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") 94 Interesting Facts about Native Americans | FactRetriever.com 94 Interesting Facts about Native Americans By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer Published September 15, 2016 The term “Native American” does not usually refer to Native Hawaiians or Alaskan Natives, such as Aleut, Yup’ik, or Inuit peoples.[1] Most indigenous people in the U.S. use “American Indian,” while most indigenous people in Canada use “First Nations.” “Native Americans” or “indigenous Americans” are often used for people in both countries.[2] Ishi (c. 1860–1916) is widely known as the “last wild Indian” in America. He lived most of his life outside modern culture after his tribe, the Yahi (of the Yana group) became extinct in the late 1800s because of the California Gold Rush. He lived alone in the wilderness after his family died.

In 1911, starving and with nowhere to go, he walked out of the wilderness into the town of Oroville, where he would be later studied by anthropologists.[14] The Sequoia tree is named in honor of the Cherokee leader Sequoyah, who helped his people develop an alphabet.[14] Even though more than 500 years have passed, the native people of the Americas are still often referred to as “Indians” The term “Indian” originated with Christopher Columbus who thought he had landed in the East Indies.

He called the indigenous people “Indians.”[4] Native Americans and First Nations people speaking a language of the Algonquian group were the first to meet English explorers and, consequently, many words from these languages entered English—for example, caribou (“snow-shoveler”), chipmunk (“red squirrel”), moccasin, moose, muskrat, opossum (“white dog”), papoose (“baby”), pecan (“nut”), powwow (“to dream, to have a vision”), raccoon, skunk (“to urinate” + “fox”), squaw, toboggan, totem, wigwam, and woodchuck.[10] The word “avocado” is Nahuatl, a Central Mexican/Aztec Indian language, for “testicle.”[10] Half of the names of U.S.

states are derived from Amerindian words, such as Arizona, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Missouri.[15] Many Native American words have entered the English language, such as chia, chili, chocolate, coyote, guacamole, mesquite, peyote, shack, tamale, tomato, abalone, bayou, cannibal, Chinook, manatee, poncho, and potato.[10] The word “barbecue” is from the Arawakan Indian language meaning “framework of sticks.”[10] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that Native Americans derive from the Middle East and were Jewish in origin. Native Americans are referred to as “Laminates” in their scripture called The Book of Mormon.[11] The Indian Citizenship Act (Snyder Act) of 1924 granted full U.S. citizenship to America’s indigenous peoples. It was enacted in part due to the recognition of thousands of Native Americans who served in WWI.[15] Native Americans have been living on the American continent since about 12,000 B.C. They were not a single nation but a rich variety of cultures, peoples, and languages.

Some historians believe people have been living in South America for more than 30,000 years.[2] In the early 1600s, five tribes who were former enemies formed the Iroquois Confederacy. An all-male council who was elected for life made decisions; however, women had the right to fire any councilor.[15] Many Native American tribes consider the eagle to be sacred Benjamin Franklin, coauthor of the Constitution, thought the idea of a government like the Iroquois Confederacy could be used by the English colonies. The eagle on the U.S. shield is the Iroquois bald eagle—also a symbol for the Iroquois.[14] The word “Sioux” was adopted by French explorers who picked it up from the Chippewa tribe. “Sioux” is the Chippewa word for “enemy,” who actually were the Lakota people. So the Sioux are actually the Lakota, a name that means, “Where the people of peace dwell.”[14] The Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, and Seminole tribes were called the “Five Civilized Tribes” by early white settlers.

They were considered more civilized because of the similarities between their cultures and those of the Europeans, such as planned villages and farms—and some Native Americans were wealthy enough to even own slaves.[14] Utah is named after the Utes, a people who lived on the edge of the Plains and the Great Basin. Oklahoma is from the Choctaw okla homma, which means “red people.”[14] In both the U.S. and Canada, governments sought to eradicate Native cultures and identities both militarily and through the aggressive assimilation regimes of boarding schools.[2] The Nez Perce people helped Lewis and Clark explore the Northwest Territory. They built canoes for them, drew maps of the rivers, and helped them reach the Pacific.[14] Sacagawea (1788–1812) was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who helped the Lewis and Clark expedition as an interpreter and a guide. She traveled thousands of miles with them from North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean between 1804 and 1806.[4] Some of the Plains tribes built scaffolding or used trees to hold a dead body above ground to protect it from wild animals while it decayed.

The Huron people placed the dead body in a coffin and kept it above the ground on poles for up to 12 years before the bones were buried.[14] Native Americans would use porcupine hairs to make hairbrushes. Sometimes a stick was cut into the right shape and frayed at the edges to make a toothbrush.[14] The Iroquois called maize, beans, and squash the “three sisters.” They were so important as sources of food that they were thought of as female sprits.[14] "Mohawk" means "man-eaters" The Mohawk hairstyle is named after the Mohawks, one of the tribes that made up the Iroquois nation. The Mohawk people also liked to keep one side of their scalp cleanly shaven while the other side was painted a bright color.[14] The elaborate eagle-feather headdress of the Lakota (Sioux), which reached from head to toe, could be worn only by a warrior who had proven his courage in battle.

