The Shawnee are a Northeastern Woodlands people, ethnically related to the Cheyenne, Menominee, and Miami, and linguistically related to the Sauk and Fox peoples.
Today, the Shawnee are represented by three federally-recognized Shawnee tribes: the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians in Oklahoma, the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, and the Shawnee Tribe.
Additionally, there are some unrecognized tribes who identify as having Shawnee ancestry. One of these is the Piqua Shawnee Tribe of Alabama, which is recognized by the State of Alabama but not the federal government, and the United Remnant Band of the Shawnee Nation, which is recognized by the State of Ohio.
Other groups claiming Shawnee ancestry include the East of the River Shawnee and the Vinyard Indian Settlement, which are neither state nor federally recognized. A number of tribes are currently petitioning for state recognition in Kentucky, Missouri, and Texas, while other Shawnee descendants are scattered throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
In the Algonquian language, "Shawnee" is derived from shawun, which means "southerner," a reference to the tribe's original location in the Ohio River Valley relative to other Algonquian tribes in the Great Lakes region.
Prior to the reservation era, one group of Shawnee migrated to the Southeast, where they were known by several names, although the South Carolina colonists referred to them as Savannah or Savannuca.
Historically, the Shawnee inhabited the Ohio Territory of the Ohio River Valley, which includes the current states of Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan. At one time or another, the Shawnee also occupied parts of Virginia, Maryland, and South Carolina.
According to Shawnee oral tradition, every Shawnee individual belonged to one of five divisions of the tribe: Chillicothe, Hathawekela, Kispoko, Mekoche, or Pekowi. Originally, each of these divisions represented an autonomous settlement headed by its own chief, with each division constituting one element of a loose confederacy that shared a common culture, language, and tribal identity. The Mekoche chief was responsible for handling the tribe's external affairs, speaking for the tribe on civil affairs. By the early 1700s, this system of shared power had broken down, as divisions separated and made unilateral decisions.
Culturally, the Shawnee considered the Delaware people to be their grandfathers, and oral traditions held that the Kickapoo were once part of the Shawnee, and this is supported by similar languages.
While the Shawnee people have a reputation as a wandering tribe, given their wide dispersion, it is likely that was not by choice, but due to encroachments by more powerful American Indian tribes or by European expansions.
By the latter part of the 17th century, the Iroquois had dislodged the Shawnee from Ohio, spurring a migration that sent Shawnee into Illinois, south to the Southeast savanna, east across the Allegheny Mountains, and to other areas.
In the early 19th century, Tecumseh was a Shawnee chief who organized a confederacy opposing American expansion in American Indian lands. His younger brother, Tenskwatawa, known as the Shawnee Prophet, began a religious movement calling upon American Indians to reject European influences and return to a more traditional lifestyle. Together, they enlisted allies among the Chickasaws, Choctaws, Delawares, Iowas, Kickapoos, Meskwakis, Muscogee, Osages, Potawatomis, Sauks, Missouri Shawnees, Sioux, and Winnebagos.
Together, they founded Prophetstown. In September 1811, William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indiana Territory, attacked Prophetstown with about 1,000 militia while Tecumseh was away, initiating the Battle of Tippecanoe, in which the Prophet initiated a premature attack on Harrison's army at the Tippecanoe River, near the Wabash. Although outnumbered, Harrison repulsed the attack, burned Prophetstown, and returned home.
The Shawnee under Tecumseh's leadership allied with the British during the War of 1812. With the American victory, the Shawnee in Missouri migrated to Texas, then under Mexican rule, where they became known as the Absentee Shawnee. The Shawnee in Arkansas Territory were forced out, settling near what is now Shawnee, Oklahoma, where they were joined by Shawnee people who were being pushed out of Kansas.
In 1817, the Ohio Shawnee ceded their lands in exchange for three reservations in Wapaughkonetta, Hog Creek, and Lewiston, Ohio, which were shared with some Seneca people. Within a few years, they were forced to exchange land in western Ohio for land west of the Mississippi River, in what became Indian Territory, in what is now Kansas and Oklahoma.
The main body of Shawnee in Ohio, under Black Hoof, resisted removal, but after his death, they moved to the Shawnee Reservation in Kansas.
