Kickapoo Tribe Essay

The Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma

History

The Kickapoo are a Woodland tribe, that speak the language of Algonquian. They are related to Sac and Fox. It was the mid-seventeenth century when they first came into contact with the Europeans, in southwestern Wisconsin. It was the mid-eighteenth century when the Kickapoo began to live in two different communities. One being the “Prairie Band,” along Illinois’s Sangamon River, and the other, the “Vermillion Band,” which was east of the Wabash River in Indiana. The Kickapoo tribe was allies with the French, however at the start of the American Revolution they began to favor the British. The Kickapoo became very involved with the social movement of Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh, and later with the Black Hawk

As of 2003 the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma had 2,522 enrolled members (“Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma”). They have headquarters located in McCloud, Oklahoma, where it is currently governed by a 5-member Business Committee. However, many also reside in Lincoln, Oklahoma and Pottawatomie countries. Their tribal jurisdiction encompasses Oklahoma, Pottawatomie, and Lincoln Counties (“Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma”).

Native Language & Enrollment About 400 tribal members speak the Kickapoo language (“Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma”). It is said to be one of the few Oklahoma tribal languages spoken by children today. I learned that the name Kickapoo comes from their word “Kiwigapawa,” which means “he stands about” or “he moves about”. Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma is one of the three federally recognized Kickapoo Tribes in the United States. They only require members of the tribe to have one fourth Kickapoo decent.

Religious

There is the supreme deity, Kisiihiat, who create the world and lives in the sky above. There is also a culture hero, Wisaaka. This is the son of Kisiihiat. He created the Indian world and was the one who taught the Kickapoo how to build their houses, which happens to be a vital element of the Kickapoo religion. Most Oklahoma Kickapoo practice the traditional religion, as well as other religions like the Native American church and Protestant denominations (Religion and Expressive Culture - Kickapoo). Each bundle society and clan have a leader to perform various rituals associated with its respective sacred pack (Religion and Expressive Culture - Kickapoo). Religious leaders are required many years of train in order to attain the knowledge necessary to perform tasks like rituals.

Ceremonies

Ceremonies play a big part in maintaining the cultural integration of Kickapoo Society in Oklahoma as well as Mexico and Kansas. I found that a display of thunder and lighting, usually in early February, signifies the beginning of the New Year. This then begins the cycle of ceremonies. Their festivals include clan and bundle rituals, ceremonies and dances that encompass all the tribal members (Religion and Expressive Culture - Kickapoo). Of course, with that comes ceremonial foods that are served in feast style.