Eagle feathers were high prized because they were thought to be full of spiritual power.[14] Some papooses (originally an Algonquian word) were built with sharp, projecting points so that if a papoose fell off while the mother was riding a horse, the points would stick in the ground and protect the baby.[14] A pregnant Iroquois woman would stop eating turtles so that her baby would not grow up clumsy on land, like a turtle. In Navajo communities, pregnant women would untie their braided hair and free animals like horses in hopes of creating free passage and safe birth for the baby.[14] When a Plains man killed his first buffalo, he would be given the tastiest part, the tongue. He was expected to decline the offer, however, and instead share it with his friends as a mark of generosity.[14] The Iroquois celebrated a winter festival similar to trick-or-treating. A small group of teenagers were led singing and dancing around the village by an older woman.

They stopped outside people’s houses and waited for presents to be brought out to them.[14] Some Native Americans created a “Cry Shed,” which was built of earth and represented the troubles and wishes of the community. It was set on fire, and as it burned, it was believed misfortunes were blown away on the wind and hopes were carried to the spirit world.[14] Probably the most painful Native American ceremony was the Sun Dance of the Plains people. This involved dancers having skewers implanted in their chest muscles and being attached by rope to the sacred cottonwood tree. In return for their pain, they hoped for a plentiful supply of buffalo.[1] The Green Corn ceremony is a harvest thanksgiving ceremony that took place, and still does, among Native Americans in the Southeast and Northeast. Thirty or more people dance in pairs, give thanks to the spirits, and then eat a large feast.[1] Totem poles often depict animals that are special to the family Native Americans of the Northwest like the Haida built totem poles as tall as 40 feet outside their homes to advertise their families’ status. The pole would usually depict animals or birds that were special to the family.

Totem poles were also built as a memorial to a family’s ancestors. Christians mistakenly thought that totem poles were statues of the gods.[14] Sand paintings are grains of colored sand that are painstakingly positioned to form a complicated design of geometric shapes and symbols. The most famous paintings are the sand paintings of the Southwestern Native Americans, such as the Navajo. They view the paintings as spiritual, living beings to be treated with respect.[14] Warriors of most Plains tribes thought that being able to touch an enemy during a raid without being touched in return was a great honor. This was known as a “coup” and was regarded more highly than actually injuring the enemy or even stealing his horse.[14] Approximately 22% of America’s 5.2 million Native Americans live on tribal lands.[8] Approximately 28.2% of American Indians are living below the federal poverty line.[8] The average life expectancy for Native Americans trails other Americans by almost five years.[8] Approximately 36% of Native peoples with heart disease will die before age 65 compared to 15% of Caucasians.[8] Americans Indians are 177% more likely to die from diabetes than non-Natives.

About 500% are more likely to die from tuberculosis, and 82% are more likely to die from suicide.[8] Native American infant mortality rates are 60% higher than for Caucasians.[8] Many Native American women were sharpshooters and able horsewomen.[14] Early settlers of the Americas had hunted horses to extinction thousands of years before the Europeans arrived. The reintroduction of horses by the Europeans dramatically influenced the American Indian culture. They used the horse for travel, hunting, and warfare.[14] Even though they were not citizens, over 8,000 Native Americans served during WWI.[4] Native American "code talkers" helped turn the tide of the war Over 24,000 Native Americans served during WWII. One of the most notable groups was the Navajo Code Talkers, who were a special group of volunteers who created an unbreakable secret code.[4] The U.S. army was defeated by a combined force of Lakota (Sioux), Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors at the Battle of Little Big Horn (Custer’s Last Stand).

The Native Americans were resisting government demands to move to reservations.[14] The last major battle between Native American Indians and the U.S. government occurred in 1890 at the Battle of Wounded Knee near the Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. An estimated 300 Sioux Indians were killed.[14] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the largest tribal groups in the U.S are the Cherokee, Navajo, Chippewa (Ojibwa), Apache, Choctaw, Iroquois, Lumbee, Pueblo, and Sioux (Lakota).[3] There are about 4.5 million people of Native American and Alaska Native heritage in the U.S. This group makes up about 1.5% of the U.S. population.[3] Most scientists believe that the ancestors of today’s Native Americans migrated from Asia to North America. It is purported that as many as 20,000 years ago, they walked across a land bridge that existed at today’s Bering Strait.[16] The first contact between Native Americans and European people occurred in the 11th century when Norse seafarers encountered indigenous people along the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

