www.bigorrin.org Open in urlscan Pro
52.204.114.237  Public Scan

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM

http://www.native-languages.org/search-results.htm

<form action="http://www.native-languages.org/search-results.htm" id="cse-search-box">
  <div>
    <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="partner-pub-8872632675285158:b1nuwouwkjx">
    <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:10">
    <input type="hidden" name="ie" value="ISO-8859-1">
    <input type="text" name="q" size="31">
    <input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search Within Our Site">
  </div>
</form>

POST https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
  <input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_xclick">
  <input type="hidden" name="business" value="redish@native-languages.org">
  <input type="hidden" name="item_name" value="Native Languages of the Americas">
  <input type="hidden" name="no_note" value="1">
  <input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD">
  <input type="hidden" name="tax" value="0">
  <input type="hidden" name="lc" value="US">
  <input type="image" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/x-click-but21.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="Donate with PayPal - it's fast, free and secure!">
  <br><br>
  <font size="2"><b><i>Native Languages of the Americas website © 1998-2020 <img src="star.gif" alt="*"> <a href="mailto:redish@native-languages.org">Contact us</a> <img src="star.gif" alt="*"> <a href="http://www.native-languages.blogspot.com/">Follow our blog</a>
</i></b></font>
</form>

Text Content

Index of Native American languages Index of Native American culture Native
American arts






CHEYENNE INDIAN FACT SHEET



Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the
Cheyenne Indian tribe for school or home-schooling reports. We encourage
students and teachers to visit our Cheyenne language and culture pages for more
in-depth information about the tribe, but here are our answers to the questions
we are most often asked by children, with Cheyenne pictures and links we believe
are suitable for all ages.

Sponsored Links





   Cheyenne Tribe

How do you pronounce the word "Cheyenne"? What does it mean?
Cheyenne is pronounced "Shy-ANN." It comes from the Dakota Sioux name for the
Cheyennes, Šahiyenan, which may mean "relatives of the Cree." The name
"Cheyenne" has been spelled many different ways, including Cheyanne, Chyenne,
Sheyenne, Sheyanne, and Shyanne. But in their own language, the Cheyenne call
themselves Tsitsistas, "the people."

The capital of Wyoming is named after the Cheyenne tribe, and so are the
Cheyenne River (in Wyoming and South Dakota) and the Sheyenne River (in North
Dakota.)

Where do the Cheyennes live?
The Cheyenne Indians were far-ranging people, especially once they acquired
horses. By the time the Americans met them they were living on the Great Plains
in what is now South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. The US
government forced the Cheyennes to move to Oklahoma during the 1800's, but some
escaped and fled north into Montana. Today there are two Cheyenne tribes, one in
Oklahoma and the other in Montana. Here is a map of Montana's reservations.

How is the Cheyenne Indian nation organized?
The Cheyenne nation was split in half by American relocation. The Northern
Cheyenne tribe lives in Montana, and the Southern Cheyenne share a tribe with
their allies the Southern Arapaho in Oklahoma. Like most Native American tribes,
the Cheyenne tribes are autonomous. That means each tribe has its own
government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However, only
the Northern Cheyenne have their own reservation (land which belongs to them and
is legally under their control.) The Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho live on trust
lands or in Western Oklahoma towns.

In the past, the Cheyennes were led by a council of 44 chiefs, four from each
band. The Cheyenne people really valued harmony, so every council member had to
agree on a decision before action could be taken (this is called consensus.)
Today, Cheyenne council members are popularly elected... but they still work by
consensus.

What language do the Cheyennes speak?
Most Cheyenne people speak English today. Some of them, especially older people,
also speak the Cheyenne language. Cheyenne is a musical language that has
complicated verbs with many parts. Here is one website where you can hear
Cheyenne being spoken and another with a Cheyenne photo glossary. Most Cheyenne
words are very long and have vowels that are difficult for English speakers to
pronounce, but one easy word that you might like to learn is "Epeva'e"
(pronounced similar to "eh-peh-va,") which means "It is good!"



