ARAPAHO INDIANS

THE ARAPAHO IS AN IMPORTANT PLAINS TRIBE OF THE ALGONQUIN FAMILY AND ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHEYENNE FOR AT LEAST A CENTURY. THE SIOUX CALL THEM CLOUD MEN. THEY WERE A SEDENTARY AND AGRICULTURAL FORMING PEOPLE WHO LIVED NORTHEAST OF THE PRESENT VILLAGES IN RED RIVER VALLEY IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA.

THE NORTHERN ARAPAHO HAD ABOUT 6000 PEOPLE IN WYOMING ARE CONSIDERED THE NUCLEUS OR MOTHER TRIBE AND RETAIN THE SACRED TRIBAL ASSOCIATIONS. THE NORTHERN ARAPAHO MAKE LODGES ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE MOUNT AT THE HEAD OF NORTH PLATTE. AROUND 1840 THEY MADE PEACE WITH THE SIOUX, KIOWA, AND COMANCHE, BUT THEY ALWAYS WARRED WITH SHOSHONI, UTE, AND PAWNEE UNTIL THEY WERE CONFINED IN RESERVATIONS. IN 1867 THE TREATY OF THE MEDICINE LODGE PLACED THE SOUTH ARAPAHO WITH SOUTHERN CHEYENNE TO A RESERVATION IN OKLAHOMA. THIS RESERVATION WAS OPEN TO ANGLOS AS WELL THE NORTHERN ARAPAHO WERE PLACED ON WIND WIND RIVER RESERVATION. IN 1876. THERE WERE ABOUT 2200 IN 1904. THESE FOLKS ARE KIND AND ENJOY CEREMONIES AND THEY ARE BRAVE. THEY HAVE AN ANNUAL SUN DANCE. THEY DO BURY THEIR DEAD VERSUS CREMATION. THEY HAVE A MILITARY ORGANIZATION BUT NO CLANS. THEY DID NOT FIGHT ANGLOS.

THE ARAPAHO, AS DID MANY TRIBES, HAD MYTHOLOGIES ABOUT EARTH'S CREATION AND THE CREATION OF PEOPLE. THE FIRST PIPE KEEPER PUT DIRT IN HIS PIPE AND BLEW IT OFF IN FOUR DIRECTIONS. HE CREATED EARTH, SUN, MOON, AND MAN, WOMAN, ANIMALS AND PLANT LIFE. HE TAUGHT THE PEOPLE THE RELIGIOUS RITES THEY WOULD NEED.

THE ARAPAHO THANK THEIR PAST HEROES FOR SHOWING THEM HOW TO THRIVE. THEY WERE TAUGHT HOW TO MAKE AN ENCLOSURE TO TRAP BUFFALO, MAKE AND USE, BONE AND STONE TOOLS AND HOW TO HUNT. THEIR LIVES CYCLED THROUGH FOUR STAGES AND THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE AT EACH STAGE THEY BELIEVED IN REINCARNATION.

UNTIL 1730 THE ARAPAHO USED DOGS TO HELP TRANSPORT THEIR BELONGINGS AS THEY MIGRATED WITH THE BUFFALO HERDS. THE DOGS PULLED A TRAVOIS WITH THEIR RESOURCES. AFTER 1730 THEY RACED ON HORSEBACK SPEARING THE BUFFALO. THEY TRADED WITH VARIOUS TRIBES IN MISSOURI. BY THE LATE 1700'S THEY MET ENGLISH TRADERS IN CANADA.

BY 1820 THEY MADE AN ALLIANCE WITH CHEYENNE TO FIGHT THE SIOUX NORTH OF THE PLATTE RIVER. THEY MOVED THE KIOWA AND COMANCHE SOUTH OF ARKANSAS RIVER. THE TRADERS IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS CALLED THEM PEOPLE OF MANY TATTOOS, AS THEY HAD MANY CIRCULAR TATTOOS ON THEIR BODY.

THEY TRADED PEACEFULLY WITH ANGLOS AT TRADING POSTS IN THE TERRITORY. IN THE WINTER SMALL BANDS WENT INTO THE WINTERING AREA. IN THE SPRING THEY WOULD GATHER WITH THEIR VILLAGES.

ETHEL TAYLOR