. They often came together to collectively defend themselves and negotiate peace with neighboring tribes and Europeans.”
The Miami were eventually forced to leave Indiana and the Upper Midwest and relocated for some time in Kansas before again being forced to relocate to Oklahoma. There, they became neighbors with other displaced tribes from the Midwest including the Wyandot, Peoria, Ottawa, Seneca-Cayuga, and Shawnee.
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MOHAWK
The Mohawk were part of the Iroquois Confederacy – a name which derives not from a native language, but from French settlers – and were the easternmost tribe of that confederacy. They lived near what is now Schenectady, New York.
Many Mohawk sided with the British during the American Revolution and subsequently migrated to Canada.
“Although they are involved in many professions, contemporary Mohawk people may be best known for their work on high steel construction projects, including the Empire State Building and the George Washington Bridge, both in New York City.”
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OSAGE
Very early records of the Osage indicate they were part of the Dhegiha Siouan language speaking tribes in the Ohio River Valley. By the time Europeans arrived, the Osage were living near what is now St. Louis, and along the Missouri and Osage rivers.
The Osage were forcibly removed from their homelands and made to relocate in Oklahoma.
OTTAWA
During the 18th century, the Ottaway slowly migrated from the Atlantic region of the US and Canada to the midwest, settling in what is now Ohio and Michigan.
They were part of the “Three Fires Confederacy” with the Ojibwe and Potawatomi.
They were forcibly removed from their land by the US Government and were made to relocate to Kansas.
Today, there are Ottawa communities in Michigan and Ontario.
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IOWA
The Iowa, or Ioway, lived primarily in the state now known as Iowa. “The Iowans call themselves Bah-Kho-Je which means grey snow, probably derived from the fact that during the winter months their dwellings looked grey, as they were covered with fire-smoked snow.”
Exploits in war were very important, and a man might change his name to reflect these exploits, thus an individual might have many names during his lifetime. The Iowa also have a great respect for the eagle, believing that this beautiful bird is the connection between the Tribe and God.
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MENOMINEE
The Menominee, an Algonkian-speaking people, are the only present-day tribe in Wisconsin whose origin story indicates they have always lived in Wisconsin. The Menominee refer to themselves as Mamaceqtaw (pronounced ma-ma-chay-tau), meaning “the people.” Other tribes called them Menominee (derived from manomin) – an Algonkian word for wild rice – because it is a major food source for the tribe.
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CAHOKIA
Over 1,000 years ago, Cahokia was a bustling city near present-day St. Louis. It was the largest Native American city north of Mexico, with about 120 earthen mounds used for ceremonies and homes. At its peak around 1100 AD, it covered over 4,000 acres and had nearly 20,000 residents—more than London at the time! The people farmed, especially corn, and built impressive structures like Monks Mound. Today, you can visit the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site to learn more about this ancient city.
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KASKASKIA
The Kaskaskia were part of the Illinois Confederation and lived along rivers in what is now Illinois. They were skilled hunters, farmers, and fishers, building bark-covered homes and growing crops like corn, beans, and squash. In the 1600s, they allied with French settlers. Over time, due to wars and forced relocations, many Kaskaskia moved west. Today, their descendants are part of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.
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MICCOSUKEE
The Miccosukee Tribe originally lived in the Southeast, including parts of Florida. They adapted to life in the Everglades, using dugout canoes and building chickees—open-air homes with thatched roofs. Despite efforts to relocate them, some Miccosukee remained in the swamps. Today, they have their own government, schools, and businesses in Florida, preserving their culture through language, stories, and ceremonies.
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PIANKASHAW
The Piankashaw were part of the Miami Confederacy, living along rivers in Indiana and Illinois. Their name means “those who split off,” as they formed their own group from the Miami people. They hunted deer and buffalo, farmed, and traded with French settlers. Over time, they lost land through treaties and war. Today, Piankashaw descendants are part of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.
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PEORIA
The Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma is a confederation of Kaskaskia, Peoria, Piankashaw and Wea Indians united into a single tribe in 1854. “The tribes which constitute The Confederated Peorias, as they then were called, originated in the lands bordering the Great Lakes and drained by the mighty Mississippi. They are Illinois or Illini Indians, descendants of those who created the great mound civilizations in the central United States two thousand to three thousand years ago.”
The city of Peoria, Illinois was named for the Peoria tribe, one of the five tribes of the Illinois confederacy, who long inhabited the area before European settlement. Peoria is one of the state’s oldest settled locations.
POTAWATOMI
The Potawatomi are an Algonkian-speaking tribe which has lived in the Great Lakes region for at least four centuries. “Oral traditions of the Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Ottawa assert that at one time all three tribes were one people who lived at the Straits of Mackinac. From there, they split off into three separate groups, and the Potawatomi were “Keepers of the Sacred Fire.” As such, they were the leading tribe of the alliance the three Indian nations formed after separating from one another.” The Potawatomi became trading partners and military allies of the French, fighting alongside them in many battles through 1712-1735.