What was Cheyenne culture like in the past? What is it like now?
Here's a link to the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. On their site you can
find information about the Southern Cheyenne people in the past and today.


Sponsored Links




How do Cheyenne 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. Many Cheyenne children like to go hunting and fishing
with their fathers. In the past, Indian boys and girls had more chores and less
time to play in their daily lives, just like colonial children. But they did
have dolls, toys, and games to play. Here is a picture of a hoop game enjoyed by
Cheyenne kids. Lacrosse was also a popular sport among teenagers. A Cheyenne
mother traditionally carried a young child in a cradle-board on her back--a
custom which many American parents have adopted now.

What were Cheyenne men and women's roles?
Cheyenne women were in charge of the home. Besides cooking and cleaning, a
Cheyenne woman built her family's house and dragged the heavy posts with her
whenever the tribe moved. Houses belonged to the women in the Cheyenne tribe.
Men were hunters and warriors, responsible for feeding and defending their
families. A woman might occasionally become a hunter or warrior, but a Cheyenne
chief was always male. Both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and
music, and traditional medicine.

What were Cheyenne homes like in the past?
Originally the Cheyennes lived in settled villages of earthen lodges and
birchbark wigwams. As their lifestyle became more nomadic, they began to use
buffalo-hide houses called tipis (or teepees). Here are some teepee pictures.
Since the Cheyenne tribe moved frequently to follow the buffalo herds, a tipi
had to be carefully designed to set up and break down quickly, like a modern
tent. An entire Cheyenne village could be packed up and ready to move on within
an hour.

Today, Native Americans only put up a tepee for fun or to connect with their
heritage, not for shelter. Most Cheyennes live in modern houses and apartment
buildings, just like you.

What was Cheyenne clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face
paint?
Cheyenne women wore long deerskin dresses, and men wore breechcloths with
leather leggings. Later, Cheyenne men adopted the Plains war shirt worn by other
Indians of this region. A Cheyenne lady's dress or warrior's shirt was fringed
and often decorated with porcupine quills, shells, and elk teeth. Cheyenne men
wore moccasins and women wore high fringed boots. Later, Cheyenne people adapted
European costume such as cloth dresses and vests, which they decorated with
quillwork and fancy beading. Here is a site about the symbolism of Plains Indian
war shirts, and some photos and links about Native American regalia in general.



Cheyenne Indian leaders originally wore tall feather headdresses like the
Blackfeet, but they soon began wearing the long warbonnets that Plains Indians
are famous for. Here are some pictures of these Indian headdress styles.
Cheyenne men wore their long hair in braids with a topknot or pompadour, and
women wore their hair either loose or braided. Here is a website with pictures
of these Indian hairstyles. The Cheyennes also painted their faces for special
occasions. They used different patterns for war paint, religious ceremonies, and
festive decoration.

Today, some Cheyenne people still have moccasins or a beaded dress, but they
wear modern clothes like jeans instead of breechcloths... and they only wear
traditional regalia on special occasions like a wedding or a dance.

What was Cheyenne transportation like in the days before cars? Did they paddle
canoes?
No--the Cheyenne Indians weren't coastal people, and when they traveled by
river, they usually built rafts. Originally the Cheyennes would use dogs pulling
travois (a kind of drag sled) to help them carry their belongings. Here is an
article with dog travois pictures. Once Europeans introduced horses to North
America, the Cheyennes could travel quicker and further, and began to migrate
frequently to follow the buffalo herds.

What was Cheyenne food like in the days before supermarkets?
The Cheyennes were originally farming people, with the women harvesting corn,
squash, and beans while the men hunted deer and buffalo. Once they acquired
horses, the Cheyenne lifestyle became more migratory. They mostly gave up
farming, and followed the buffalo herds as they moved across the plains. Unlike
most Plains tribes, Cheyenne women took part in buffalo hunts along with men.
They drove the buffalos towards the men, who shot them with their longbows. Here
is a website with more information about Native American hunting.

