Originally inhabiting the Great Lakes region, The Cheyenne later migrated west into Minnesota, and then to North and South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming, where they became one of the dominant tribes on the Great Plains.
The origins of the Cheyenne are in question, but it appears that they are made up of two separate tribes: the Sutaio (Só'taétaneo'o) and the Tsitsistas (Tsétsêhéstâhese), who merged in the mid-19th century. The Cheyenne refer to themselves as the Tsitsistas, which, as is the case with many American Indian tribes, can be translated as "the people."
Today, the Cheyenne are divided into two federally recognized tribes. The Northern Cheyenne are enrolled in the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana, while the Southern Cheyenne are enrolled in the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes in Oklahoma.
The first recorded contact with the Cheyenne by Europeans was in the mid-17th century when a group of Cheyenne visited the French Fort Crevecoeur, near what is currently Peoria, Illinois. At that time, the Cheyenne were living between the Mississippi River and Mille Lacs Lake, in parts of Illinois and Minnesota, where they hunted bison and collected wild rice.
The Cheyenne were driven from the Great Lakes region by the Assiniboine to Minnesota and North Dakota, where they established visitors, the largest being along the Sheyenne River.
By 1676, they had reached the Missouri River, although some Cheyenne remained in the Mille Lac region of Minnesota until around 1765, when the Ojibwa pushed them to the Minnesota River. Conflict with migrating Lakota and Ojibwa forced the Cheyenne further west.
In the mid-19th century, the Cheyenne had fully embraced a nomadic lifestyle, largely dismissing earlier agricultural practices and ceramic traditions. They rode horses to hunt bison and lived a nomadic life during this time.
Around 1825, the Cheyenne divided into Northern and Southern tribes. The Northern Cheyenne stayed close to the Northern Platte River, while the Southern Cheyenne moved to Oklahoma with the Arapaho.
On November 29, 1864, a village of Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho was attacked by U.S. Cavalry troops under the command of Colonel John M. Chivington. About 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho, primarily women, children, the elderly, and a few chiefs, were massacred. This event later became known as the Sand Creek Massacre. On June 25, 1876, the Northern Cheyenne participated in the Little Bighorn Battle of 1876, along with the Arapaho and Lakota, killing Colonel George Armstrong Custer and most of his troops.
In response, the U.S. government began a campaign to move the Northern Cheyenne to Oklahoma, where they suffered from starvation and illness. After Cheyenne chiefs pressured for a release, just over three hundred of them left Indian Territory in Oklahoma to return north.
Today, there are about 11,000 recognized Cheyenne, about half of them living on reservations in Montana and Oklahoma.
The Cheyenne language is part of the Algonquin family of languages. Known to the Cheyenne as Tsêhésenêstsestôtse or Tsisinstsistots, the language has similarities to the Arapaho and Blackfoot languages. A Cheyenne dictionary and oral history is maintained by Chief Dull Knife College in Lame Deer, Montana.
While in Minnesota, the Cheyenne lived in lodges made from wood frames filled with soil and grass. After becoming more nomadic on the Great Plains, they lived in tipis made of bison hides and wooden poles, as these could more easily be moved from one location to another. They hunted bison, elk, and deer, as well as smaller game, such as rabbits and squirrels. They also gathered wild berries, potatoes, and other edible plants and roots.
The traditional Cheyenne religion is animistic. There are two principal deities: Maheo (Ma'heo'o), who is the Wise One above, as well as a god who lives beneath the ground. The traditional religion holds that the earth, the skies, the animals, and all of nature (even themselves) have interconnected spirits. A Sun Dance ceremony was practiced by the Cheyenne over four days every spring.
Like many other American Indian people, the Cheyenne language and traditions were badly impacted by a series of programs designed to force young Cheyenne to assimilate. These included government and missionary schools in which Cheyenne children were not allowed to speak their native language or observe Cheyenne traditions.
The focus of this portion of our web guide focuses on the Cheyenne people. Websites representing Cheyenne tribes or groups, recognized or not, are appropriate for this category, along with those of Cheyenne organizations, businesses, industries, schools, and other entities, as well as informational sites discussing Cheyenne history, culture, traditions, or contemporary issues.
Recommended Resources
Situated in western Oklahoma, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes (Tsistsistas/Hinono’ei) are a federally recognized tribe of Southern Arapaho and Southern Cheyenne people, distinct tribes with separate histories. The executive, legislative, judicial, and tribal council branches of the tribal government are set forth, and its boards, commissions, and task forces are introduced, along with the tribal newspaper and radio station. Tribal services are discussed, and enrollment information is included.
https://www.cheyenneandarapaho-nsn.gov/
Dedicated to the Cheyenne language, a member of the large Algonquian language family, the website provides resources for learning the language, such as dictionaries, flashcards, and videos. Dictionaries are also available for installation on Windows or Mac computers and Android phones. Cheyenne keyboards may be downloaded for Apple and Windows computers, as well as for Android, iPhone, and iPad mobile phones and tablets. Cheyenne calendars may be ordered online, with other resources.
https://www.cheyennelanguage.org
Located in Lame Deer, Montana, Chief Dull Knife College is a public tribal community college on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Established to meet the higher education needs of the Reservation community, it is an open-admission college, in which more than half of its graduates move on to four-year colleges or universities. Founded in 1975, it offers associate degrees, certificate programs, and post-secondary transfer programs. Its history, accreditation, and contacts are included.
http://www.cdkc.edu/
With locations in Canton, Clinton, Concho (El Reno), and Watonga, along with travel centers in Concho and Hammon, Lucky Star Casinos are owned and operated by the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. An overview of its slot machines and blackjack, roulette, and craps table games, full-service and quick-bite restaurants and delis, and its Box Car Brewery in Concho and Watonga, are featured, along with its Rewards Club, career opportunities, and contacts.
https://www.luckystarcasino.org/
The Northern Cheyenne split from the Southern Cheyenne in the 1800s, remaining in Montana while the latter group moved to Oklahoma. While many of the Northern Cheyenne were forcibly relocated to Oklahoma as well, a small group of them left that reservation and returned north in 1878. The Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation includes members of the Crow Nation. Its executive, legislative, and judicial sections are highlighted, along with programs, services, and contacts.
http://www.cheyennenation.com/
Soaring Eagle is a charity organization created to care for Northern Cheyenne Elders in southeastern Montana, the primary focus being to help Elders carry on their traditions and teach them to younger generations. The organization operates the Heritage Living Center, an assisted living facility in Montana, and also provides training and technical assistance, educational resources, and policy development for tribes. Elder stories and information about the Northern Cheyenne are presented.
https://soaringeagle.org/
Serving the Northern Cheyenne community and Chief Dull Knife College, the library is open to the public, providing meeting spaces, computer access, faxing, copying services, and digital reading options. The library also features an extensive listening library that includes stories and songs of the Cheyenne, which can be heard in the language and voice of the Cheyenne. Archives of books, articles, local newspapers, and other informational sources are included, with contacts.
https://woodenlegslibrary.com/