The Vikings called the Native American people skraeling, which means “barbarian” or ‘foreigner.’[9] Europeans introduced several new and fatal diseases to the Native Americans. The most well-known disease was small pox, which decimated the Native Americans. Others killers included cholera and measles.[9] Lacrosse received its name from the shape of the sticks originally used by Native American players Lacrosse was first played by people of the Southeast, especially the Choctaw. French settlers thought the stick looked like a Bishop’s crosier (hooked staff), so when they introduced it to Europe, they called it La Crosse, which became lacrosse.[14] The U.S. Congress passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830 that forced American Indians tribes to agree to cede land east of the Mississippi River. In 1838, the U.S.

military forced the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole Indians to walk from Georgia to Louisiana, which has become known as the “Trail of Tears.” Thousands of those who walked died from disease, starvation, and exposure to bitterly cold weather.[2] The Ghost Dance was a late addition to Native American belief systems, appearing around 1890. It was believed that the ritual dance would help restore the old way of life before the arrival of the Europeans. The dance promised the return of the buffalo and communication with the spirits of the dead.

Although the Ghost Dance was peaceful, army authorities outlawed its performance.[14] The top ten leading causes of death for Native Americans and Alaska Natives in 2010 were 1) cancer, 2) heart disease, 3) unintentional injuries, 4) diabetes, 5) chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, 6) chronic lower respiratory diseases, 7) stroke, 8) suicide, 9) nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis, and 10) influenza and pneumonia).[3] When Christopher Columbus reached the New World in 1492, there were between 2-18 million Native Americans living there. By 1900, conflict and disease reduced the population to about 250,000 in the U.S and 100,000 in Canada.[9] There are 566 federally recognized Native American tribes, in addition to an unknown number of tribes that are not federally recognized.[3] The projected U.S.

population of American Indians and Alaska Natives for July 1, 2060, is estimated to be 11.2 million, which will make up about 2.7% of the U.S population.[3] As of 2013, there were 14 states with more than 100,000 American Indian and Alaska Native Residents: California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Washington, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Alaska, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado, and Minnesota.[3] In 2013, the states with the highest percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native population were Alaska (14.3%), Oklahoma (7.5%), New Mexico (9.1%), South Dakota (8.5%), and Montana (6.8%).[3] The number of suicides of young Native Americans is more than 3 times the national average and up to 10 times the average on some reservations.

Researchers note that several factors contribute to the high rate, including poverty, unemployment, domestic violence, sexual assault, alcoholism, and drug addiction.[7] Native American young adults are twice as likely as any other ethnic group to die before the age of 24.[7] Approximately 28.2% of American Indians are living below the federal poverty line One quarter of Native American children live in poverty, compared to 13% in the United States. Native American teens graduate high school at a rate 17% lower than the national average while substance-abuse rates are higher.[7] Over 75% of residents on Indian reservations in the U.S. are non-Indians.[6] A young girl born on an Indian reservation has a 1 in 3 chance or higher that she will be abused during the course of her life. Native women experience the highest rates of assault of any group in the United States.

This is partly because of complex jurisdiction laws of non-Native Americans who persecute Native women on tribal lands.[6] The Battle of Kelley Creek, also known as Last Massacre, is considered to be one of the last known massacres between Native Americans and forces of the United States and a closing event of the American Indian warfare era. In 1911, a small group of Shoshones and Bannocks killed four investigative agents on a ranch.[14] “Geronimo” (1829–1909) means “one who yawns.” He helped the Apache defend their land against the encroachment of the U.S. on their tribal lands for over 25 years.[14] Sitting Bull (1831–1890) is one of the most famous Native Americans in history. He was a Hunkpapa Lakota medicine man who became famous for his major victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn. He later became friends with Annie Oakley, calling her “Little Sure Shot.”[14] Pocahontas (c. 1595–1617) was born Matoaka and was also known as Amonute.

The name “Pocahontas” (meaning “the naughty one” or “spoiled child”) was a childhood nickname that referred to her frolicsome nature. In her last days, she went by Rebecca Rolfe. The marriage between John Rolfe and Pocahontas was the first recorded interracial marriage in American history.[14] Several First Families in Virginia trace their roots to Pocahontas, such as Edith Wilson (wife of Woodrow Wilson) and Nancy Reagan.[14] The average African-American genome is 73.2% African, 24% European, and 0.8% Native American.

Latinos have an average of 18% Native American ancestry, 65.1% European ancestry, and 6.2% African ancestry.[16] Cher is one of many celebrities claiming to have Native American ancestry Many celebrities claim to have Native American ancestry, including Cher, Anthony Quinn, Ava Gardner, James Earl Jones, Lou Diamond Phillips, Anne Hathaway, Megan Fox, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Billy Bob Thornton, Bob Barker, Burt Reynolds, Johnny Depp, Rosa Parks, Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, Ludacris, Jimi Hendrix, the Jonas Brothers, Elvis Presley, and Oprah Winfrey.[5] Elizabeth Warren, a U.S. senator, claimed minority statues during law school, insisting she is 1/32 Native American.[13] Linguist Joseph Greensburg studied over 1,500 American Indian languages. He claimed that all could be placed into one of three groups.

