CROW TRIBE

THE CROW TRIBE LIVES ON A RESERVATION OF A MILLION ACRES IN SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA. THEY HAVE 7000 FOLKS LIVING ON THE RESERVATION AND 3000 LIVE OFF THE RESERVATION. THEIR ANCESTORS CAME FROM A LAND OF MANY LAKES BY THE MISSISSIPPI. THEY LIVED ON EARTH LODGES. FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO THE PEOPLE DIVIDED INTO THREE FACTIONS. IN 1743 THEY FIRST MET FRENCH CANADIANS. DURING THE 1850'S THEY WERE GREATLY AFFECTED BY SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC. BY 1882 AN ACT OF CONGRESS REDUCED THEIR LAND HOLDING AND THE GOVERNMENT PAID THEM MONEY FOR LAND HOLDING AND THE GOVERNMENT PAID THEM MONEY FOR THEIR LAND. IN 1962 THEY FILED A CLAIM AND WENT TO COURT AND WERE AWARDED $10 MILLION FOR THE LAND THE GOVERNMENT TOOK. TODAY 2 - 3 FAMILIES LIVE IN ONE HOUSE AND THEY HAVE ABOUT 11200 HOUSES THAT NEED UPDATING. THEY HAVE A COLLEGE AND A VARIETY OF SCHOOLS. THEIR MAIN EMPLOYERS ARE THE BIA, INDIAN HEALTH AND COAL MINING, EDUCATION RESOURCES. THEY BUILT A BEAUTIFUL LAKE IN A SCENIC CANYON. THEY HAVE POWWOWS AND INDIAN RELAY RACES. AND BUILT TIPIS AND HAVE FEASTS. IN 2000 THERE WERE 7000 CROW PEOPLE. THEY ARE A MIXTURE OF DAKOTA AND LAKOTA SPEAKING SIOUX WHO SETTLED ON THE RESERVATION AND WERE EXILED FROM MINNESOTA IN 1862. THEIR SIOUX NAME WAS APASAALOOKE - FRENCH FOR "CHILDREN OF THE LARGE BEAKED BIRD". THIS BIRD USED TO RESEMBLE A BLUE BIRD. THERE MAIN FOOD WAS BISON, MOUNTAIN SHEEP, DEER, AND OTHER GAME. BUFFALO MEET WAS ROASTED OR BOILED WITH TURNIPS. ALL OF THE ORGANS WERE DELICACIES. PEMMICAN WAS DRIED MEAT WITH GROUND UP FAT AND BERRIES. THE CROW GAINED HORSES BY 1914. THEY HAD MORE THAN ANY OTHER PLAINS TRIBES - ABOUT 30 - 40,000! THE CROW WERE CONSIDERED NOMADIC. THEY WERE CONSIDERED NOMADIC. THEY HAD MORE HORSES THAN ANY OTHER PLAINS TRIBE -ABOUT 30 TO 40,000! THE CROW WERE CONSIDERED NOMADIC. THEY WERE MATRILOCAL AND THE THE HUSBAND MOVED INTO THE HIS WIFE'S MOTHER'S HOUSE. WOMEN HAD SIGNIFICANT ROLE. THEY HAVE A DOCUMENTARY FROM 2007 THAT EXPLAINS THEIR ANCIENT AND SACRED SUN DANCE CEREMONY. WIKIPEDIA.COM OPI.MT.GOV