Cheyennes

The Cheyennes are a nation Amerindian Large Plains, the allied of Arapaho S and generally combined close relations Lakota S (Sioux). They are one of most famous and important tribes of the Plains. In their native tongue, they name “Tsitsistas”. The Cheyenne nation is made up of the union of two tribes, Tsitsistas and Sotaae' O. It included ten bands, whose territories extended on the unit from the Large Plains, of the south of the Colorado to the Black Hills in the South Dakota. At the beginning of the XIXe century, the tribe separated in two groups: that of the south remaining close to the Platte river and that of north living close to Black Hills near the Lakotas tribes.

Cheyennes of the Montana and the Oklahoma spoke both the language cheyenne, with only some elements of vocabulary differentiating the two groups. The language cheyenne is a tonal Langue belonging to the great group of the Langues algonquiennes.

History

General

In 400 years, Cheyennes had to adapt to four different lifestyles. Firstly, they lived in the wooded areas of the east and were sedentary people and farmer, planting Maïs, Haricot S and wild Riz. Then they lived in current the Minnesota and South Dakota, where they continued to cultivate and began with Chasse R the Bison of the Large Plains. At the time of the third time, Cheyennes gave up their sedentary lifestyle and farmer to become a tribe of the plains with whole share. The last phase is that of the reserve.

Indian wars

At the time of the Indian Wars, Cheyennes were the victims of the Massacre of Sand Creek during which the militia of Colorado killed 150 Cheyennes, including at least 50 civilians. Early the morning of November 27th, 1868 began the Bataille Washita River when the lieutenant-colonel of the Armée with the United States George Armstrong Custer carried out 7th cavalry in the attack of a band of Cheyennes culprits of raids directed by the chief Black Kettle. 148 Cheyennes were killed, including approximately 20 women and children. Cheyennes of North, and some Cheyennes of the South took part in the Bataille of Little Bighorn (June 25th, 1876). With Lakotas and a small band of Arapahos, they destroyed George Armstrong Custer and her quota close to the river Little Bighorn. One estimates the population of the camping of Cheyennes, Lakotas and Arapahos close to the place of the battle with approximately 10.000; what would make of it the largest Amerindian gathering in North America before the generalization of the reserves.

After the Battle of Little Bighorn, the attempts of the army étatsunienne to capture Cheyennes intensified. A group of 972 Cheyennes was off-set in the Indian Territoires of Oklahoma in 1877. Over there, the living conditions were terrible, Cheyennes of North not being accustomed to the climate, and soon much were reached of Malaria. In 1878, the two main leaders, Little Wolf and Morning Star (Dull Knife), claimed the release of Cheyennes so that it can turn over towards north. The same year, a group from approximately 350 Cheyennes left the Indian Territories in direction of the north, carried out by these two chiefs. The soldiers of the army and the civil volunteers, of which one estimates the full number at 13.000, were quickly with their continuation. The band separated quickly in two groups. The group carried out by Little Wolf turned over in Montana. The band of Morning Star was captured and escorted in Fort Robinson, in Nebraska, where she was sequestered. One ordered to them to turn over to Oklahoma, which they refused promptly and firmly. The conditions became increasingly difficult with the end of the year 1878, and soon Cheyennes were confined in their districts, without food, neither water, nor heating.

In January 1879, Morning Star and its companions escaped from Strong Robinson. The majority were cut down while fleeing of the fort. One estimates at 50 the number of survivors, who joined other Cheyennes of North in Montana. Thanks to their determination and with their sacrifice, Cheyennes of North gained the right to remain in north close to Black Hills. In 1884, by order of the executive, a reserve intended for Cheyennes of North was established in the south-east of Montana. This reserve was extended in 1890, to extend from the reserve crow in the west in Tongue River in the east.

See too

Reading

John Stands in Timber (2006). Of Cheyenne Memory. Life and History of my people. Albin Michel (Paris), collection Indian Ground: 406 p.
Jim Fergus: Thousand White Women (2000), Translated into French by Jean-Luc Piningre, Pocket Collection, number 11261,505 pages

External bonds

Cheyenne - Joshua Project

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