His work, plus studies done on blood types and teeth, suggests that there were three separate migrations from Asia into the Americas.[9] Native Americans are more likely to be overweight or obese than their white, non-Hispanic counterparts.[8] “Alabama” is from the Alibamu, the name of the Muskogean tribe, meaning “those who clear land for agricultural purposes.”[12] “Arizona” is from the Papago word airzonac, which means “small springs.”[12] “Arkansas” is from the Quapaw, also known as the Akansea, a tribe whose name means “downstream people.”[12] “Dakota” is the tribal name of the Sioux, meaning “allies.”[12] “Illinois” is the French spelling of the term iliniwok, which means “superior men” or “warriors” in the Illinois and Peoria languages and is the name of the confederacy of the Algonquian tribes.[12] “Iowa” is the name of a Native American tribe meaning “sleepy ones.”[12] “Massachusetts” is the name of an Algonquian tribe meaning “at or about

 the great hill.”[12] "Kentucky" is one of the nearly half of U.S.

states' names derived from Amerindian words “Kentucky” is believed to be derived from the Native American word kenta, meaning “field” or “meadow.”[12] “Michigan” is from the Native American word michigamea, meaning “great water.”[12] “Mississippi” is from the Algonquian word misi, meaning “great,” and sipi, meaning “water.”[12] “Minnesota” is a Dakota word meaning “whitish or sky-tinted water.”[12] “Missouri” is from the name of a Native American tribe meaning “great muddy,” which refers to the Missouri River.[12] “Ohio” is an Iroquois word meaning “beautiful river.”[12] “Texas” is the name of a group of Native American tribes meaning “friends” or “allies.”[12] The Native language origin of “Wisconsin” (the name of a group of tribes living on the Wisconsin River) is now obscure, but one theory holds it comes from the Miami word meskonsing, meaning “it lies red” and another says it originates from an Ojibwa word meaning “red stone place.”[

12] “New Mexico” is derived from the name of an Aztec god, Meritili.[12] Sites of Native American villages became trading posts, and then forts or villages, and later major cities—for example, Chicago, Detroit, St.

Louis, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Pocatello, and many others.[12] Pinnable Facts Facts for Kids: Mohican Indians (Mohicans, Wappingers, and Stockbridge Indians) Mohican Indian Fact Sheet Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the Mohicans for school or home-schooling reports. We encourage students and teachers to look through our main Mohican page for in-depth information about the tribe, but here are our answers to the questions we are most often asked by children, with Mohican pictures and links suitable for teaching all ages. Sponsored Links Mohican Tribe How do you pronounce "Mohican?" What does it mean? Mohican is pronounced "muh-HEE-can." It comes from the word Muheconneok, which means "from the waters that are never still." That is the Mohican name for the Hudson River. Which spelling is correct, "Mohican" or "Mahican"? Both spellings are acceptable. The Mohicans did not originally have a written language, so when Europeans wrote down Mohican words, they made up their own spellings. Some wrote "Mohican," and others wrote "Mahican." Both spellings are used today.

Are the Mohicans and the Mohegans the same tribe, or two different ones? The Mohicans and Mohegans are two different tribes. "Mohican" sounds a lot like "Mohegan," but that is because British colonists had trouble pronouncing the Mohican name for themselves, Muheconneok, and the Mohegan name for themselves, Mohiingan. Today, many people think that the Mohicans and Mohegans are the same tribe because of the famous book "Last of the Mohicans." The author, James Fenimore Cooper, made some mistakes in that book. He gave several of his Mohican characters Mohegan names and placed their homeland in Mohegan territory. Because of this error, some people still call the Mohegans "Mohicans" today. The Mohegan tribes lived in Southern New England, particularly Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Long Island. Here is a link to our Mohegan page if you would like to learn about them. The page you are reading right now is about the Mahicans of New York, who were the first tribe to be called Mohicans and the only tribe to call themselves by this name today. Where do the Mohicans live?

Originally the Mohicans lived along the banks of the Hudson River, in modern-day New York state . Mohican people also lived in parts of Massachusetts , Vermont , and Connecticut . The Wappinger and Housatonic were originally part of the Mohican Nation, though each had their own sachems (chiefs). After Europeans arrived, disease and warfare killed many Mohican people, and the survivors were driven west. They eventually settled in Wisconsin, where the Stockbridge Mohicans still live today. There are also small Mohican communities remaining in New York and Massachusetts. How is the Mohican Indian nation organized? Like most Native American tribes in the United States, the Mohican tribe lives on a reservation. Reservations are special lands that belong to an Indian tribe and are under their control. However, the Mohican reservation is shared with the Munsee tribe . Together they are known as the Stockbridge-Munsee. (They have this name because the Mohicans are also known as Stockbridge Indians, after a town in Massachusetts they once settled in.) The Stockbridge-Munsee tribe has its own government, laws, police, and other services, just like a small country. But the Mohicans and Munsees are also US citizens and must obey American law.

