What's in a Name? Can Native Americans Control Outsiders' Use of their Tribal Names? | Cultural Survival Cultural Survival Quarterly Magazine What's in a Name? Can Native Americans Control Outsiders' Use of their Tribal Names? In the United States, Native American names and symbols appear on many company products. Jeep Cherokee, Pontiac cars, Shawmut Bank, Mohawk Paper Company, Crazy Horse Malt Liquor and Sioux Industries are just a few examples. Indigenous names seem to be showing up more frequently, maybe a case of commercial markets following the renewed interest in Native peoples in the United States. Urban Outfitters, a national clothing and housewares chain selling to the youth market, recently named a marketing division the "Department of Anthropologie" and sells a line of housewares under the name, "Zuni," the name of a Pueblo Indian Nation. These practices are prevalent in particular industries. Many natural foods companies sell traditional indigenous foods (such as wild rice, blue corn and potatoes), using tribal names, pictures of Native peoples and symbols on product labels. Several cosmetics containing traditional Native plants and these products display similar advertising practices.

The Self-Help and New Age spiritual movements freely pick and choose among the great diversity of sacred Native beliefs, religions and ways of life, using indigenous names and symbols with their seminars, books and programs. Indigenous beliefs, names, symbols and practices clearly are worth money in the American marketplace. The market is so lucrative that companies frequently blur the line between authentic indigenous products and non-indigenous products. Hopi Blue Popcorn is a prime example of a company that has wrapped itself in Native American-ness. The Hopi Blue Popcorn label has a picture of Hopi women wearing traditional clothing and hair styles, working in a field with corn plants sowed several feet apart, a traditional Pueblo desert planting technique. The label copy tells a story that blue corn was grown by the Hopi and was an integral part of their religious life. Despite all these strong suggestions, there is no connection between the Hopi People and this product. The corn is not Hopi blue corn-it is not even blue corn. Instead, it is a hybrid of yellow and blue corn. The product is not sold by any Hopi and the popcorn probably isn't farmed in the way shown on the label.

Finally, the Hopi and the other Pueblos do grow blue corn and blue corn is sacred and part of their spiritual life. However, consumers reading this label could easily believe that this product contains Hopi blue corn, that the corn was grown by the Hopis, grown in the traditional way or that Hopis themselves sell this product. The names and symbols of indigenous groups may be among the few remaining resources or cultural properties of many indigenous societies. Can the unauthorized use of Native names and symbols be stopped? This article introduces some U.S. laws that Native American Nations, groups, companies and individuals may be able to use to stop outsiders from using tribal names and symbols on non-Native commercial products or from falsely claiming to sell a Native American product. This article focuses on trademark law, the federal Indian Arts & Crafts Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Food & Drug Act, and other state laws regulating trademarks, unfair competition, and consumer fraud and protection. TRADEMARK LAW The federal and state systems of trademark registration can be a powerful way for Native American Nations to register and protect their names - and to stop companies from using their names on products, such as the Jeep Cherokee.

trademark law regulates and protects the names and slogans that companies use to sell their products. A trademark is a name, a brandname, a group of words or symbols that companies use to identify their products and services. A trademark is like a brand on cattle; it identifies where a product is front and the company that sells it. Coca Cola is a trademark and property, as is the name Cultural Survival. If someone uses your trademark on their products without permission, you can sue them for infringement, get a court order to make them stop and pay money as damages. To show a word is a trademark, a company will put a small "TM" (sometimes in a circle) next to the word. If the word is registered with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, a small "R" in a circle may be shown. Not all words can be trademarked. For example, under the U.S.

Trademark Act (the Lanham Act, 15 United States Code Section 1051 et.seq.), no one can trademark immoral or scandalous words, or words which bring people (alive or dead), institutions, beliefs or national symbols into "contempt or disrepute." Nor can words be trademarked which suggest a false connection with peoples, institutions, beliefs or national symbols. Flags, coats of arms or national insignias of any state, city or foreign nation cannot be trademark, nor can the names, portraits or signatures of a living person. There are other restrictions. It is another general rule that geographic names, like London or Egypt, cannot be trademarks, although this rule has been broken. Sometimes the courts allow a geographic name as a trademark if it has developed secondary meaning or the geographic name is arbitrary. (A trademark has secondary meaning when it gains strong name recognition with consumers.) Generic words cannot be used as trademarks. A generic trademark is a world for what a thing is. For example, if you were an auto mechanic, you cannot trademark the words, "Auto Mechanic." Descriptive words (words needed to describe a product) generally cannot be trademark, unless they develop secondary meaning.

