Indian Beadwork

Attractive and precious objects, perforated usually through the middle and strung for various purposes, constitute a class of ornaments universally esteemed, which the Indians of North America did not fail to develop. Akin to beads, and scarcely separable from them, were objects from the same materials called pendants. They were perforated near the end or edge and hung on the person or on garments. All were made from mineral, vegetal, or animal substances, and after the discovery the introduction of beads of glass and porcelain, as well as that of metal tools for making the old varieties, greatly multiplied their … Read more

Indian Baskets

Basketry, including wattling, matting, and bagging, may be defined as the primitive textile art. Its materials include nearly the whole series of North American textile plants, and the Indian women explored the tribal habitat for the best. Constant digging in the same favorite spot for roots and the clearing away of useless plants about the chosen stems constituted a species of primitive agriculture. They knew the time and seasons for gathering, how to harvest, dry, preserve, and prepare the tough and pliable parts for use and to reject the brittle, and in what way to combine different plants with a … Read more

Indian Use of Bark

Among the resources of nature utilized by the tribes of North America bark was of prime importance. It was stripped from trees at the right season by hacking all around and taking it off in sheets of desired length. The inner bark of cedar, elm, and other trees was in some localities torn into strips, shredded, twisted, and spun or woven. The bark of wild flax (Apocynum) and the Asclepias were made into soft textiles. Bark had a multitude of functions. In connection with the most important of wants, the necessity for food, it supplied many tribes with an article … Read more

Indian Bags and Pouches

Many varieties of Indian bags and pouches were made by the Indians of the United States and were used for a great number of purposes. The costume of the aborigines was universally destitute of pockets, and various pouches served in their stead. On occasion articles were tucked away in the clothing or were tied up in bits of cloth or skin. The blanket also served at times for a bag, and among the Eskimo the woman s coat was enlarged over the shoulders and at the back to form a pouch for carrying the baby. The pouch was a receptacle … Read more

Indian Head Deformation

Deformations of the human head have been known since the writings of Herodotus. They are divisible into two main classes, those of pathological and those of mechanical or artificial origin. The latter, with which this article is alone concerned, are again divisible into  un-intentional and intentional deformations. One or the other of these varieties of mechanical deformation has been found among numerous primitive peoples, as the ancient Avars and Krimeans, some Turkomans, Malays, Africans, etc., as well as among some civilized peoples, as the French and Wends, in different parts of the Old World, and both varieties existed from prehistoric … Read more

Amerind

Amer+Ind. A word composed of the first syllables of “American Indian,” suggested in 1899 by an American lexicographer as a substitute for the inappropriate terms used to designate the race of man inhabiting the New World before its occupancy by Europeans. The convenience of such derivatives as Amerindic, Amerindize, Amerindian, proto-Amerind, pre-Amerindic, pseudo-Amerind, etc., argues in favor of the new word. The introduction of “Amerind” was urged by the late Maj. J. W. Powell, and it has the support of several anthropologists. A plea by Dr W J McGee for its general adoption appeared in 1900 in the Journal of … Read more

Indian Tribal Histories C Tribes

Indian Tribal Histories: Caddo – Cutalchich. Our tribal history pages represent a cross-index of specific pages on our site relevant to a tribe. These pages are not meant to replace our search, which should be used to find a much larger number of mentions for each tribe, but to provide a quick reference point for researchers to find a larger quantity of material for a specific tribe. Caddo Indians Cahinnio Indians Cahita Indians Cahokia Indians Cahuilla Indians Cajuenche Indians Calapooya Indians California Indians Calusa Indians Camp McDowell Indians Campo Indians (Mission Indians) Canarsee Indians Caparaz Indians Cape Fear Indians Capinan … Read more

Indian Tribal Histories Y & Z Tribes

Indian Tribal Histories: Yadkin – Zuñi. Our tribal history pages represent a cross-index of specific pages on our site relevant to a tribe. These pages are not meant to replace our search, which should be used to find a much larger number of mentions for each tribe, but to provide a quick reference point for researchers to find a larger quantity of material for a specific tribe.

Indian Villages and Towns of Mexico

These pages will provide an alphabetical listing for all the villages, towns, and settlements in what was Mexico at the time the Handbook of American Indian of North America was written. Aboreachic to Azqueltan Babasaqui to Buquibava Caborca to Cusihuiriachic Durango Ecatacari to Espejos Galilali to Gumisachic Hecatari to Huvaguere Igualali to Ixtacan

Abenaki Tribe

Abenaki, Abenaqui or Abnaki Tribe – Discussion of the history, religion, culture, language, government, and tribal towns of the Abenaki.