In the past, the Mohican tribe was ruled by sachems, or chiefs. The Wappingers and Housatonics were also part of the Mahican Nation, but each of them had their own sachem as well. Today, the Stockbridge-Munsee tribe is governed by a council that is elected by all the people of both tribes, just like a city council. What language do the Mohicans speak? Mohican Indians all speak English today. In the past they spoke their own Mohican language. The last Stockbridge Indian who could speak this language died in 1933, but the community continues to use Mohican for cultural and religious purposes, the way Italians may use Latin words today. If you'd like to know a few easy Mohican words , aquai is a friendly greeting and wunneet means "It is good!" You can also see a Mohican picture glossary here . What was Mohican culture like in the past? What is it like now? Here is a Mohican tribal history from the Stockbridge-Munsee tribe. It gives lots of information about Mohican traditions from ancient times until now. Sponsored Links How do Mohican Indian children live, and what did they do in the past?

They do the same things any 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 early colonial children. But they did have corn shuck dolls , ball games, and toys such as miniature bows and arrows. Mohican mothers, like many Native Americans, traditionally carried their babies in cradleboards on their backs. Here is a website with pictures of cradleboards and other Indian baby carriers . What were men and women's roles in the Mohican tribe? Mohican men were hunters and sometimes went to war to protect their families. Mohican women were farmers and also did most of the child care and cooking. Both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine. In the past, Mohican chiefs were always men, but today a Mohican Indian woman can be a politician too. What were Mohican homes like in the past? The Mohicans didn't live in tepees. They lived in small round houses called wigwams. Some Mohicans built rectangular lodges instead. Here are some pictures of wigwams, lodges, and other Indian houses like the ones Mohican Indians used.

Mohican villages were sometimes palisaded (surrounded with a log wall for protection) and often included a council hall and a sweat lodge as well as family dwellings. Today, Native Americans only build a wigwam for fun or to connect with their heritage, not for shelter. Most Mohicans live in modern houses and apartment buildings, just like you. What was Mohican clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint? Mohican women wore skirts with leggings. Mohican men wore breechcloths and leggings . Shirts were not necessary in the Mohican culture, but the Mohicans did wear sleeved shirts in cool weather. Mohican people also wore moccasins on their feet. Here are some photographs and links about Native American Indian clothing in general. The Mohicans didn't wear long headdresses like the Sioux . Usually they wore a beaded headband with a feather or two in it. Mohican men and women both kept their hair in two long braids most of the time, but warriors sometimes wore the distinctive Mohican hairstyle (also known as a " Mohawk ".) Mohican men with this haircut would shave their heads except for one long strip down the middle.

Mohican women never used this hair style, even when they were joining in a battle. Here is a website with pictures of Native American Indian hair . Many Mohicans tattooed designs onto their faces as well. Today, some Mohican 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 Mohican transportation like in the days before cars? Did they paddle canoes? Yes, the Mohicans traveled along the Hudson River by canoe. There were two kinds of Mohican canoes: bark canoes, which are smaller and lighter, and dugout canoes, which are heavy and can carry many people. Here is a website with pictures of different Native American boats . Over land, the Mohicans used dogs as pack animals. (There were no horses in North America until colonists brought them over from Europe.) Mohican Indians used sleds and snowshoes to help them travel in the winter. (They learned to make those tools from northern neighbors like the Cree Indians .) Today, of course, Mohican people also use cars... and non-native people also use canoes.

What was Mohican food like in the days before supermarkets? The Mohicans were farming people. Mohican women harvested corn, squash, beans and sunflower seeds. Mohican men did most of the hunting. They shot deer, moose, turkeys, and small game, and went fishing in the river. Mohican recipes included soup, cornbread, and trail mix. Here is a website with more information about Indian agriculture. What kinds of weapons did the Mohicans use? Mohican hunters and warriors used bows and arrows, spears, and axes. Fishermen used spears and nets. Here is a website with a list of Indian weapons . What are Mohican art and crafts like? The Mohican tribe is known for their Native American beadwork and baskets . Like other eastern American Indians, Mohicans also crafted wampum out of white and purple shell beads. Wampum beads were traded as a kind of currency, but they were more culturally important as an art material. The patterns and pictures on wampum belts often told a story or represented a person's family. What other Native Americans did the Mohican tribe interact with? The Mohicans traded regularly with all the other New England Indians, particularly the Wampanoag and Delaware Indians .

