The Great Plains Indians Complete Text - Lingua

Complete Text 

Lingua-Video.com

The Great Plains Indians 

Early Indians 3 

Buffalo and Horse 4 

Rise of the Horse Culture 6 

Kiowa 8 

Comanche 10 

Arapahoe 11 

Cheyenne 13 

Sioux 14 

Home 16 

Clothing 17 

Social Structure 18 

Religion 20 

Lingua-Video.com – Ubierstraße 94 – 53173 Bonn – Tel: 0228 / 85 46 95-0 – Fax: 0228 / 85 46 95-79 2

Early Indians 

People have occupied the Americas for perhaps as long as 40,000 years. Over these 

years, they have created great civilizations equaling 1 any found in Europe, Asia and 

Africa. 

In North America, Paleoindians 2 hunted the mammoths 3 and mastodons 4 . They were 

replaced by archaic Indians who lived from 5,000 to 1,000 BC. 5 They left behind 

remarkable cave art 6 . In at least one instance they hunted bisons, the species known 

as the American buffalo, by driving them into kill sites on the eastern Colorado plains. 

But these hunter-gatherers were moving towards becoming agricultural societies. 

Prior to the arrival of Europeans in 1492, the transition to agrarian cultures had been 

nearly completed. Indian nations extended across North America. A network of cities 

flourished as a part of a mound 7 building culture in the East. In the Southwest, the 

Anasazi 8 and their contemporary cultures built equally remarkable dwellings. 

Then, in the historical blink of an eye, they all disappeared and were replaced by the 

configuration 9 of tribes in place at the start of the 17 th century, many of which then 

vanished as a result of European diseases and settlement. 

1 

equaling – to equal – to have the same size, quality, status etc. – gleichkommend 

2 

Paleoindians – Stone Age Indians – Indianer, die in der Steinzeit lebten 

3 

mammoth – das Mammut 

4 

mastodon – das Mastodon 

5 

BC – before Christ; AD – Anno Domini – in the year of the Lord 

6 

cave art – prehistoric pictures on the walls of a cave – die Höhlenmalerei 

7 

mound – a heap or pile of earth built for burials or fortifications – der Hügel, Wall 

8 

Anasazi – ancient Pueblo People or ancestral Puebloans. A prehistoric Native American civilization centered 

around the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado); 

Pueblo Indians – a Native American Indian people who lived in present day New Mexico and Arizona. Pueblo 

comes from the Spanish, meaning Town. When the Pueblo were discovered by the Spanish around 1500 they 

were a settled tribe living in towns. They were not nomadic like some of the other local tribes. 

9 

configuration – an arrangement of the parts of something – die Anordnung 


During this time, the great cities were replaced by small agricultural villages. Then, as 

the Europeans expanded across the continent, the surviving tribes were pushed ever 

westward into a constantly redefined and shrinking Indian territory. 

However, during the middle of the 18 th century two parallel events occurred on the 

North American continent: 

The creation of a new type of nation – The United States of America and 

the creation of a new kind of Indian culture – the warrior 10 horse culture: 

Two remarkable human transformations that would eventually clash in bitter conflict. 

Buffalo and Horse 

Two large mammal species 11 played an equally critical role in creating the 

remarkable Plains Indians culture. One was the horse, an animal brought to the New 

World by the Europeans. The other, a member of the cattle family, was the American 

buffalo, indigenous 12 to the continent. 

The American buffalo can trace its ancestry 13 back to the Pleistocene 14 era when its 

relatives roamed 15 among the mastodons, mammoths, giant wolves and lions. 

10 

warrior – a person who fights in battle – der Krieger 

11 

mammal species – a class of animals that give birth to live babies and feed them on milk from the breast – die 

Säugetiere 

12 

indigenous – belonging naturally to a place – einheimisch 

13 

ancestry – people or race from which one is descended – die Abstammung, Herkunft 

14 

Pleistocene – an ice age period – die Pleistozänzeit 

15 

roamed – to roam – to move about without any definite aim or destination – umherstreifen 


In fact, the buffalo is the lone survivor from that ancient time. 

A herd animal, the buffalo is covered with long dark brown woolly hair. It has a 

massive head, high humped 16 shoulders and a tufted 17 tail. Fully grown, buffaloes are 

five to six feet high at the shoulders and can weigh as much as a ton. Like other 

members of the cattle family, they thrive on grasses. 

Prior to the 1800s, it is estimated that the buffalo population ranged somewhere 

between 60 to 80 million. They were found wherever prairie grasses grew, from 

Canada to Texas and from the Rockies to Ohio and Kentucky. It was said that when 

one of the vast herds moved through an area it kicked up a cloud of dust darkening 

the sky. 

For 10,000 years buffalo had been hunted on foot by the Native American tribes but 

were never the principal source of food and material for the Indians as the deer or elk 

were. That changed with the arrival of the Europeans and their horses. 