Besides buffalo meat, Cheyenne Indians also liked to eat fish, fruit and
berries, and corn that they bought from other tribes.

What were Cheyenne weapons and tools like in the past?
Cheyenne warriors used powerful bows and arrows, war clubs, spears, and hide
shields. Here is a website with pictures and more information about Indian clubs
like the ones Cheyenne men used in battle.

Who were the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers?
The Dog Soldiers were the most famous of the Cheyenne warrior societies. They
were also known as the Dog Warriors or Dog Men. They had this name because of a
Cheyenne legend about dogs who turned into fierce warriors. Cheyenne Dog
Soldiers were especially brave and honorable. When he was defending a Cheyenne
village, a Dog Soldier would stake his long belt to the ground, to show that he
would not run away but would defend his people to the death.

What other Native Americans did the Cheyenne tribe interact with?
The Cheyennes traded regularly with other tribes of the Great Plains. Once they
stopped farming, they especially liked to trade buffalo hides for tobacco and
corn. The Cheyennes usually communicated with other Plains Indian tribes using
the American Indian Sign Language. Their closest allies were the Arapaho, with
whom they often shared territory.

The Cheyenne also fought wars with other tribes. Plains Indian tribes treated
war differently than European countries did. They didn't fight over territory
but instead to prove their courage, and so Plains Indian war parties rarely
fought to the death or destroyed each other's villages. Instead, their war
customs included counting coup (touch an opponent in battle without harming
him), stealing an enemy's weapon or horse, or forcing the other tribe's warriors
to retreat. So the Cheyenne sometimes were enemies of neighboring tribes like
the Dakota, Comanche, and Kiowas, and other times they were allies. The
Europeans who first met them were surprised by how often the Cheyenne tribe
fought with their neighbors, yet how easily they made peace with each other when
they were done fighting.

What are Cheyenne arts and crafts like?
Cheyenne artists are famous for their fine quill art, native beading, pipestone
carving, and pottery. Here is a museum website with photographs of different
Cheyenne art forms.

What kinds of stories do the Cheyennes tell?
There are lots of traditional Cheyenne legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is
very important to the Cheyenne Indian culture. Here is one story about a race
among the animals.

What about Cheyenne religion?
Spirituality and religion were important parts of Cheyenne life, and some people
continue to practice traditional beliefs today. It is respectful to avoid
imitating religious rituals for school projects since some Cheyenne people care
about them deeply. You can read and learn about them, however. You can visit
this site to learn more about Cheyenne sweat lodge or this site about Indian
religion and culture in general.

Can you recommend a good book for me to read?
If you like historical novels, we recommend Cheyenne Autumn, a compelling story
about the Northern Cheyenne people's flight to Montana. Younger kids may like
the story Cheyenne Again, about a Cheyenne child's experiences at boarding
school, or Death of the Iron Horse, the true story of Cheyenne warriors' fight
with a train. If you want to know more about Cheyenne history and culture, a
good source is The Cheyenne and Arapaho Ordeal, but because the Cheyennes were
the victims of a terrible massacre in 1864, this and other books covering the
1800's may be too intense for younger kids. You can also browse through our
reading list of recommended Native American books in general. Disclaimer: we are
an Amazon affiliate and our website earns a commission if you buy a book through
one of these links. Most of them can also be found in a public library, though!

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 2020.

Thanks for your interest in the Cheyenne Indian people and their language!

Sponsored Links







LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHEYENNES

Chyenne Indian Tribe An overview of the Cheyenne people, their language and
history.

Cheyannes Language Resources Cheyanne language samples, articles, and indexed
links.

Cheyannes Culture and History Directory Related links about the Cheyannes past
and present.

Cheyenne Words Cheyenne Indian vocabulary lists.



Return to the Native American Information site
Return to our menu of American Indian tribes
Check out our evolving medicine wheel logo



Native American names Native American masks Jewelry Indian tattoos

Would you like to help support our organization's work with endangered American
Indian languages?



Native Languages of the Americas website © 1998-2020 Contact us Follow our blog