Usually a person cannot trademark someone else's trademark, but this rule has many exceptions. Sometimes two companies can use the same trademark for similar products in different geographical areas or on two different products. Or sometimes two companies can use the same trademark with the same products but in different channels of trade. There are two central issues in trademark law. Will consumers be confused by use of the same or similar trademarks on different products? Which company used the trademark first? The likelihood of confusion and the date of first use are key questions in trademark disputes. Trademark are protected by federal law and each state has its own law protecting trademarks. Hence the legal protection given to a trademark depends on federal law and what state law apply to the trademark. It also depends on the trademark's strength - the stronger the trademark, the more protection it gets. Strengthen depends on many factors, such as the uniqueness of the word, the amount of sales, the geographic area of sales, consumer recognition, how different the trademark is, first use, how many companies use the trademark, advertising costs, length of use, etc. HOW DO WORDS OR SYMBOLS BECOME TRADEMARKS?

There are several ways to make a word or symbol into a trademark: 1) by using the trademark with a product and developing consumer recognition and trademark strength; 2) by registering the trademark with the US. Patent &Trademark Office or a state agency; and 3) (for Native Americans only) by registering a trademark through the Indian Arts & Crafts Board. Of these options, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registration gives the most effective legal protection under American law. Federal trademark registration puts all U.S. companies on national notice that a person has registered the trademark and gives the trademark a legal presumption of validity. Then, after 5 years, there are fewer ways to legally challenging a federally registered trademark. USE Native American tribes, companies, groups or individuals who have sold goods using tribal names can argue that their own use has established trademark rights in their names. But by simply relying on use, Native Americans (or companies) run the risk that other companies also are using the same trademark and developing legal rights to this trademark.

REGISTRATION UNDER THE INDIAN ARTS & CRAFTS ACT Although the federal Indian Arts & Crafts Act (25 United States Code Section 305 et.seq.) allows the federal Indian Arts & Crafts Board to register trademarks for Native Americans, the trademark itself is owned by the Board. However, in the 1970's the Board stopped registering and owning Native American trademarks. The Board believe that Native Americans, not the Board, should own the trademark. The Indian Arts & Crafts Board can help Native Americans register trademarks, but currently has no funding to help do this. So this Act, at this time, is not a very effective route for Native Americans to register their own trademark. The Act is helpful in that anyone who uses a Native American trademark without permission or falsely claims a product is Native American can be sued by either the U.S. Attorney General of Native Americans. FEDERAL TRADEMARK REGISTRATION To federally register a trademark, a simple application is filed with the Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), with a $200 fee for each class of goods the trademark is used in.

The PTO then looks at (or examines) the trademark to see if it is a generic word, descriptive, deceptive, if there are other registrations, etc. If the trademark is approved, the trademark is published in the Trademark Office Gazette for 6 months, giving people time to object to it by filing an opposition. If the trademark then gets final approval, the trademark is federal registered. In addition to regular trademarks, collective or certification trademark can be registered under the federal Lanham Act. Native American Nations and groups may be interested in registering a collective or certification trademark. A collective trademark shows membership in a particular group or that a product was made by members of a group, cooperative, association or other organization. Collective trademarks are owned by the group, not a person or company, Professional Golfers Association is a collective trademark. Certification trademarks are somewhat different, although sometimes it is hard to see the differences between collective and certification marks. A certification mark cannot be used by its owner. Instead. the owner of the trademark allows others to use their trademark - but only if certain standards are met. The standards can be for quality, ways the products are made, national origin, if the product helps the environment, contains certain materials, etc.

The Good House-Keeping Seal of Approval is a certification trademark. Native American tribal councils, co-operatives or business groups could register a collective trademark using their tribal name and only allow members of their tribe or association to use the collective trademark. It a certification trademark is registered, only people meeting the certification standards for authenticity, quality, use of traditional ingredients or methods for making goods or preparing foods, etc., should be allowed to use the certification trademark. GROUNDS FOR CHALLENGING A TRADEMARK Anyone who believes that he would be damaged by a trademark registration can file a legal challenge to a trademark. The type of challenge depends on where a trademark is in the federal registration process. If a company has just applied to register a trademark using a Native American name, Native Americans can simply wife a protest letter to the PTO objecting to the application. If the Trademark Office has given conditional approval to the trademark application and proval to the trademark application and published the trademark in its Gazette, Native Americans have 6 months to file a formal opposition. If the trademark gets final approval, a petition to cancel the registration can be filed. At the application stage, there are more legal grounds (or reasons) for challenging a trademark.