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SENECA
In the Seneca language, the Seneca are known as O-non-dowa-gah, (pronounced: Oh-n’own-dough-wahgah) or “Great Hill People.” The Seneca relied heavily on agriculture for food, growing corn, beans, and squash. In addition to raising crops, the early Seneca were also subsistence hunters and fishers. “The Senecas were highly skilled at warfare, and were considered fierce adversaries. But the Seneca were also renowned for their sophisticated skills at diplomacy and oratory and their willingness to unite with the other original five nations to form the Iroquois Confederacy of Nations.” Language, song, art, dance, and sports are all vital aspects of Seneca culture.
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SHAWNEE
The Shawnee Tribe is an Algonquian-speaking people, who originally occupied lands in the Ohio Valley in the present day states of Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Indiana. The Shawnee were known for being fierce warriors, so other tribes would invite them to come and share their lands in return for protection.
Tecumseh was a Shawnee leader known for being a highly skilled warrior, orator, and advocate for protecting their land from the British. In 1808, Tecumseh and his brother, Tenskwatawa, also known as the “Prophet”, established a “headquarters” for the confederacy on the banks of the Tippecanoe River, the site of present day Prophets Town, Indiana. “On November 7, 1811, while Tecumseh was away, the alliance suffered a setback when Indiana Territory Governor William Henry Harrison attacked and defeated the “Prophet” and his men at Tippecanoe. But, Tecumseh persisted, and when the War of 1812 erupted, he led his forces to the support of the British and was rewarded with a regular commission as a brigadier general, having under his command some 2,000 warriors of the allied tribes. He was killed in the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813.”
EEL RIVER
The Eel River tribe was originally from northwest Indiana. They lived where the Eel River met the Wabash River in what is now Cass County. They also inhabited an area on Sugar Creek near what is now Thorntown, Indiana.
The Eel River were never a highly populated tribe, and eventually became part of the Miami Nation.
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ILLINOIS
The Illini were migratory people. They traveled from place to place as the seasons changed. They also moved to get away from other tribes who often attacked them. In the spring and summer they lived in large villages located along the banks of rivers. In the late summer and winter they divided into smaller bans and moved to hunting camps. The work of men was hunting and warfare. Men hunted buffalo, deer, bear, elk, and smaller animals. The bow and arrow and war club were the traditional weapons of the Illini. Women did most of the work in the villages. They built the homes. They prepared animal skins for clothing, robes, and blankets. They gathered firewood. They prepare the ground for the gardens. Women gathered nuts and berries, and also harvested crops such as squash, beans, and corn.
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ONEIDA
The Oneida Nation became the first ally to America when they joined the colonists in their fight for independence during the American Revolutionary War. Oneida Nation homelands originally consisted of more than six millions acres stretching from the St. Lawrence River to the Susquehanna River. Storytelling is an important component of the Oneida’s culture. These oral traditions and legends have been passed from generation to generation, teaching Oneidas how to live, act, and care for one another, as well as how to manage during the unpredictable seasons.
ONONDAGA
The Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca people had been warring against each other. The Haudenosaunee was founded at Onondaga after the Peacemaker visited these warring nations. The nations of the Haudenosaunee came together after agreeing to work together peacefully rather than continuing to battle each other. The Haudenosaunee is considered to be one of the oldest participatory democracies on earth, and provided an important structural model for the Founding Fathers developing the United States Constitution.
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PAWNEE
The Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma (Pawnee Nation) has a long and proud history spanning more than 700 years. The Pawnees, classified as a “friendly tribe” by the US Government, were men and women of great courage and endurance. Some of the Pawnee warriors’ battles fought to preserve lives, lands and possessions were considered legendary.
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PIMA
From the Southwest, the Pima were farmers who usually lived in a single location. They made small, one-room houses near rivers for irrigation. Because the Pima typically lived in one place, they created small towns and cities, and strong tribes and political organizations.
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WINNEBAGO
The Winnebago are originally from central Wisconsin and northern Illinois. After fighting with the Potawatomi, and battling through smallpox and measles epidemics, the Tribe lost most of its members.
They began signing treaties and losing land to the US Government in the 1820s and 1830s. They were moved west to Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota, before eventually re-settling to their current location in Nebraska.
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WYANDOT
The Wyandot people lived all over the upper midwest including Ontario, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In the 1700s, they settled in the southeast corner of Michigan, including in what is now Detroit.
In particular, the Wyandot of Anderdon Nation in Michigan is one of a handful of current Wyandot (or Wyandotte) tribes that exist separately, but with a shared history.
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Abnaki
The Abnaki people first lived in what is now upstate New York and New England, and later lived as far south as Delaware. They usually lived in small groups led by a chief who would utilize consensus-based decision making with the tribe. They farmed, fished, and hunted for food.
The Abnaki allied with the French against the English, and after several defeats, the dwindling number of Abnaki migrated to Canada.
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HOPI
The Hopi tribe has lived in the same region of the southwest – what is now Arizona – for the entirety of the tribe’s history.
They have continued to “live as peaceful and humble farmers respectful of the land and its resources,” even as outside influences have come and gone.
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Choctaw
The Choctaw people originally lived in the south and southeast, in Alabama and Missouri.
Today, they are the third largest nation in the United States with more than 200,000 members and 11,000 employees.
After they were forcibly removed from their land, they were part of the Trail of Tears and are now settled in Oklahoma.
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KIVA
Kiva is a Hope word that refers to small round and rectangular rooms in pueblos. These rooms were used for tribal rituals, political meetings, and casual gatherings.
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