The horse was particularly important to the Spanish in their conquests 18 and 

explorations 19 . The Spanish Iberian mustang was not a huge grain-fed animal like the 

horses from northwestern Europe and the British Isles. It was a desert-bred animal 

that could live entirely off grasses and go for long periods without water. It was 

capable of carrying a man in heavy armor 20 over miles of burning desert and dry high 

plains. 

In 1680 there was a massive uprising by the Pueblo Indians against their Spanish 

overlords 21 . When the surviving Spanish fled they left behind their sheep, cattle and 

horses. 

The Pueblo, a sedentary 22 people having little use for the thousands of Spanish 

horses, simply let them roam free. These horses thriving on the short grass prairies 

formed the nucleus 23 of the great mustang herds of the Southwest and Southern 

Plains. 

This great horse dispersal 24 produced perhaps the most rapid cultural transformation 

hitherto 25 ever witnessed on the planet. Within 100 years, a number of native 

American tribes on both sides of the Great Plains had transformed themselves into 

nomadic buffalo hunting horse cultures; horse cultures with names like the 

Cheyenne, the Sioux, the Comanche, the Kiowa and the Arapahoe. 

16 

humped – a hump – a round projecting part on the back of an animal – buckelig 

17 

tufted – a tuft – a bunch of hair, feathers etc. growing or held together at the base – gebüschelt 

18 

conquests – to conquer – to take possession and control by force- die Eroberungen 

19 

explorations – to explore – to search through or travel through new lands for discovery – die Erforschungen 

20 

armor – a protective metal covering for the body worn when fighting – die Rüstung 

21 

overlords – people with supreme powers over many others – die Oberherren, Herrscher 

22 

sedentary – settled in one place – sesshaft 

23 

nucleus – the central part of something – der Kern 

24 

dispersal – to disperse – to go in different directions, to spread over a wide area – die Verbreitung, 

Verstreutheit 

25 hitherto – until now – bis jetzt 


Rise of the Horse Culture 

100 years after the great horse dispersal started, most of the remaining North 

American tribes had horses but only a few tried the grand economic experiment of 

developing a true nomadic horse culture. 

At the same time, the short grass prairie offered a huge unoccupied region for 

expansion 26 . While unfit for permanent settlement, it was ideal for any group that 

moved easily with the wanderings of the millions of buffalo. The horse provided the 

vehicle and the buffalo provided a virtually inexhaustible 27 supply of high quality 

protein 28 giving the tribes, willing to venture 29 onto the Plains, the chance for rapid 

population growth. Each of these tribes has a unique story of its transformation into a 

horse culture. 

The WHY has long been lost but the journey has been recorded. Looking at the 

Great Plains as a sea of prairie grass all the eventual and nomadic tribes started in 

the North, three from the Eastern shore and four from the Western shore. 

Unlike the other horse cultures, the Navajo and Apache moved into their 18 th and 19 th 

century homelands prior to the arrival of the Europeans in the 16 th century. They 

were part of a very large sub-arctic group generally referred to as the Athabascan 30 

(or Athapascan) speaking Indians. 

26 

expansion – to expand – to become greater in size – die Ausdehnung, Erweiterung 

27 

inexhaustible – something that will always continue, never finished – unerschöpflich, unendlich 

28 

protein – das Protein, das Eiweiss 

29 

to venture – to dare to go somewhere dangerous or unpleasant – sich vorwagen 

30 

Athabascan – an American Indian linguistic stock including languages of the far northwest, of the Pacific coast 

and of Arizona and the Rio Grande basin 


Their ancestral home 31 covered a large part of Canada’s Northwest Territory. 

Anthropological records indicate that these people lived in small family groups, were 

nomadic, and hunted caribou 32 . 

Sometime between 900 and 1400 A.D. 33 a group identified as the Southern 

Athabascans migrated south into present day West Texas, New Mexico and 

Arizona. 

When the Spanish arrived in 1540, they were already split into two distinct groups, 

the Apache and the Navajo. Each had their own territories and customs, and 

because of their close proximity 34 to the Spanish they were the first to tame 35 horses. 

In fact, in 1659 the Navajo were the first Indians to attack Europeans using horses. At 

the same time their Apache relatives used the horse for food and as a beast of 

burden 36 . 

The Navajo were more settled than the Apache. Like most tribes who had names for 

themselves such as “The True Ones”, “Only Ones”, “Real People” and “Human 

Beings”, the Navajo referred to themselves as Dene, meaning “The People”. 

They lived in permanent dwellings 37 known as Hogans. These eight-sided buildings 

were perfect for the desert southwest remaining hot in the winter and cool in the 

summer. 

Capturing 38 horses, sheep and goats from the Spanish, the Navajo established herds 

of their own. They became excellent weavers 39 and their rugs and blankets became 

highly valued trade goods. 

The most important person in the Navajo family was the woman who owned the land, 

the home and the livestock 40 . All Navajo life centered around the family, including 

religious ceremonies. One of the most important was a healing ceremony known as 

the Night Wake. 