Native Americans may be able to file petitions to oppose a registration for a tribal name using many of these grounds. For example, Native Americans might file an opposition if: 1) they are the first users of the word in commerce; 2) the trademark is a name used by tribal businesses, organizations or religious groups; 3) the trademark uses the name or insignia of their Nation; 4) it is morally offensive and scandalous to them to have their names listed on a beer can, a pick-up truck or a home heating oil company' 5) the public will confuse this trademark and product with tribal goods; 6) the trademark is misdescriptive or deceptively misdescriptive in that it will lead consumers into thinking that the products if from the tribes;7) the trademark suggests a false connection with the tribe, tribal groups, religious institutions, beliefs or national symbols; 8) the trademark is the name of a person living or dead, a geographic place or nation. These are just some reasons for a challenging. If the PTO allows the trademark to be registered, a petition to cancel the trademark can be filed on these same grounds for the first 5 years.

After five years, a petition to cancel a trademark can be field for fewer reasons because it has become incontestable. An incontestable trademark cannot be challenged because it is descriptive, likely to create confusion or someone else used the trademark first. But an opposition still can be filed if the trademark; 1) is now a generic word, a coat of arms, flag or insignia of a state, city or foreign company; 2) the name of, picture of signature of a living persons; 3) is scandalous, immoral, deceptive or suggests a false connection with institutions, beliefs, persons (living or dead) or national symbols; 4) is a certification or collective mark being used incorrectly; 5) is a certification or collective mark being used in a way as to deceptively misdescriptive; or 6) is geographically mis-descriptive; or deceptive (on the date of registration), among other reasons. A registration also can be challenged if the owner has abandoned the trademark, lost control of it because too many people are using it without permission, or if he got the trademark through fraud.

For example, if the Hornell Brewing Company has a federal trademark registration for Crazy Horde for its malt liquor, members of Crazy Horse's tribe or other Native Americans could file a petition to cancel this registration on the grounds the registration is immoral, offensive or scandalous to Native peoples. This objection can always be raised. This is similar to the Senussi case, where the Trademark Office denied a trademark application for Senussi for cigarettes because it was scandalous to the Senussi Muslim sect which prohibited smoking as part of its religious practices. In re Reemtmsa Cigaretten-fabriken GambH, 122 U.S.P.Q. 339 9TTAB 1959). OTHER CHALLENGES A company using a Native American tribal name as a trademark also might be challenged under the Lanham Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) and state laws that regulate trademarks and unfair competition (the rules for what businesses can and can't I do in the marketplace). Both the Lanham Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act regulate how companies compete against each other.

The Federal Trade Commission, in particular, defines unfair competition very broadly as acts that offend public policy; violate a common law, statutory or established concept of fairness; are immoral, unethical unsecrupulous, oppressive, or unsecurmpulous; or that cause substantial injury to consumers. (The FTC Act is discussed in more detail later.) Violations of either act could occur if non-Native companies sell products which directly claim, strongly suggest or may mislead the public into believing they are selling authentic Indian products. The common law and statues of many states have similar laws against unfair competition and trademark infringement. (Common law is the law made by judges' decisions, not by the statues passed by state legislatures.) Possible claims under these laws include: trademark infringement, getting a federally registered trademark by fraud, false advertising, false designation of origin, false description, planning off, dilution of trademark and goodwill, and other forms of unfair competition 9such as deceptive trade practices, misbranding of goods, or misappropriation of some concrete business right of plaintiff that is not protected by traditional trademark or copyright law but which constitutes unfair competition). Whether these laws apply will depend on the facts in the situation.

ACTS SPECIFICALLY PROTECTING NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL NAMES & PROHIBITING MISLABELING PRODUCTS AS INDIAN The federal Indian Arts & Crafts Act and several state statues directly prohibit companies from falsely claiming that their products are authentic Native American goods. Under these laws a non-Native company selling a product which (through its name, label pictures, symbols or copy or other advertising) falsely claims to be an authentic Native product - or strongly suggests this - could be sued under these acts. The federal Indian Arts & Crafts Act is a strong statute since anyone falsely selling goods as Indian can be sued, either by the US. Attorney General or Native Americans. No trademark has top be involved. The Indian Acts & Crafts Act authorizes the U.S. Attorney General to bring civil or criminal charges against anyone who... "offers or displays for sale or sells a good with or without a Government trademark, in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe of Indian arts and crafts organization ..." 7(15 U.S.C.

