Native american History

11/04/2025

November is Native American Heritage Month.
A time not just to celebrate who we are, but to pass on the teachings that keep our spirit alive. Around the fire, our Elders share the stories, songs, and traditions that shape our identity — reminding us that our culture lives through the hearts of our youth and the understanding of our communities.

11/03/2025

In 1898, deep in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana, two unlikely friends carved out a life together. Elijah Red Elk, a skilled Salish tracker and hunter, had lived off the land since boyhood—moving silently through pine forests, reading the language of hoofprints and broken twigs. Daniel Hawthorn, a white Civil War veteran turned fur trapper, arrived in the region years later, broken in body but not in spirit.

At first, they eyed each other from a distance. But one bitter winter forced them into cooperation when Daniel’s horse broke a leg in a blizzard and Elijah found him half-frozen in a ravine. He carried him to his shelter, tended his wounds, and shared dried elk meat and stories in halting English and sign language.

That winter became a beginning. The two men built a cabin together on high ground, blending Salish methods with Daniel's rough-cut timberwork. Elijah taught Daniel to hunt with bow and snowshoe, to honor the kill with ceremony. Daniel taught Elijah to read and helped him write letters to distant tribal kin exiled to reservations.

They hunted together-quietly, methodically. Elijah tracked; Daniel shot. They respected the land, left nothing to waste, and shared meat with nearby homesteads in harsh seasons.

When gold prospectors trespassed sacred burial sites, the two men stood together, armed but calm, and drove them off without bloodshed-earning fear from some, but respect from most.

By the time Elijah passed in 1910, Daniel carved his friend's name into a pine plank, placed it near the creek they loved, and never left the mountains again.

11/02/2025

Known as Bird Chopper, Tsiskwa-Kaluya of the Cherokee Reservation carried the wisdom of his people in his eyes. This photograph from 1888 reveals a man whose life embodied endurance, courage, and ancestral pride. Though time has passed, his steady gaze continues to remind us of the unbroken strength of the Cherokee Nation. 🌿🔥

11/01/2025

For generations, the Blackfeet Nation told a story: their ancestors had roamed the Montana plains for nearly 18,000 years—long before settlers, maps, or fences existed.
Historians dismissed these accounts as myth or mere storytelling. Oral traditions weren’t seen as reliable history.
Then, in 2022, science finally caught up. DNA analysis revealed the Blackfeet’s lineage diverged from other Indigenous groups about 18,000 years ago, matching their ancient oral history.
This wasn’t just a minor detail—it validated a form of knowledge preserved without written records. The stories passed from elders to children survived millennia, carrying undeniable truth.
For the Blackfeet, storytelling was more than entertainment. It was a vital tool for teaching survival, preserving identity, and maintaining a deep connection to the land.
Every hill, river, and valley held memories tied to specific stories—each one anchored in reality, now confirmed by science.
This discovery challenges us to rethink how we value history and whose voices get heard. It asks: What other truths might be hidden in oral traditions around the world, waiting for us to listen?
The Blackfeet story shows that history isn’t just written in books—it lives in stories, songs, and memories passed down through generations. Maybe it’s time we all start listening more closely.

10/30/2025

𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨'𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 native forever 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬.

10/30/2025

He died forgotten in London in 1892, buried among strangers—then a woman at a flea market changed everything 103 years later.

Chief Long Wolf was a Lakota Sioux warrior from the windswept plains of South Dakota. In 1892, he traveled to Europe with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show—one of many Native performers in a spectacle that turned sacred culture into entertainment and proud warriors into curiosities for European audiences who'd never seen an Indigenous American.

Then, in the cold dampness of a London winter, Long Wolf fell ill with pneumonia.

He died thousands of miles from the sacred lands of his ancestors, far from the people who spoke his language and knew his stories. With no family to claim him and no money to send him home, he was buried in Brompton Cemetery beneath a simple headstone carved with a wolf.

A lonely grave in a city of millions who would walk past without knowing who lay beneath.

For 103 years, the warrior rested there. Forgotten.

Then came 1995. Elizabeth Knight was browsing a used book market in England when a worn volume about the Wild West caught her eye. Flipping through its pages, she found a brief mention: a Lakota chief who'd died in London and was buried in Brompton Cemetery.

Elizabeth wasn't a historian. She had no connection to Native American culture, no academic credentials, no reason to care beyond simple human decency.

But something about that single paragraph wouldn't leave her alone.

He died so far from home. And no one brought him back.