Sometimes they fought with the Mohawks and other or the Iroquois Indians . Today, the closest ally of the Mohicans is the Munsee tribe , with whom the Stockbridge Mohicans share a reservation in Wisconsin. What kinds of stories do the Mohicans tell? There are lots of traditional Mohican legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the Mohican Indian culture. Here is a story about a woman who avenged her husband . What about Mohican 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 Mohegan and Mohican mythology or this site about Native American religions in general. Can you recommend a good book for me to read? You may enjoy The Last Algonquin . Despite its confusing title (the main character is Wecquaesgeek, a Wappinger tribe of New York, not Algonquin ), this is a very good book for middle school or high school students. It is a biography of an Indian survivor of war and smallpox reflecting on his changing world.

If you want to know more about Mohican culture and history, two interesting sources are The Mohican World and The Mohicans of Stockbridge You can also browse through our recommendations of Native American books in general. How do I cite your website 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 Mohican Indian people and their language! Sponsored Links Facts for Kids: Mohawk Indians (Mohawks) 19th-century Mohawk family Iroquois dancer today How do you pronounce the word "Mohawk"? What does it mean?

Mohawk is pronounced "mo-hawk." It comes from a name their Algonkian enemies used to call them, meaning "man-eaters." In their own language, the Mohawk people call themselves Kanienkehaka, which means "people of the flint." Were they really man-eaters? It's not clear anymore whether that name was supposed to be literal, or an insult, or just a figure of speech to show that the Mohawks were fierce. Some Mohawk people believe that in ancient times, before they joined the Iroquois Confederacy, their ancestors used to eat enemies they had killed in battle. Other Mohawks think that never really happened and cannibals were always rare and strange in Mohawk society, like they were in other cultures. Where do the Mohawks live? The Mohawks are original people of New York state. Here is our map of New York Indian tribes and the location of their original home lands. Some Mohawk people still live in New York today, but most Mohawks retreated to Canada in the 1700's. Are the Mohawks Iroquois people?

Iroquois wampum belt Yes, the Mohawk Indian tribe was one of the original members of the Iroquois Confederation , or Kanonsionni in their own language ("people of the longhouse.") The other member nations were the the Seneca , the Oneida , the Cayuga , and the Onondaga . Later a sixth tribe, the Tuscarora , joined the confederacy. Today these long-term allies refer to themselves as the Haudenosaunee or Six Nations. How is the Mohawk Indian nation organized? The Mohawk nation had a tribal council chosen by the Mohawk clan mothers (matriarchs, or female leaders.) But the Mohawks were also subject to the decisions made by the Iroquois Great Council. Nine Mohawk chiefs represented their tribe's interests in the Iroquois Council. This is similar to American states which each have their own government, but are all subject to the US government. In fact, the Iroquois Confederacy was one of the examples of representative democracy used as a model by America's founding fathers.

Today the Mohawk people have four First Nations in what is now Ontario and Quebec, including one reservation with land on both sides of the Canada-US border. Each of these Mohawk tribes is autonomous, which means the Indians who live there have the right to make their own government and laws. There are also other Mohawk communities in New York and Quebec, and some Mohawk people live on the Six Nations Reserve, which they share with members of the other Iroquois nations. What language do the Mohawks speak? Most Mohawk people speak English today, but some Mohawks also speak their native Mohawk language. Mohawk is a complex language with many sounds that are unlike the sounds in English. If you'd like to know a few easy Mohawk words, "she:kon" (pronounced similar to shay-cone) is a friendly greeting, and "nia:wen" (pronounced similar to nee-ah-wenh) means 'thank you.' You can also read a Mohawk picture glossary here and listen to the spoken language here . What was Mohawk culture like in the past? What is it like now?

Here is the home page of the Mohawk Tribe of Kahnawake , where you can find information about the Mohawk lifestyle past and present. Sponsored Links Mohawk doll They do the same things any children do--play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Mohawk children like to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. In the past, Indian kids had more chores and less time to play, just like early colonial children. But Mohawk children did have toys and games. Mohawk girls liked to play with cornhusk dolls , and boys played a game where they tried to throw a dart through a moving hoop. Lacrosse was also a popular sport among Mohawk boys as it was among adult men. Like many Native Americans, Mohawk mothers traditionally carried their babies in cradleboards on their backs. Here is a website with pictures of cradleboards and other Native baby carriers . What were men and women's roles in the Mohawk tribe? Mohawk men were in charge of hunting, trading, and war. Mohawk women were in charge of farming, property, and family. These different roles were reflected in Mohawk government.