Section 305e.) Civil suits against violators can be field by Native American Nations, individuals or any tribal arts and crafts organization. Violators can be forced to pay triple damages or up to $1,000 for each day they sold the false products. There may be a question under this Act about what is an "Indian product." Since the Act is generally directed at arts and crafts, the coverage of this Act might be limited to inauthentic Native American arts and crafts. Thirteen states have statues similar to the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act. These states are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South dakota and Texas. LAWS PROTECTING CONSUMERS FROM COMPANIES & COMPANIES FROM EACH OTHER Other federal acts and state laws protect consumers from the unscrupulous practices of businesses and may be helpful to Native Americans dealing with companies selling false Native American products or products using tribal names. On the federal level, the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act each protect consumers from mislabeled products and from fraudulent and misleading product labels.

Clearly, when companies use Native American names and symbols on their products, they can mislead consumers into believing these products are from Native Americans. FTC ACT The Federal Trade Commission Act outlaws unfair competition, false advertisement, and unfair or deceptive acts and practices which affect commerce and consumers. (15 United States Code Sections 45 & 52). These terms are broadly defined. Consumer unfairness occurs when consumers are harmed, or by acts which violate public policy or are unethical and unscrupulous. Deceptive practices are representations, omissions or practices that are likely to mislead and harm consumers. The Federal Trade Commission has already ruled against several companies selling products using Native American tribal names and symbols. In Bloom Brothers (23 F.T.C. 1157, Stipulation 1862 (Nov. 5, 1936), the company put pictures of Native Americans and scenes from their lives, such as wigwams, canoes, feathered head-dresses and typical decorative work, in their sales catalogue.

The FTC ruled the Bloom Brothers could not use these pictures unless their catalogue had "appropriate language, clearly indicating that the article so described is not made by American Indians but is manufactured by others than such Indians." Also, they could not use the words "Indian" and "Indian bracelet" in their ads. Another FTC decision, In re Colorado Saddlery Company (62 F.T.C. 663 (1963), stopped a company from using the tribal name "Comanche" and the words "Indian" and "Sun Dance" with blankets. These ads were found to be false and misleading. In G&G Mfg. & Souvenir Co. (62 F.T.C. 663 (1963), the FTC found the G&G Manufacturing Company misled the public about the materials, workmanship and origin of the products it sold under the designation, "Indian Goods." To go to the Federal Trade Commission, a complaint is filed with the FTC. not in a court. Anyone can file a complaint and there is no specific form.

The complaint simply should explain the violation, give supporting information or evidence and include the name and address of the person filling a complaint to the FTC is getting the FTC to act, because of the number of complaints they receive. However, the FTC is under a statutory requirement to issue a complaint if it is in the public interest. So the FTC's failure to act can be appealed and reviewed under the federal Administrative Procedures Act. Also, anyone can petition the FTC to pass regulations. So Native American groups might want to petition the FTC and ask it to establish rules prohibiting the use of indigenous names and symbols on products sold by non-Native companies. FOOD, DRUG & COSMETIC ACT v The Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (21 United States Code Section 331), prohibits the sale of delivery of misbranded or adulterated foods, drugs or cosmetics. One of the Act's goals is "to prevent injury to health and deception by putting words ... on labels which may naturally lead a purchaser into believing that he is getting one thing when in reality he is getting another." (United States v. 150 Cases of Fruit Puddine, 211 F. 2d 360, 363 (D.

Mass 1914.) A misbranded product is one which; 1) has a false or misleading label; 2) is offered for sale under the name of another product; 3) misrepresents the identity of the food or ingredients, or the product's quality, purity, freshness, grade or naturalness; 4) misrepresents the product's place of origin or geographic original; or 5) is an imitation of another food. Adulteration can occur when a manufacturer deletes or substitutes one ingredient for another or deceives consumers about quality or value. This Act may help Native Americans. For example, Hopi Blue Popcorn appears to violate the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, since it does not contain true blue corn and its label strongly suggests it is made by the Hopi or from the Hopi reservation. Like the FTC Act, complaints about a food or cosmetic are filed with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). A complaint petition must state the action requested, reasons for the request, any environmental or economic impact, and a certification that the statements are true. People also can petition the FDA to pass regulations, set food standards or standards of identity.

