ARAPAHO INDIANS

THE NATIVES HISTORICALLY LIVED ON THE PLAINS OF COLORADO AND WYOMING. SINCE 1778 THE NORTHERN ARAPAHO LIVED WITH THE SHOSHONE ON THE WIND RIVER RESERVATION. THE SOUTHERN ARAPAHO LIVE IN OKLAHOMA. BOTH ARE MEMBERS OF FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES. THERE IS NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE TO TELL US WHEN THEY ENTERED THE GREAT PLAINS. THEY TRADITIONALLY LIVED IN TIPIS AND WOMEN MADE THEM FROM BISON HIDE. AN ENTIRE VILLAGE COULD PACK UP THEIR BELONGINGS AND BE READY TO LEAVE IN AN HOUR. IN WINTER THEY HAD SMALL CAMPS SHELTERED IN FOOTHILLS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. IN LATE SPRING THEY MOVED OUT ONTO THE PLAINS INTO CAMPS TO HUNT BUFFALO. THEY RETURNED TO THE PLAINS IN THE LATE SUMMER FOR CEREMONIES AND COLLECTIVE HUNTS. THEY BECAME GREAT TRADERS AND OFTEN SOLD FURS TO OTHER TRIBES AND NON INDIANS. THERE NAME MEANT TRADERS. IN 1864 A SMALL VILLAGE OF CHEYENNE AND ARAPAHO WERE ATTACKED BY THE UNION ARMY, WHICH IS KNOWN AS SAND CREEK MASSACRE. THE GOVERNOR OF COLORADO WANTED THIS RICH RESOURCE AREA. THEY FORMED A TREATY TO TAKE LAND AWAY FROM THE INDIANS. SEVERAL INDIAN WARRIORS WERE KILLED. A COLONEL ATTACKED PEACEFUL ELDERS, WOMEN AN CHILDREN AND HE WAS RELIEVED OF HIS DUTIES. THE NORTHERN ARAPAHO OPERATED THE FIRST CASINO IN WYOMING. WIKIPEDIA.COM