In this ceremony the Navajo used sand paintings like this one to heal the sick. 

Shamans called singers created these sacred pictures using crushed rock of many 

colors. While the Navajo practiced more settled activities like farming, the Apache 

preferred raiding 41 and hunting. Indeed, the Apache moved seasonally 42 with the 

antelope, elk, deer and buffalo. Traveling in small groups or as individual families, 

they would set up a circular hut known as a Wickiup. Each Wickiup housed a family. 

31 

ancestral home – see ancestry above – der Stammsitz 

32 

caribou – der Karibu 

33 

A.D. – Anno Domini – in the year of the Lord 

34 

close proximity – to be near somebody or something in space or time – die unmittelbare Nähe 

35 

to tame – to change animals from the wild or savage state – to make easy to control – zähmen, bändigen 

36 

beast of burden – an animal used for carrying heavy loads on its back – das Lasttier 

37 

dwellings – dwelling -a place of residence, a house – die Wohnhäuser 

38 

capturing – to capture – to take a person or an animal as a prisoner – gefangennehmen, (ein)fangen 

39 

weavers – weaver – a person who weaves cloth – die Weber 

40 

livestock – animals kept on a farm for use or profit – das Vieh 

41 

raiding – to raid – to make a surprise attack – überfallen, plündern 

42 

seasonally – the season – the 4 seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter – von der Jahreszeit abhängig, 

saisonbedingt 


From these camps the Apache raided the Spanish or other tribes capturing sheep 

and goats which they ate, and mustangs which they used primarily as pack horses. 

The Apache – though they numbered less than 5,000 – were among the most 

warlike 43 of the Indians and had long running feuds 44 with almost every other tribe of 

the Southwestern Plains and desert Southwest. They formed no religious institutions 

but looked for spirituality in everyday life. 

The famous Chiricahwa leader Geronimo 45 , who was also a healer explained: 

“We had no churches, no Sabbath day, no holidays and yet we worshipped 46 . 

Sometimes the whole tribe would assemble to sing and pray. Sometimes in a smaller 

number of perhaps only two or three. Sometimes an aged person prayed for all of 

us.” 

And like later arrivals to the plains, neither the Apache nor the Navajo formed any 

significant military alliances 47 with other tribes. 

Kiowa 

The Kiowa’s journey onto the plains began somewhere in the Kootenay region of 

British Columbia, Canada. From there they migrated 48 into western Montana in the 

43 

warlike – aggressive; showing a desire for conflict or war – kriegerisch 

44 

feuds – the feud – a long and bitter quarrel between 2 people – die Fehden 

45 

Geronimo – Apache Indian chief, ~ 1834-1909 

46 

worshipped – to worship – the practice of showing respect for God or a god eg. by praying or singing – 

anbeten, vergöttern, verehren 

47 

military alliances – military unions for mutual benefits – Militärbündnisse 

48 

migrated – to migrate – to move from one place to go to live in another – abwandern, ziehen 


1600s. Around 1700, they reached the Yellowstone River area. Ten years later after 

acquiring the horse from the Crow 49 they found a home in South Dakota’s Black Hills. 

Very quickly the Cheyenne and the Sioux drove them from this home. Again they 

moved south where they fought a bloody war with the Comanche. 

However, by the beginning of the 19 th century the Kiowa formed a strong military 

alliance with their former adversary 50 . This alliance was at the center of the battle for 

the Southern Plains. Their language is believed to be part of the Aztec-Tanoan 

linguistic stock 51 . It is a language group spoken by many Mexican Indians. 

Like all the nomadic Indian nations, the twin centers of Kiowa life were hunting and 

war. Though small in numbers the Kiowa were known for their exceptional bravery 52 , 

strict military organization and strong warrior societies. 

The Kiowa were also known for their incredible 53 storytelling pictographs 54 . Indeed 

they came very close to developing a written language. Much history of the Indian 

Wars comes from their pictographic records, written on buffalo hides as a kind of 

yearly calendar. 

Another nation later called the Kiowa-Apache accompanied the Kiowa as they 

migrated south. Though unrelated genealogically 55 to either the Kiowa or the Apache 

they had the cultural traits 56 of the Kiowa and spoke an Athabascan-based language 

like the Apache. Hence 57 the Kiowa-Apache designation 58 . 

49 

the Crow – a North American Indian Plains tribe belonging to the Siouan linguistic stock, located in eastern 

Montana 

50 

adversary – an opponent in a contest, argument or battle – der, die Gegner(in), der, die Kontrahent(in) 

51 

linguistic stock – language group – Sprachbestand 

52 

exceptional bravery – unusual, outstanding courage – aussergewöhnliche Tapferkeit, Mut 

53 

incredible – difficult to believe – unglaublich 

54 

pictographs – pictograph – pictogram – das Piktogramm (fachspr.) 