Unfortunately, the FDA is not required to respond complaints and it can take years for it to adopt rules. Since the FDA is most likely to act if it feels there is widespread problem, a good strategy might be for Native American Nations and groups to file complaint petitions together - or jointly ask the FDA to pass regulations, create food standards or identity standards for Native Americans foods, such as wild rice and blue corn. Although the FDA focuses primarily on health issues, if the FDA sees the mislabeling of Native products as a serious problem, the agency could ask the FTC to act, (A violation of the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act also is a violation of the FTC Act.) OTHER STATE LAWS Many states have laws similar to the Food. Drug & Cosmetic Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act which protect the public (and companies) from improper label and advertising claims. Almost all states have broad and powerful consumer protection laws that could be used against companies making (or strongly suggesting) false claims of Native American-ness. Also, all all states have civil and criminal laws against fraud. CONCLUSION When companies use Native American names to sell their non-Native products they harm members of that Nation other Native Americans, consumers and Native American companies trying to succeed in the American market.

The laws briefly discussed in this article may help stop these practices. It is critical to remember there is no way to predict the outcome of using any of these laws. Courts apply the same laws differently and often legal opinions contradict each other. Native Americans Nations may want to consider whether a new federal law is needed to specifically outlaw the use of Native American names and symbols on non-Native products. Article copyright Cultural Survival, Inc. CSQ Issue: Original Tribal Names Atikamekw , also T�te-de-Boule (French translation.) Baxoje/Pahoja ("gray snow") Ioway (from a word in their language meaning "sleepy," unclear how this came to be a tribal name.) Beothuk (possibly "kinfolk") Unfortunately the Beothuk are extinct today. They were more commonly known as Red Indians (English, after their extensive use of red ochre dye.) Bode'wadmi ("firekeepers," traditional religious role) Potawatomi , from tribal name. Chahta (the name of a legendary tribal chief) Choctaw , from tribal name. Chikasha (the name of a legendary tribal chief) Chickasaw , from tribal name.

Dakelh ("water travelers") Carrier (English translation of the Sekani name for them, referring to the tribe's mourning ritual.) Dakota ("the allies.") Band names include Sisseton ("marsh dwellers,") Wahpeton ("forest dwellers,") and Yankton ("living far away.") Dakota Sioux ("Sioux" comes from an Ojibwe word meaning "little snakes.") Degexit'an ("people of this land") Ingalik (from an Inuktitut word for "Indian people.") Dena'ina ("the people") Hare (English, from tribal name.) Kwakwaka'wakw ("speakers of our language") Kwakiutl , from one of their band names. Illiniwek ("the best people").

A band name still in use today is Peoria ("backpack people.") Illini or Illinois Indians (English and French corruptions of tribal name.) Innu ("the people") Innu , also Montagnais (French word for "mountain people") and Naskapi (band name, means "bad dressers" in the Innu language.) Inuit ("the people") Inuit , also Eskimo (from a Cree name for the Inuit meaning either "raw meat eaters" or "snowshoe lacers." ) Iyiniwok/Ininiwok ("the people") or Nehiyawok ("Cree speakers") Cree (from the French word for the tribe, Kristeneaux, of uncertain origin.) Kadohadacho ("true chiefs"/"sharp") or Hasinai ("our own people") Caddo , from tribal name. Kanienkehaka ("people of the flint") Mohawk (from an Algonquian word meaning "man-eaters,") also Iroquois (from an Algonquian word meaning "real snakes.") Kanonsionni ("people of the longhouse"), more recently Haudenosaunee.

Iroquois Confederacy (from an Algonquian word meaning "real snakes.") Karok ("upriver") Kiwigapawa ("wanderer," in Shawnee; the Kickapoos split off from the Shawnee tribe.) Kickapoo , from tribal name. Lakota ("the allies") or Teton ("prairie dwellers.") Lakota Sioux ("Sioux" comes from an Ojibwe word meaning "little snakes.") Lenape ("the people"), Lenni Lenape ("true people") Delaware (after the English name for the Delaware River, named after a British nobleman.) L'nu'k ("the people"), Mi'kmaq ("my friends") Menominee (from an Ojibwe word meaning "wild rice people.") Meskwaki ("red earth people") Fox Indian (possibly an English translation of a clan name). Mikasuki ("boar clan") Miccosukee , from tribal name, also Seminole (from a Spanish word meaning "wild.") Minisink ("rocky land") Mohingan ("wolf"--this was probably originally a clan name and became a tribal name later) Mohegan , sometimes mistakenly called Mohican by non-Indians.