Mohawk clans were always ruled by women, who made all the land and resource decisions for each clan. But Mohawk chiefs, who made military decisions and trade agreements, were always men. Only men represented the Mohawks at the Iroquois Great Council, but only women voted to determine who the Mohawk representatives would be. Both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine. What were Mohawk homes like in the past? Iroquois longhouse sketch The Mohawk people lived in villages of longhouses, which were large wood-frame buildings covered with sheets of elm bark. One Mohawk house could be a hundred feet long, and an entire clan lived in it--up to 60 people! Here are some pictures of Iroquois longhouses like the ones Mohawk Indians used, and a drawing of what a long house looked like on the inside. Here is a photograph of an Iroquois longhouse , and here is a picture of what a longhouse looked like on the inside . Today, longhouses are only used for ceremonial purposes. The Mohawks live in modern houses and apartment buildings, just like you. What was Mohawk clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint?

Mohawk Indian moccasins Mohawk men wore breechcloths with leggings . Mohawk women wore wraparound skirts with shorter leggings. Men did not originally wear shirts in Mohawk culture, but women often wore a poncho-like tunic called an overdress . Mohawk Indians usually wore moccasins on their feet. In colonial times, the Mohawks adapted European costume like cloth shirts and blouses, decorating them with beadwork and ribbon applique . Here is a webpage about traditional Iroquois dress , and some photographs and links about American Indian clothes in general. The Mohawks didn't wear long headdresses like the Sioux . Mohawk men wore traditional Iroquois headdresses, which are feathered caps with a different insignia for each tribe. (The Mohawk headdress has three eagle feathers on top.) Mohawk women sometimes wore special beaded tiaras. In times of war, Mohawk men shaved their heads except for a scalplock or a crest down the center of their head--the hairstyle known as a roach or a "Mohawk." Sometimes they augmented this haircut with splayed feathers or artificial roaches made of brightly dyed porcupine and deer hair.

Here are some pictures of these different kinds of Indian headdresses . Mohawk women only cut their hair when they were in mourning. Otherwise they wore their hair long and loose or plaited into a long braid. Here is a website with pictures of Indian women's hair . Men sometimes decorated their faces and bodies with tattoo art , but Mohawk women generally didn't paint or tattoo themselves. Today, some Mohawk people still wear moccasins or a beaded shirt, 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 Mohawk transportation like in the days before cars? Did they paddle canoes? Iroquois snowshoes Yes, there were two types of Mohawk canoes. A canoe made from elm bark was light and fast. A dugout canoe, made from hollowed-out logs, was long and could carry many people. Here is a website with pictures of different Native American canoe types . Over land, the Mohawks used dogs as pack animals.

(There were no horses in North America until colonists brought them over from Europe.) During the winter the Mohawks used sleds and laced snowshoes to travel through the snow. What was Mohawk food like in the days before supermarkets? Iroquois farmers The Mohawk Indians were farming people. Mohawk women planted crops of corn, beans, and squash and harvested wild berries and herbs. Mohawk men hunted for deer and elk and fished in the rivers. Traditional Mohawk foods included cornbread, soups, and stews, which they cooked on stone hearths. Here is a website with more information about Native American food sources. What were Mohawk weapons, tools, and artifacts like in the past? Iroquois war club Mohawk hunters used bows and arrows. Mohawk fishermen used spears and fishing poles. In war, Mohawk men used their bows and arrows or fought with clubs, spears and shields. Here is a website with photos of Native American weapons . Other important tools used by the Mohawks included stone adzes (hand axes for woodworking), flint knives for skinning animals, and wooden hoes for farming.

The Mohawks and other Iroquois were skilled woodworkers, steaming wood so that it could be bent to make curved tools. Some Iroquois artisans still make lacrosse sticks this way today . What are Mohawk arts and crafts like? Iroquois beadwork The Mohawk and other Iroquois tribes were known for their mask carving , which is considered such a sacred art form that outsiders are still not permitted to view many of these masks. Iroquois beadwork and the more demanding porcupine quillwork are more common Mohawk crafts. The Mohawks also crafted wampum out of white and purple shell beads. Wampum beads were traded as a kind of currency, but they were more culturally important as an art material. The designs and pictures on wampum belts often told a story or represented a person's family. What was Mohawk music like? Iroquois water drum The two most important Mohawk instruments are drums and flutes . Iroquois drums were often filled with water to give them a distinctive sound different from the drums of other tribes. Most Mohawk music is very rhythmic and consists mostly of drumming and lively singing.