55 

genealogically – genealogy – concerned with one’s ancestors and family history – genealogisch 

56 

cultural traits – distinguishing cultural characteristics – die Kultureigenschaften 

57 

hence – for this reason – daher 

58 

designation – naming, nomination – die Bezeichnung 


Comanche 

The Uto-Aztecan language places the Comanche as part of the Shoshone nation that 

occupied a large part of the Great Basin area 59 of Wyoming, Utah and Nevada. 

Sometime in the 17 th century, a small band of Shoshone from the mountainous 

region of Wyoming migrated south along the Rocky Mountains. 

59 The Great Basin area – a region without drainage to the ocean in the western United States 


Around 1700 they acquired 60 horses and by 1720 they were in present-day Kansas. 

By this time they had become the finest horse breeders 61 on the plains, owning the 

largest and richest herds of Indian ponies in the West. 

For the next 150 years the Comanche would lord over 62 the most expansive native 

American empire the continent would ever see. Master horse warriors, the 

Comanche fought and defeated the Apache and the Spanish. It is said that the 

Comanche killed more Whites than any other Indian tribe. Eventually they formed 

military alliances with the Kiowa and the Southern Arapahoe and the Southern 

Cheyenne. 

Although the Comanche controlled a large empire that stretched across the Southern 

Plains, they were less organized socially than their Kiowa allies. But organized in 

small bands of 100 or so warriors the Comanche rivaled 63 the Spanish 

Conquistadors 64 in wealth and power. Like the Spanish they were also slave traders 65 

and profit seekers 66 . 

Of all the Plains nations the Comanche were the most open to new ideas. It was 

perhaps their greatest strength according to historians Joseph Cash and Gerald 

Wolfe in their book “The Comanche People”. The Comanche, by bringing in captives 

from so many different groups kept their nation vigorous 67 and far-seeing 68 . 

But while the Comanche were far-seeing they also recognized the value of the old 

traditions such as using spider webs 69 to tell when a storm was approaching, 70 thus 

enabling them to use the weather to their advantage during raids or hunting. 

A second group of Indians moved onto the Plains, not from the Northwest as did the 

Apache, Navajo, Kiowa and Comanche but from the Northeast. 

Arapahoe 

At one time both the Cheyenne and the Arapahoe were part of a large village 

dwelling group of Indian nations known as the Woodland 71 culture 72 that lived in the 

upper Great Lakes region of the United States. 

The Cheyenne and the Arapahoe were Algonquian speaking people. The exact 

ancestral homeland of the Arapahoe is unknown but many believe they once lived 

along the banks of the Red River between the border of North Dakota and 

Minnesota. 

60 

acquired – to acquire – to obtain, to buy or be given something – angeeignet, erworben 

61 

horse breeders – to breed horses – to keep horses to produce young ones – die Pferdezüchter 

62 

lord over – to lord over – to rule over – Herr sein über 

63 

rivaled – to rival – to compete with somebody – mit jemanden konkurrieren 

64 

Conquistadors (span.) – die Eroberer 

65 

slave traders – slave trade – the business of dealing in slaves – die Sklavenhändler 

66 

profit seekers – seeking an advantage or benefit from something – gewinn- oder profitorientiert 

67 

vigorous – strong, active or full of energy – kräftig, robuste Gesundheit 

68 

far-seeing – seeing future problems and possibilities clearly and planning for them – weitsichtig, 

vorausschauend 

69 

spider webs – nets (or webs) built by some spiders (Spinnen) to trap insects as food – die Spinnennetze 

70 

approaching – to approach – to come near or nearer in distance or time – herannahend 

71 

woodland – an area covered with trees – der Wald, das Waldland 

72 

woodland culture – the customs, arts, social institutions of the woodland Indians – die Kultur der Waldindianer 


Sometime in the 1700s the Arapahoe arrived near the head waters 73 of the Missouri 

River. From the head waters of the Missouri the Arapahoe pushed south towards the 

Black Hills. Though they made a military and economic alliance with the Cheyenne 

they warred 74 with the rest of the Plains tribes including the Sioux, Pawnee, 

Comanche and the Shoshone. In fact it was by stealing their horses that the 

Arapahoe became a full-fledged 75 horse culture. 

The Arapahoe practiced and perhaps originated the sun dance. An annual 76 event, 

the sun dance was a test of endurance for the participants as they had to dance and 

perform rituals for days, often staring into the sun. 

While the Arapahoe were fierce 77 fighters, they were known more for their welcoming 

ways than their warlike nature. This characteristic stemmed 78 from their form of 

government which used consensus 79 to make decisions for the tribe. Usually 

consensus was reached among the adult men and some of the elderly women. 

Unlike the Comanche who did not allow women to have any authority at all, elderly 

Arapahoe women held the authority on religious matters. When a child was born the 

umbilical cord 80 was placed in a special beaded 81 case and attached to the child’s 

cradle 82 as an amulet. When a child learned to walk he or she carried the amulet 83 

with them wherever they went. 