Recommended Resources
Absentee Shawnee Housing Authority
The Absentee Shawnee Housing Authority is the Tribally Designated Housing Entity of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma. Its mission is to provide affordable housing to low-income Indian families in its communities. Its location, hours of operation, and contacts are posted on the site, which includes a list of services, vendor and contractor requirements, current bidding opportunities, a vendor reference form, grievance procedures, and employment opportunities.
https://ashousingauthority.com/
Absentee Shawnee Tribal Health System
With three locations, the ASTHS offers a wide range of services to serve the healthcare needs of Native Americans, SoonerCare members, American Indian veterans, and insured AST employees. Addresses, maps, hours, and contacts for its Shawnee Clinic in Shawnee, PlusCare in Norman, Little Axe Health Center in Norman, and ASTHS Vision Clinic in Norman, Oklahoma, are featured. A list of services, visitor information, an event calendar, announcements, classes, and career opportunities are noted.
https://www.asthealth.org/
The State of Alabama Indian Affairs Commission's website tells the story of the tribe's early history, including how they came to reside in Alabama and its status today. It includes the address and other contacts for the tribe's Chief and Indian Commission Representative, information about the tribe's structure, positions, and enrollment policies, and references to relevant books, magazines, and additional resources. The site also includes an overview of other tribes, legislation, and programs.
https://aiac.alabama.gov/tribes_PiquaShawnee.aspx
ESC is a board-governed holding company that represents a collection of tribally owned businesses providing professional and construction services. Its intent is to become a trusted partner for tribal, federal, municipal, and private clients while creating sustainable solutions and preserving tribal heritage. The advantages of dealing with a tribally owned company are highlighted, and companies under its management are featured, and career opportunities are noted.
https://easternshawneecompanies.com/
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
The federally recognized Shawnee tribe is headquartered in Wyandotte, Oklahoma, while its jurisdictional area is in Ottawa County. Of its nearly 4,000 enrolled members, fewer than 100 of them live in Oklahoma, although some live nearby in Missouri, where the tribe has a Cultural Preservation Center at Seneca and a community in western Missouri. The tribal government, enrollment policies, and its health, education, and family services are outlined, and contacts are provided.
https://estoo-nsn.gov/
Representing the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, situated in central Oklahoma, the tribe has between 4,000 and 5,000 members who reside in all parts of the world, although its tribal government is headquartered in Shawnee, Oklahoma. "Li-Si-Wi-Nwi" means "Among the Shawnee." Its governmental structure, executive committees, and departments are highlighted, along with its services, tribal events, announcements, and employment opportunities.
https://www.astribe.com/
Piqua Shawnee Tribe of Alabama Blog
The Piqua Shawnee Tribe is one of nine Shawnee tribes recognized by the state of Alabama but not by the federal government. Its members reside mainly in Alabama. The tribe's history is rooted in the original settlement of the Shawnee people in Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and Kentucky, from which they were displaced due to various conflicts. This is a blog operated by the tribe, which consists of various historical articles, archives, and an online contact form.
https://nativeamericanpiquashawnee.wordpress.com/
Ridgetop Shawnee Tribe of Indians
Also known as the Ridgetop Band of Shawnee, the local group of people of Native American heritage descend from Southeastern Kentucky's earliest mix-raced settlers, which included whites, Native Americans, and African Americans who settled in the mountains of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Formed in 2003 with the goal of exploring its Native American heritage, its main goal is to teach Christianity. Enrollment, photos, and contacts are posted.
https://ridgetopshawnee.blogspot.com/
Owned and operated with the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, the Shawnee Skies facility was designed for shooters of all levels, from beginners to masters, offering sporting clays, trap, skeet, and five stand. Its sporting clays include great targets and comfortable stands, with gravel roads with easy access to all stations, and the facility also includes a pro shop and state-of-the-art 36-seat training room for classes, birthday parties, and other events. Range pricing is stated.
https://shawneeskies.com/
Formerly known as the Loyal Shawnee, the Shawnee Tribe is one of three federally recognized tribes of American Indians. Headquartered in Miami, Oklahoma, the tribe issues its own tribal vehicle tags and housing authority. Its constitution, courts, election policies, and business council are highlighted, along with citizen services, its language immersion program, educational programs, environmental resources, and enterprises are featured, and contacts are available.
https://shawnee-nsn.gov/
Zane Shawnee Caverns & Southwind Park
Situated near Bellefontaine, Ohio, Zane Shawnee Caverns and Southwind Park was founded in 1996 when the United Remnant Band of the Shawnee Nation purchased the property to add to their land holdings in Logan County, and they have maintained the land to continue helping campers get back to nature. Available are campsites designed with recreational vehicle campers in mind. Season schedules and hours of operation are posted, along with prices and contacts.
https://www.zaneshawneecavernsandsouthwindpark.com/