Flutes were used to woo women in the Mohawk tribe. A young Mohawk man would play beautiful flute music outside his girlfriend's longhouse at night to show her he was thinking about her. What other Native Americans did the Mohawk tribe interact with? The most important neighbors of the Mohawk tribe were the other Iroquois nations: the Seneca , Onondaga , Oneida , and Cayuga . Before the Iroquois Confederacy the Mohawks sometimes fought with the other Iroquois tribes, but once the alliance was formed they were loyal to each other. The Mohawks were fierce warriors who fought wars with the other eastern tribes, particularly the Wabanaki tribes , the Algonquin and Ojibway , and the Mohican bands. The Mohawks also traded with their neighbors, exchanging corn and woodcrafts for furs and quahog shells. What kinds of stories do the Mohawks tell? There are lots of traditional Mohawk legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the Mohawk Indian culture. Here is a Mohawk story about the origin of the Rabbit Dance . Here's a website where you can read more about Iroquois Indian legends . What about Mohawk 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 Iroquois beliefs or this site about Native beliefs in general. Can you recommend a good book for me to read? One book about the Mohawk tribe for young readers is The Mohawk Tribe of North America , which has many photographs about traditional and contemporary Mohawk life. Lacrosse: The National Game of the Iroquois is a lively look at this traditional sport and Iroquois culture in general, tracing the lives of three generations of Iroquois lacrosse players. Legends of the Iroquois is a good collection of traditional Six Nations stories by a Mohawk author. Wampum Belts of the Iroquois is an interesting look at the symbols and meaning of the different wampum belt designs used by the Mohawk and other Iroquois peoples. Or If You Lived With The Iroquois provides a good look at daily life in the Iroquois tribes in the old days. You can also browse through our reading list of recommended American Indian books in general.

How do I cite your website 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 Mohawk Indian people and their language! Sponsored Links The English Cafe: Native American Hairstyles Native American Hairstyles with board hair The most common Native American women's hairstyles were a simple flowing hairstyle (either with or without bangs) or long braids (either two braids or one single braid.) Some women painted horizontal stripes on their hair or dyed the center part a bright color. In the southeast, many women from tribes such as the Creek and Chickasaw wore their hair on top of their heads in buns or topknots.

In the southwest, women from the Navajo and Pueblo tribes often wore their hair tied behind their heads in a kind of twist best known as a chongo (the Pueblo word for this hairstyle.) Other Southwestern Indian women preferred to keep their hair cut to shoulder length. One distinctive tribal hairstyle for women was the elaborate squash blossom or butterfly whorls worn by Hopi maidens. To make this hairdo, a young woman's mother would wind her hair around a curved piece of wood to give it a round shape, then remove the wood frame. Only unmarried young women wore this complex hairstyle. Another unique tribal hairstyle was the board or bonnet hair popular among Seminole women in the 1800's. Seminole women made their hair into this disk shape by fanning it over a tilted cardboard frame (which then stayed in place under their hair.) Traditionally, most Seminole women wore their hair on top of their heads like other southeastern Indian tribes, and today the black board style is almost never worn. However, it can still be seen on Seminole palmetto dolls , which are usually made with this distinctively Seminole hairstyle.

˜ American Indian Men's Hairstyles painted hair rolls The most common Native American men's hairstyles were flowing hairstyles, long braids, or shaved heads. But there were many different versions of each of these basic hairstyles. Hair held great symbolic importance for men in many Native American tribes, especially in Western tribes like the Sioux and Blackfoot . Men in these tribes only cut their hair to show grief or shame, and often wore the front part of their hair in special styles including pompadours (hair stiffened with grease or clay so that it stands up), forelocks (one long strand of hair hanging down between the eyes), or small braids or topknots arranged in various shapes. In Eastern tribes like the Lenape and Iroquois tribes, most warriors shaved their heads except for a scalplock (a single lock of hair on the crown of their head), tonsure (a fringe of hair around the head), or roach (a stiff crest of hair running down the middle of the head.) The roach hairstyle is often known as a Mohawk or Mohican hairstyle, after two tribes who frequently wore it. Native American men would often wear artificial roaches , too, which were made of brightly colored porcupine or deer hair.

Men with shaved heads and men with long braids would both wear artificial roaches sometimes. Most Southwest Indian men originally wore their hair in a chongo style similar to the women's. (Chongo is a Pueblo word; the same hairstyle is also known as Tsiiyéél in Navajo and Hömsoma in Hopi.) Shoulder-length hair with a cloth bandana around it became a more popular style in the Southwest by the 1800's. Other Southwestern men twisted their hair into long hair rolls resembling modern dreadlocks, which they stiffened with clay and painted. On the Northwest Coast and northern California, men sometimes wore topknots on top of their heads. Northwest Coast men also wore mustaches and sometimes beards, while men in most other Native American tribes kept their faces shaved. ˜Do Native Americans still wear these hairstyles today? Some of them. Braids and long flowing hair are still popular hairstyles, especially among women, but also for some men. Native Americans in some Plains and Western tribes continue to place great spiritual value on their hair, cutting it only when they are in mourning. Chongos are still worn by some Native American women in the southwest.

Other special hairstyles like forelocks and squash blossoms are seen only at religious and cultural events. The roach ('Mohawk') hairstyle is almost never worn anymore, but artificial roaches are still worn at powwows all over the country.

Question: What is the name of both a Native American tribe and a modern hairstyle?
Answer: Mohawk