73 

head waters – a stream or streams forming the sources of a river – die Quellflüsse, das Quellgebiet 

74 

warred – to war – to fight against – Krieg führen 

75 

full-fledged – completely developed or established – ausgereift 

76 

annual – yearly – jährlich 

77 

fierce – strong, intense, violent – heftig, stürmisch, erbarmungslos 

78 

stemmed – to stem from – to have something as its origin or cause – zurückzuführen auf 

79 

consensus – a general agreement about a matter of opinion – die Übereinstimmung, der Konsens 

80 

umbilical cord – the tube connecting a baby to its mother before birth – die Nabelschnur 

81 

beaded – the bead – any small, usually round piece of glass or other hard material with a hole through it, to be 

put on a string with others or to be sewn onto material – mit Perlen besetzt 

82 

cradle – the cradle – a small bed for a baby – die Wiege 


Cheyenne 

The first historical record of the Cheyenne was in 1680 when a group of Cheyenne 

encountered 84 the French explorer LaSalle in present-day 85 Illinois. Shortly after this 

encounter the Cheyenne moved westward separating from their Woodland 

neighbors. Still living in permanent 86 villages they farmed along the Missouri River in 

North and South Dakota during the mid 1700s but at century’s end they had lost the 

corn 87 – as their legend told – and became a true nomadic horse culture. 

For a brief period they occupied the Black Hills only to be pushed out by the Sioux. 

Perhaps the most important Cheyenne ceremony was the Medicine Arrow Rite 88 also 

known as the Arrow Renewal Ceremony. At the end of spring the Cheyenne 

arranged their tepees 89 in a crescent 90 with a great medicine lodge 91 at its center. 

Then for four days the entire tribe concentrated on renewing the power of their 

weapons through four sacred 92 arrows which were thought to have supernatural 

power over men and buffalo. 

In the 1830s some Cheyenne and Arapahoe gravitated 93 to the trading post at Ben’s 

Fort on the Arkansas River while others preferred to trade on the Missouri inland. 

83 

amulet – the amulet – a piece of jewelry, etc. worn about a person as protection from witchcraft, accident or ill 

luck – das Amulett 

84 

encountered – to encounter – to find or be faced with something, especially something new, strange or 

unpleasant – jemanden (unerwartet) treffen oder begegnen 

85 

present-day – as it exists today – im heutigen 

86 

permanent – lasting or expected to last for a long time or forever 

87 

corn – the corn – der Mais 

88 

rite – the rite – a religious or other solemn ceremony – das Ritual 

89 

tepee – the tepee – das Indianerzelt 

90 

crescent – the crescent – shaped like the moon in its first quarter – die Mondsichel, sichelförmig 

91 

lodge – the lodge – a small house, hut – das Wigwam 

92 

sacred – connected with God or a god, or considered to be holy – heilig, geheiligt 

93 

gravitated – to gravitate – to move towards something or somebody gradually but steadily – angezogen 

werden, sich hingezogen fühlen 


The two groups eventually made an informal division. Eventually the Northern 

Cheyenne and Arapahoe would ally themselves with the Sioux in the battle for the 

Northern Plains and the Southern Cheyenne and Arapahoe would ally themselves 

with the Caddoan and the Comanche in the battle for the Southern Plains. It has 

been said that no tribe suffered more during the Indian wars than the Cheyenne. 

Sioux 

Horse mounted 94 , riding into battle against the cavalry, wearing long buffalo robes, 

smoking the peace pipe in a colorfully painted tepee, for most Americans today these 

are the images of what the American Indian was like. 

These are actually images of only the Plains Indians, more than likely the Sioux. The 

Sioux also known as the Lakota, the Dakota and the Nakota were originally a 

Woodland Indian tribe that dominated the southern two-thirds of Minnesota as well as 

parts of Wisconsin, Iowa and North and South Dakota. 

Unlike their neighboring Algonquian speaking Woodland Indians, the Sioux spoke 

their own language, Siouan. 

There were four ancestral branches of the Sioux: 

The Santee, which was made up of four distinct bands 95 . 

The Yankton, with only one band. 

The Yanktonai, formed from three bands and the largest and best known band of the 

Sioux: 

The Teton, also known as the Lakota. It included the Ogalala band, the Brul, the 

Hunkpapa and the Miniconju and three lesser known bands. 

94 horse mounted – on a horse – beritten, hoch zu Ross 

95 band – an Indian band – a division of a nomadic tribe, a group of people who move and camp together – die 

Gruppe 


It was the Lakota band that first tamed the horse and spread west to the Black Hills 

and beyond. It was the Teton branch that became one of the most formidable 96 

combatants 97 in the Indian Wars. And it was the Teton who had the greatest number 

of warriors on the plains and inflicted 98 the greatest defeats on the United States 

cavalry. Aside from their war like prowess 99 among the Plains nations, the Sioux 

were known for their kindness, charity 100 and brotherhood 101 . 