She started with the cemetery, finding his grave overgrown and weathered by a century of London rain. Then came the letters—to archives, museums, historians, anyone who might know more about this forgotten man.

Most people ignored her. Some thought she was wasting her time. What did it matter now? He'd been dead for over a century. Let the past stay buried.

But Elizabeth kept digging.

She discovered his Lakota name: Charging Thunder. She learned about his family, his community, the reservation he'd left behind. She pieced together the story of a man who'd crossed an ocean for reasons she could only imagine—perhaps adventure, perhaps survival, perhaps hope for his people.

And then she did something remarkable: she reached out to the Lakota people themselves.

At first, they were cautious. Who was this British woman asking about their ancestor? What did she want? History had taught them to be wary of outsiders claiming interest in their culture.

But as they spoke with Eliz

10/29/2025

Please pray for the little couple 🤲🤲💞💞

10/28/2025

Cherokee Women and Their Important Roles:Women in the Cherokee society were equal to men. They could earn the title of War Women and sit in councils as equals. This privilege led an Irishman named Adair who traded with the Cherokee from 1736-1743 to accuse the Cherokee of having a "petticoat government".

Clan kinship followed the mother's side of the family. The children grew up in the mother's house, and it was the duty of an uncle on the mother's side to teach the boys how to hunt, fish, and perform certain tribal duties. The women owned the houses and their furnishings. Marriages were carefully negotiated, but if a woman decided to divorce her spouse, she simply placed his belongings outside the house. Cherokee women also worked hard. They cared for the children, cooked, tended the house, tanned skins, wove baskets, and cultivated the fields. Men helped with some household chores like sewing, but they spent most of their time hunting.

Cherokee girls learned by example how to be warriors and healers. They learned to weave baskets, tell stories, trade, and dance. They became mothers and wives, and learned their heritage. The Cherokee learned to adapt, and the women were the core of the Cherokee

10/27/2025

10/26/2025

The Ojibwe people are a large Indigenous group in North America, primarily inhabiting the Great Lakes region and parts of the northern plains. They are known for their rich cultural heritage, strong connection to the land, and resilience.

Key aspects of Ojibwe culture and history:

Anishinaabe: The Ojibwe people call themselves "Anishinaabe," which means "Original People."
Language: They speak the Ojibwe language, an Algonquian language.
Traditional Lifestyle: Historically, the Ojibwe were skilled hunters, fishers, and gatherers. They lived in harmony with nature and had a deep understanding of the ecosystem.
Cultural Practices: They have a rich cultural heritage, including traditional storytelling, music, dance, and crafts.
Spirituality: The Ojibwe have a strong connection to spirituality and believe in a creator spirit and the interconnectedness of all things.
Modern Challenges: Despite their resilience, the Ojibwe people have faced numerous challenges, including colonization, displacement, and discrimination.
Today, many Ojibwe communities are working to preserve their cultural heritage and traditions while adapting to modern society. They are actively involved in environmental protection, cultural revitalization, and economic development.

10/26/2025

Chief Wolf Robe, Southern Cheyenne (c. 1838-1910)
Frank A. Rinehart
Wolf Robe, also known as Ho’néhevotoomáhe, was a respected Southern Cheyenne chief born between 1838 and 1841. He played a significant role during a turbulent period for his people, especially in the late 1870s when the Southern Cheyenne were forcibly relocated from the open plains to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian Reservation in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). In recognition of his efforts to maintain peace and assist with negotiations during the Cherokee Commission, he was awarded the Benjamin Harrison Peace Medal in 1890.
Wolf Robe’s dignified appearance and leadership drew the attention of notable photographers like F. A. Rinehart in 1898 and DeLancy Gill in 1909. Their striking portraits of the chief became iconic images, widely circulated and admired for over a century. These photos inspired many artists to create paintings and sculptures based on his likeness. Though debated, some have even speculated that Wolf Robe served as the model for the famous Indian Head nickel, adding to his lasting cultural legacy.

10/21/2025

Awesome Vintage Native American Photo

In 1908, Roland Reed captured a photograph titled "The Moose Call." The image depicts an Ojibwe individual peacefully seated in a canoe on a serene lake. Engaged in a unique practice, the Ojibwe man blows into a skin or bark, producing a distinct sound. His appearance showcases a shirtless attire, adorned with braids and a feather accentuating his hair. The purpose behind his call remains ambiguous: whether it serves as a means of communication with others or an attempt to allure an animal for sustenance is open to interpretation. Nevertheless, the tranquil backdrop of the placid lake enhances the sense of harmony and tranquility conveyed by the photograph.