Muheconneok ("Running Waters," name of a river in their homeland) Mohican , or Stockbridge Indians (the name of a town they settled in temporarily). Muskogee (meaning not known, may originally have been a Muskogee chief's name) Creek (after the English name for a river in their homeland), also Seminole (from a Spanish word meaning "wild.") Myaamia ("allies") Miami or Maumee, from tribal name. Nakoda ("allies") Assiniboine (from an Algonquian Indian word meaning "cooks with stones," or Stoney (English word with the same idea). Nanigansek ("Small Point," a geographical location in their homeland) Narragansett , from tribal name.

Apache (from a Zuni word for "enemy.") Niukonska ("middle water") Osage (from Wazhazhe, a band name.) Numakiki ("people") Mandan (from a Sioux word for "riverbank people.") Numinu ("the people") Comanche (from a Ute word meaning "they fight with us.") Nuutsiu or Nunt�zi ("the people") Ute (probably a corruption of their tribal name; it does not mean "mountain" as is popularly believed) Nuxbaaga ("original people") Hidatsa (from the name of a village), also Gros Ventre (French for "big belly," unclear why they called them this) and Minitari (from a Mandan word for "across the water.") Odawa ("traders") Ottawa , from tribal name (the Canadian city is named after this tribe.) Olekwo'l (the people) Yurok (from a Karok word for "downriver.") Onandowaga ("people of the mountain") Seneca (possibly corrupted version of an Onandowaga village name, Osininka).

Also Iroquois (from an Algonquian word meaning "real snakes.") Onundaga'ono ("people of the hills") Onondaga , from tribal name. Also Iroquois (from an Algonquian word meaning "real snakes.") Onyota'aka ("people of the standing stone") Oneida , from tribal name. Also Iroquois (from an Algonquian word meaning "real snakes.") Panawahpskek ("Rocks Spread Out," geographical location in their homeland) Penobscot , from tribal name. Passamaquoddy , from tribal name.

Powhatan ("falling water," the name of their principal village) Powhatan , though many tribes of the old confederacy have returned to using their own names (Pamunkey, Mattaponi, etc.) Qwulhhwaipum ("prairie people") Klickitat (from a Chinook word for "beyond the mountains.") Sahnish ("original people") Arikara (from a word in their own language meaning "horns," referring to a tribal hairstyle.) Schitsu'umsh ("the people found here") Coeur d'Alene (French for "awl heart," unclear exactly why they called them this.) Shawanwa ("southerner") Shuyelpee (name of a village) Colville , after the English name for a river in their territory. Siksika ("black foot," referring to their moccasin style.) Band names still in use today include Pikuni ("short robes") and Kainai ("many chiefs.") Blackfoot/Blackfeet (English translations of the tribal name.) The English also called the Kainai band the Bloods because of their red face paint.

Skarooren ("hemp gathererers") Facts for Kids: Illinois Indians (Illini) Illini Indian Fact Sheet Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the Illinis for school or home-schooling reports. We encourage students and teachers to look through our main Illini website for more in-depth information about the tribe, but here are our answers to the questions we are most often asked by children, with Illini pictures and links we believe are suitable for all ages. Sponsored Links Illini Tribe How do you pronounce "Illini?" What does it mean? Illini is pronounced "ih-LIE-nee," and Illinois is pronounced "ih-lih-NOY" (like the state, which is named after the tribe.) They are both European adaptations of the Illinois Indians' original word for themselves, Illiniwek (pronounced "ih-lih-new-eck,") which means "the best people." Where do the Illinois Indians live? The Illini were original inhabitants of modern-day Illinois , Indiana , Missouri , and Iowa . The Illini tribe was nearly wiped out by war in the 1700's, and the survivors had to move to Kansas and Oklahoma.

The Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma is made up of original Illinois Indians. How is the Illini Indian nation organized? The Peoria tribe of Oklahoma has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However, the Peorias are also US citizens and must obey American law. In the past, each Illini village had its own chief and was independent of the others. Illini chiefs made joint decisions in long councils. Today, the Peoria tribe is governed by a council of elected officials. What language do the Illinois Indians speak? Illinois Indian people speak English today. In the past, the Illini spoke their native Miami-Illinois language. It has this long name because two tribes, the Miami and Illini tribes, spoke the same language with different accents--just like Americans and Canadians both speak English. The Illinois Indian language is not spoken anymore. However, the Miami and Peoria tribes are working together to teach their children the language again. If you'd like to know a few easy Illinois words, aya (pronounced ah-yah) means "hello" and niihka (pronounced nee-ka) means "friend." You can also see a Miami-Illinois picture glossary here .

What was Illini culture like in the past? What is it like now? Here is the homepage of the Peoria tribe, where you can learn about the Illini people past and present. Sponsored Links How do Illini Indian children live, and what did they do in the past? They do the same things all children do--play with each other, go to school and help around the house. In the past, Indian kids had more chores and less time to play, just like colonial children. But Illini children did have toys and games, like child-sized bows and arrows and corn husk dolls . Illini teenagers also liked to play lacrosse and other sports. As for babies, Illini mothers, like many Native Americans, traditionally carried their infants in cradleboards on their backs. Here is a website with Indian cradleboard pictures. What were Illini homes like in the past? The Illinis didn't live in tepees. They lived in villages of large rectangular houses with walls made of woven reeds. Today, Native Americans only build a reed house for fun or to connect with their heritage, not for shelter. Illinois Indians live in modern houses and apartment buildings, just like you. What was Illini clothing like?

Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint? Illini women wore skirts with leggings, and men wore breechclouts . The Illinis wore shirts in cool weather, but even in wintertime, Illini men didn't wear long pants. Illinois Indians also wore moccasins on their feet. Here are some photographs and links about Indian clothing in general. The Illini didn't wear war bonnets like the Sioux . Sometimes they wore a beaded headband with a few colored feathers in it. Illini women usually wore their hair in long braids. Illini men often shaved their heads in the Mohawk style and wore a porcupine roach. (These roaches are made of porcupine hair, not their sharp quills!) Here is a website with pictures of Native American hair . The Illini painted their faces for different occasions, and also tattooed themselves with more permanent designs. Today, some Illinois Indian people still have a traditional headband or moccasins, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead of breechcloths... and they only wear feathers in their hair on special occasions like a dance. What was Illini transportation like in the days before cars? Did they paddle canoes?

Yes, the Illini made dugout canoes by hollowing out large trees. Here is a website with information and pictures about American Indian boats . Over land, the Illini used dogs as pack animals. (There were no horses in North America until colonists brought them over from Europe.) The dogs carried backpacks or pulled wooden drag sleds called travois . Today, of course, Illinois Indian people also use cars... and non-native people also use canoes. What was Illini food like in the days before supermarkets? The Illini were farming people. The women did most of the farming, harvesting corn, beans, and squash. Illini men hunted deer, wild turkeys, and small game. Sometimes they would also have large communal buffalo hunts. Several Illini villages would get together and use a ring of fire to herd buffalo towards a group of hunters. Illini Indian food included soup, cornbread, and stews. Here is a website with more information about traditional Indian food. What were Illini Indian weapons, tools and artifacts like? Illini hunters and warriors used bows and arrows, spears, and clubs. Illini men would also use shields of buffalo hide to deflect enemy arrows.

Here is a website with pictures and information about American Indian weapons . What are Illini art and crafts like? The Illini tribe was known for their Native American quillwork , beadwork , and embroidery. Peoria Indians in Oklahoma still make beautiful beadwork today. What other Native Americans did the Illini tribe interact with? The Illinis traded with all the other tribes of the Great Lakes region, and sometimes with tribes who lived further away. Unlike their relatives the Miami Indians , the Illinis didn't have good relations with most of their neighbors. They fought with many tribes, including the Iroquois , Sioux , and Winnebago . In 1769, an Illinois Indian man who was working for the British assassinated the Ottawa leader Chief Pontiac. The angry Ottawas and all their allies attacked the Illinis and completely defeated them. After that, many Illinois Indian people banded together with the Miami tribes. The Peoria tribe today is still closely allied with the Miamis. What kinds of stories do the Illini tell? There are lots of traditional Illini legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the Illinois Indian culture. Here are four traditional legends and stories told by the Illini tribe.