Each Plains nation had its own creation myths and its own sacred person or spirit 

who came to earth and gave it the traditions necessary for healthy life. According to 

Sioux legend a white buffalo maiden 102 came to them bearing a pipe and instructions 

on how to live. The pipe represented the covenant 103 between the Sioux and the 

buffalo. 

Like the Kiowa, the Sioux kept a pictographic record of their history known as the 

winter count. Drawn on buffalo skins it recorded the momentous 104 events of the year 

with a single picture. 

Three other tribes became expert horsemen living at the edges of the Great Plains. 

They were the Crow, the Blackfeet and the Pawnee. 

While they participated in the Indian Wars, they never developed a truly nomadic life 

style. By the start of the sustained 105 fighting that culminated 106 in the final phase of 

the Indian Wars the Plains Indian tribes had settled into stable 107 territories. 

96 formidable – causing fear, anxiety or admiration – furchterregend 

97 combatants – the combatant – a person involved in fighting a war – die Kämpfer 

98 inflicted – to inflict – to make somebody or something suffer – jemanden etwas zufügen 

99 prowess – the prowess – outstanding skill or ability – die Fähigkeiten, das Können 

100 charity – kindness and sympathy towards others – die Freundlichkeit und Barmherzigkeit 

101 brotherhood – friendship and understanding between people – die Brüderlichkeit 

102 maiden – the maiden – a young woman who is not married, a girl – ein Mädchen 

103 covenant – the covenant – legal agreement or contract – das Abkommen, das Bündnis 

104 momentous – very important, serious – bedeutsam, folgenschwer 

105 sustained – to sustain – to maintain, to keep going – anhaltend, fortdauernd 


By this time the seven tribes, while retaining 108 a number of distinctive 109 features 110 

such as language, shared many customs and ways derived 111 from becoming 

nomadic buffalo hunting horse oriented cultures. 

Home 

There was no more dramatic sight on the plains than hundreds of tepees silhouetted 

against the setting sun. Life on the plains for the Indian nations that followed the 

buffalo required a living structure that was big enough to hold a family, was hot in the 

winter and cool in the summer, sturdy against the fierce prairie winds and perhaps 

most importantly the Plains Indians needed a structure that was readily transportable, 

easily assembled and disassembled. 

The tepee fit their needs perfectly. In the Sioux language tepee meant dwelling. 

The upper Great Lakes tribes had smaller versions of the tepee, seen in historic 

photographs. The tepee size for those early Indians was restricted 112 by the lack of 

carrying capacity of the domestic dogs, that were used for transportation. That 

restriction was removed with the arrival of the horse. The materials for a tepee came 

from the buffalo and the large poles 113 came from pine 114 woods. 

106 

culminated – to culminate – to reach the highest point or specified conclusion – gipfeln, den Höhepunkt 

erreichen 

107 

stable – firmly established, not likely to change – dauerhaft, beständig 

108 

retaining – to retain – to continue to have something, to hold – beibehalten 

109 

distinctive – characteristic – unverwechselbar, deutlich 

110 

features – the feature – a distinctive aspect or characteristic – die besonderen Merkmale 

111 

derived – to derive from – to draw or receive from, to obtain – abgeleitet von, herkommen, herrühren von 

112 

restricted – to restrict – to put a limit or control on something – eingeschränkt, begrenzt 

113 

poles – the pole – a long, round, thin piece of wood or other material – die Stangen 


Gathering these materials, hunting the buffalo and cutting and trimming the large 

poles was done by the men, the rest of the work was done by the women. Not only 

did the women tan the hides 115 and sew 116 them together, they were also responsible 

for putting up the tepee. 

The basic design of a tepee was remarkably simple: Buffalo hides stretched over a 

framework of large poles. Erecting the tepee was simple as well. First, three poles 

formed the tripod 117 base to which additional poles were added. When this was done, 

the cover perhaps made up of as many as 20 buffalo hides was lifted into place and 

secured at the top. The bottom edge was pegged 118 to the ground and the entrance 

flap 119 was put in place with more wooden pegs. The last two poles were used to 

control the smoke flaps. 

Clothing 

The unexpected sight of even a lone warrior appearing at the horizon struck fear in 

the hearts of travelers and cavalry soldiers alike. The paintings on his horse and the 

number of feathers in his hair showed how powerful a fighter he was. Dressed in the 

colorful regalia 120 of his tribe wearing the war paint that indicated that he was ready to 

die in battle. This single warrior might mean hundreds more may lay hidden 121 in the 

ambush or he might just want to trade. 

Like the tepee whose shape was both practical and symbolic, so were the Indians’ 

clothes. In summer the breech clout 122 and simple leggings were perfect for the 

desert-like heat of the Plains. In winter the heavy fur and tough hide of the buffalo 

kept him warm in even the most frigid conditions. 

