Cheyenne Indian Tribe example essay topic

I am going to write about the Cheyenne Indian tribe. I will explain all about its culture, environment, religion, housing, food, social life, beliefs, values, and where they lived. It will be very interesting to know how they lived and what heritage they left us. The Cheyenne Indians lived in the Great Plains at east of the Rocky Mountains and West of Mississippi River and the place they before lived was in the eastern of United States, the Montana Great Plains at East of the Rocky Mountains and the West of Mississippi River. Actually, they live in Montana and Oklahoma. The name Cheyenne means "red talker" or "people of a different speech".

Its language was and is the "Algonquin". At first, they were sedentary, because they lived in villages, in apartments done of adobe. They used the land for farming, hunting, collecting rice, and making pottery. They used the wood from forest to make tools and canoes.

They fished on the pacific coast. In the 1700's, when they got horses from Spanish people, they become nomads. They lived in shelters called tepees, which were easy to build and disassemble. They moved because they followed the buffalo's herd that was their main food source. They become very dependent on the buffalo, which was used for everything, such as tools, weaponry, medicine, shelter, jewelry, masks, drums, etc. For clothing they used the buckskin, deer's skin, which was softer and appropriated for winter.

The daily life of Cheyenne start in the morning, before the sunrise, they prepared for the day. The man builds the fire while the woman gets the water from a close stream and the kids take a bath in there. After, the woman prepared the morning meal and boys drive the horses into camp. After meal the older crier on his horse make announcements. After that, the kids play (swimming, running, molding with clay); the women go in-groups gathering woods and roots, joking and laughing. The older men make pipes, bows, and arrows.

The men go to hunting. In the afternoon women prepared the meal while the others enhance with music, dancing, and other activities. An important custom was the smoking of the peace pipe, which followed rules and praying when it was practiced. Also, the story telling, which was only done by certain people. The Cheyenne Indians were a tribe very organized socially and politically.

The men were 7 divided in warriors' castes by age, such as thunder bows, wolf soldiers, fox soldiers, bull soldiers, and dog men, which were the most powerful. They maintained order within the tribes. The Cheyenne exercised the diplomacy when they had to deal with other tribes coming to an agreement. The Cheyenne were very organized. They divided their people in ten bands; each led by a council of 44 chief. But they were not well prepared for war.

An important ceremony was called the sun dance that was taken in summer. It was ceremony of celebration that lasts around four to eight days. People danced without stop, without eating and drinking, since the sunset day of preparation to the ending at sunset of last day. Some pierced their chests with skewers. They believed that gods and ancestors would talk them and they could get their land back. Other ceremony was the Powwow, whish was a celebration or prayer to the Great Spirit.

They believed in many gods, they believed that their gods manifested through the sun, moon, stars, animals, and nature. The Cheyenne creation is very alike to Christianity's creation. Also, they believe in the prophet, Sweet Medicine, who established their government and gave them laws and values with concepts of love, respect, and cooperation. They became successful traders on the Great Plains, they were intermediaries between white settlers and other native American tribes.

They traded fur, horses, and moccasins for food, guns, products, and tobacco. Cheyenne Indians went trough many wars against other tribes and their greatest enemy was the whites, who broke their promise not taking the land. The most tragic event was the Sand Creek Massacre, where many Indians died. Today, the Cheyenne are located in Oklahoma and The Tongue River Indian Reservation. Their population has grown and they are a tribe with 5,000 members approximately, and they still fight for their freedom and independence. In conclusion, I learned about this Indian tribe, how they lived, what they believed, their customs, values, and culture.

Also, They actually are trying to get their freedom and "Cheyenne Indians" Native Americans: American links. 18 Sept 2003 web "Cheyenne" E Museum Sept. 26, 2003 Minnesota State University Mails, Thomas E. The Mystic Warriors of the Plains. Red Lodge, Montana: Red Lodge Books, 1972. p 190.