Here's a website where you can read more about Illinois mythology . What about Illini religion? Religions are too complicated and culturally sensitive to describe appropriately in only a few simple sentences, and we strongly want to avoid misleading anybody. You can visit this site to learn more about Illini customs and religion or this site about Indian spirituality in general. Why are some American Indian people upset by the "Chief Illiniwek" mascot of the "Fighting Illini" sports teams? There are three main reasons. First, the Illini mascot wears Sioux clothes and accessories, which are different from actual Illini traditions. So the mascot is misrepresenting Native American culture. Second, many Native Americans think Chief Illiniwek is disrespectful of their religion because he mimics certain Indian religious gestures. Just like anyone else, Native Americans are sensitive about their religious beliefs. And third, many people think it is inappropriate to use a racial costume at all. Some Native Americans feel hurt and embarrassed when a white person dresses up as an Indian chief, just as some African-Americans feel hurt and embarrassed when a white person dresses up in blackface. Can you recommend a good book for me to read?

If you want to know more about Illini culture and history, two good sources for kids are Illinois Native Peoples and The Illinois Confederacy . Older readers may find useful information in the text Indian Villages of the Illinois Country . You can also browse through our Indian book recommendations in general. How do I cite your web site in my bibliography? You will need to ask your teacher for the format he or she wants you to use. The authors' names are Laura Redish and Orrin Lewis and the title of our site is Native Languages of the Americas. We are a nonprofit educational organization working to preserve and protect Native American languages and culture. You can learn more about our organization here . Our website was first created in 1998 and last updated in 2015. Thanks for your interest in the Illini Indian people and their language! Sponsored Links The Caddo Tribes The Caddo Tribes of Louisiana by Cody Crews English 210-003 May 2, 2012 The Caddo people are a group of Native American tribes that once inhabited the Piney Woods region of the United States.

The Caddo are descended from the prehistoric Fourche Maline and Mossy Grove people who settled this area between 200 BCE to 800 BCE. By 800 BCE these people formed the Caddoan Mississippians, and by 1000 BCE this society's ideas and religions evolved into what is defined as Caddoan. The Caddo people settled all along the Red River, dividing themselves into three confederations, the Hasinai, Kadohadacho, and Natchitoches, and branched out into many affiliated tribes. They covered parts of the following areas: Oklahoma (Kadohadacho) Southern Arkansas (Kadohadacho) Northwestern Louisiana (Natchitoches) In Louisiana they covered territory from the Ouachita River west to the Sabine River and south to the Cane River. The Caddo people of Louisiana include the Adai, Doustioni, Natchitoches, Ouachita, and Yatasi tribes. The Adai spoke their own language, which is now extinct. Their name is Caddo for 'brushwood'. Not much is known about the Doustioni.

They formerly lived on the Red River, but mysteriously abandoned their village and wandered for five years. They joined the Natchitoches confederation and resettled near the present day city of Natchitoches. The Natchitoches tribe settled around the Cane River. In 1700 they were joined by remnants of the Kadohadocho, who had suffered severe losses from wars with the Chickasaw. The Ouachita tribe settled near the Ouachita River and the Black River. They are known for their practice of burying horses. The Ouachita Mountains, the Ouachita River, and the Ouachita Lake are all named after the tribe. The Yatassi were settled south of modern day Shreveport. Their name is Kadohadacho for 'those other people'. The Yatassi fought the Kadohadacho with the Chickasaw. The Caddo have their own unique culture among other Native Americans. The word 'Caddo' comes from 'Kadohadacho', which means 'true chiefs'. The Caddo have their own language, Caddoan. The Caddo chiefs are called caddi.

The Caddo men were warriors and hunters, and the women farmed and cooked. The men wore breechcloths and cut their hair into a Mohawk style or a scalplock style. The women wore wraparound skirts and poncho tops made of deerskin. The Louisiana Caddoans lived in tall beehive shaped grass houses. They farmed beans, corn, pumpkins, and harvested berries and sunflower seeds. They hunted buffalo, deer, bear, and turkey. According to Caddo legend, the tribe originated from an underground cave near the Red River known as Chahkanina, which means 'place of crying'. They were led by a man named Moon, who instructed the people to not look back. A Caddo man carried with him a drum, pipe, and fire, and his wife carried corn and pumpkin seeds. When the people and animals emerged from the cave, the wolf looked back, and the entrance was sealed. They followed the Red River west, and a Caddo woman named Zacado taught the people how to hunt, fish, build homes, and make clothing. Works Cited

Question: What punk hairstyle was named after a Native American tribe?
Answer: Mohawk