The markings on his clothing indicated which tribe he was from and his prowess 123 as 

a warrior. The animal skins used to make his garments 124 showed which spirit guides 

he looked to for personal power. While a warrior took the utmost care with his 

appearance when on a raid, it was the women who made all the clothing for the 

family. 

The buffalo, the all-purpose beast of the plains was the source of most clothing. Deer 

and antelope also provided skins for garments. As trade with the white man 

increased, factory made cloth, blankets and even boots were used by the Plains 

Indians. 

114 pine – an evergreen tree that produces cones and has thin, sharp needles – die Kiefer 

115 tan the hides – to tan – to make animal skins (hides) into leather – gerben 

116 sew – to sew – to join or mend cloth or leather with a needle and thread – nähen 

117 tripod – tripod base -an article or utensil having three feet or legs – ein Stativ, ein Grundgestell 

118 pegged – to peg – to fasten or attach with a peg – mit einer Klammer (hier mit einem Zelthering) festmachen 

119 flap – a flap – a piece of material which covers an opening or hangs down from something – der Lappen, die 

Lasche 

120 regalia – the special clothes worn and objects carried at official ceremonies – die Aufmachung, in voller 

Montur 

121 hidden – to hide – to keep oneself from being seen – versteckt 

122 breech clout – a cloth worn for riding etc. covering the hips and thighs, also breechcloth – das Reittuch, 

Reitgewand 

123 prowess – the prowess - outstanding skill or ability – das Können, die Leistungsfähigkeit 

124 garments – a garment -an article of clothing – die Bekleidungsstücke 


Still, the buffalo remained the most important source of clothing right up to the end of 

the Indian Wars. The buffalo’s tough hide was used to make robes, caps, moccasins, 

mittens 125 , leggings, coats and dresses. Women left the fur on for winter garments 

and removed it for summer clothes. 

While in camp men and women dressed simply for freedom of movement. However 

on important ceremonial days they dressed in their finest clothes with the tribe’s 

distinctive quill 126 and bead work on display. In colder weather the warrior wore 

leggings for warmth. He also wore leggings when hunting or on a raiding party to 

protect his legs: leggings were colorful and profusely 127 decorated with paint, bells, 

shells, quills or beads. It was as a warrior in a raiding party that the men displayed 

their finest garments. Within each tribe distinctive decorations indicated specific 

warrior societies. However, individual warriors used paint to show their personal war 

honors. 

Ceremonial shirts generally known as a war shirt were extensively decorated and 

worn during raiding parties. These shirts hung loose and fell well below the waist. 

The Northern tribes such as the Sioux had the most glorious war shirts. The 

Arapahoe, Cheyenne and Kiowa painted celestial 128 symbols on their war shirts. 

Generally the Southern tribes were less adorned. 

An Indian’s hair was deemed 129 directly related to the soul and as such was treated 

as an adornment 130 . While on a raid it was often decorated with beads and colors to 

make it distinctive. Warriors who had counted coups 131 in the battle would wear eagle 

feathers as a mark of their bravery. The Sioux wore their hair loose as a sign of 

humility 132 , some southern and Central Plains tribes shaved their heads except for a 

short tuft. They often then painted the head as well as the face red. In the golden age 

of the Plains Indians warrior culture their costumes were among the finest ever made 

showing distinctive beauty and personality. 

Social Structure 

It was the well-ordered social structure of the southern Indian nations that enabled 

them to thrive 133 in the harsh environment of the plains and desert and battle the U.S. 

military to a standstill for nearly 40 years. It was a social structure that was organized 

into groupings within groupings. At its base was the family, the next largest group 

was the extended family called the clan. After the clans came camps or villages. A 

camp could be made up of a single clan or a band which consisted of multiple clans. 

Sometimes these clans would be related by marriage and sometimes not. Villages in 

turn were spread out over a tribe’s territory. 

125 

mittens – a type of glove covering four fingers together and the thumb separately – die Fausthandschuhe 

126 

quill – a large feather from the wing or tail of a bird – die Feder 

127 

profusely – profuse – in large amounts – stark, überreichlich, übermässig 

128 

celestial – (attrib) of the sky – Himmels- 

129 

was deemed – to deem – to consider, to regard – galt als 

130 

adorned – to adorn – to make more attractive or beautiful especially by adding some type of ornament – 

geschmückt, verziert 

131 

counted coups – (from the French) a warrior who had killed someone in battle and took his scalp – a heroic 

warrior – ein besonders erfolgreicher Krieger 

132 

humility – a modest or low opinion of one’s own importance – die Demut, Bescheidenheit 

133 

to thrive – to live and grow well and vigorously – gut gedeihen, florieren 


Depending upon the time of year, the village could be as small as 20 or fewer people 

or large enough to stretch along a river for 15 miles. Life in camp revolved around the 

tepee. Women did all the tasks that made the household run. They collected fire 

wood and cooked meals, gathered suitable roots and fruits, scraped 134 buffalo and 

antelope hides, prepared buffalo meat for drying and made all the clothing from 

moccasins to breeches. 

The women took care of the children until five or six years of age, often nursing them 

for the whole time. At that point, young boys went to help their fathers with the pony 

herds and young girls followed their mothers learning what it meant to be a good wife 

and mother. But while seemingly engaged in menial tasks, 135 women were not 

considered servants; they had their role in the scorn 136 of a man’s help. 

The man was the head of the household. His job was to hunt and fight, tasks that 

inevitably 137 took their toll 138 . So much so that there were many more women than 

there were men in a typical clan. The result was that tribes practiced polygamy 139 and 

a man, if he survived the hunt and battle, could have several wives in order to 

maintain population numbers of a clan at a functional level. In fact, clans and bands 

operated with a great deal of independence particularly when it came to interactions 

with other Indians and Whites. 

Because Indian nations were spread out over a large area it was important to have 

events that brought them together to solidify their tribal and band identity and to plan 

tribal and band activities such as warfare. These events took the form of ceremonies, 

feats 140 and dances. For example, celebrations meant huge bonfires 141 , drumming 

and dancing far into the night. During summer encampments bonfires might go on for 

weeks at a time as the entire community gathered to witness feats of daring 142 

through the dance steps of the participants. 

The throbbing of the drums and the movements of the dancers celebrated victories, 

hunts, narratives 143 , planting seasons and harvests 144 . Indians had a song for every 

event from odes 145 to a warrior’s horse, to a death song that he might sing during a 

battle. It was all part of their own unique religion. 

134 

scraped – to scrape – to clean or remove something using a sharp tool – (ab)kratzen, (ab)schaben 

135 

menial tasks – (of work) not requiring much skill and often boring – die niederen Tätigkeiten 

136 

the scorn – refusing something because one is too proud – die Verachtung 

137 

inevitably – impossible to avoid, certain to happen – unvermeidlich 

138 

took their toll – to take its toll – to cause damage, injuries or deaths – forderten ihren Tribut 

139 

polygamy – the custom of having more than one wife – die Polygamie 

140 

feats – the feat – an achievement needing skill, strength or courage – die Heldentaten, Kunststücke 

141 

bonfires – the bonfire – a large fire made outdoors as part of a celebration – die Freudenfeuer, 

Scheiterhaufen 

142 

daring – to dare – to be brave enough to do something – kühn, wagemutig 

143 

narratives – the narrative – the account of an event, a story – die Erzählungen, Schilderungen 

144 

harvests – the harvest – the cutting and gathering of grain and other food crops – die Ernten 

145 

odes – the ode – a poem addressed to a person or thing, or celebrating some special event – die Oden (f) 


Religion 

To the Plains Indians everything in the world served a purpose in their lives. The sun, 

the mountains, the animals, the rivers, the trees. Everything in the warrior’s natural 

environment had a connection to the creator and therefore was filled with its own 

mysterious force. 

God or the Creator of the great spirit was not separate from the earth. This meant 

that everything was sacred. The many rituals and ceremonies of the tribe connected 

its members to the earth and everything on it as well as to the creator of all things. As 

a result, the Plains Indians believed that they could through ritual directly connect 

and participate with God or the spirit. 

The most important ritual for every warrior was the vision quest 146 . The quest lasted 

from two to four days and included fasting 147 , staying awake and crying for help from 

the spirits. 

„That drum is the centrepiece of the whole power. It’s like the earth. The earth 

is round and everything in it. In that circle it touches.“ 

„When you go in, like we are right now, you go in, you come in, enter it, but 

when it closes up you can’t see, hear or anything, so what’s gonna happen, 

(you know), once somebody tells you, you’re in your mother’s womb and you 

have no qualities naked, so when you go out, when this opens up, you don’t 

run out, you’re gonna crawl out, I guarantee you, because of what happened in 

here, so when you crawl out, you crawl out like when you were a baby, (see), 

so you take the water and spit it on yourself, you take everything and put it 

back in, so you start anew.“ 

Vision quests were used by warriors to provide them with a direct link to the spiritual 

world and to aid them in finding supernatural protection. The dance and the beating 

of the drum were and still are of great importance to the Plains Indians. By 1840 

economic and social transformation of the Plains Indians from agricultural and 

sedentary societies to nomadic warrior hunters was complete. 

The military alliances among the tribes and their territories would not change over the 

next 50 years span on the Plains. This period was called the Indian Wars. Ironically 

at a time when much of the Western World was experiencing the Industrial 

Revolution, the Plains Indians’ horse culture had completed a grand experiment in 

producing a true warrior society, one that would nobly 148 fight for its land and way of 

life. 

146 the vision quest – a warrior’s search for visions of the past or future while in a state of ecstasy or trance 

147 fasting – to fast – to eat little or no food for a period of time, especially for religious reasons – fasten 

148 nobly – noble – showing fine personal qualities e.g. honor and honesty – edel, nobel

The Great Plains Indians Complete Text - Lingua

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?