Indian Reservations 1908

Schedule showing each Federal Indian Reservation in 1908, under what agency or School, Tribes occupying or belonging to it, area not allotted or specially reserved, and authority for its establishment. (Compiled by the Office of Indian Affairs) Reservation History Current Federally Recognized Indian Tribes by State Arizona Indian Reservations California Indian Reservations Colorado Indian Reservations Idaho Indian Reservations Iowa Indian Reservations Kansas Indian Reservations Michigan Indian Reservations Minnesota Indian Reservations Montana Indian Reservations Nebraska Indian Reservations Nevada Indian Reservations New Mexico Indian Reservations New York Indian Reservations North Carolina Indian Reservations North Dakota Indian Reservations Oklahoma Indian Reservations Oregon Indian Reservations South Dakota Indian Reservations … Read more

Native American Culture

These pages provide the reader with information regarding the intra-tribal workings (culture) of many tribes, their relationship with other tribes and tribal members, and tribal structure known in 1880.  No changes have been made from the original text.  Some of the information may differ greatly from present day facts, some may be offensive to some readers, however, this was the society history as seen in 1880. Many of these sections have reference notes within, others provide reference material at the end. Native American Adoption Indian Agency System Native American Anatomy Indian Mixed-Blood Captives Chief Child Life Clans and Gens Confederation … Read more

Indian Chiefs and Leaders

This is not a complete list of Indian Chiefs.  As we build more pages, they will be added also, or others are submitted by readers they will be added to these pages. Chiefs, Leaders, and Sachem Abbigadasset Adoeette Adario Ahyouwaighs Allaquippa American Horse Amisquam Anacamegishca Annawan Appanoose Mark Arthur Aspenquid Aspinet Assacumbuit Crispus Attacks Awashonks Big Bill Big Foot Big Jim Big Mouth Big-mush Big Warrior Biauswah Big Canoe Billy Bowlegs Billy Bowlegs or Halpatter Micco, A Seminole Chief Black Beaver Blackbird Black Bob Black Fox Black Hawk Black Hawk or Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak Black Kettle (Cheyenne) Black Kettle (Onondaga) Blacksnake Black … Read more

Indian Facts and Fallacies

While I was adding Indian Villages North of Mexico to our site, I discovered many things I didn’t know, (not that I know everything Indian!!) but I thought some of these were very interesting and would share them with our readers.  Some you may agree with while others are quite questionable. The Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico was compiled by some of the best and well known Indian researchers of that time.  Many of which wrote only about specific tribes.  The work began in 1873 and was submitted to the Bureau of Ethnology for publication in 1905.  There … Read more

Indian Bands, Gens and Clans of Mexico

Many tribes have sub-tribes, bands, gens, clans and phratry.  Often very little information is known or they no longer exist.  We have included them here to provide more information about the tribes. Ahome. (Buelna says the aboriginal name is Jaomeme, ‘where the man ran’. In Cahita, ho-me means to inhabit, to live, and in Nahuatl ahome might be derived from atl water, ome two, ‘two waters’, referring to the ocean tide which ascends the river to this point; but after all the word may be of Vacoregue origin. ) A subdivision of the Cahita, speaking the Vacoregue dialect, and the … Read more

Indian Villages and Towns of Canada

These pages will provide an alphabetical listing for all the villages, towns, and settlements in what was Canada at the time the Handbook of American Indians of North America was written (1908). To this date we only have some of the villages through the I’s. We’ll keep adding as we can. A – Canadian Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements B – Canadian Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements C – Canadian Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements D – Canadian Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements E – Canadian Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements F – Canadian Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements G … Read more

Indian Towns and Villages of the United States

These pages will provide an alphabetical listing for all the Indian towns, villages, and settlements in the United States at the time the Handbook of American Indian of North America was written (1908).

Indian Bands, Gens and Clans of the United States

This page provides a jumping off point for further study on the sub-tribes, bands, gens, clans and phratry of North American Indian Tribes. Often very little information is known about this information or the referenced term no longer exists.

Bureau of American Ethnology

The Bureau of American Ethnology was organized in 1879 and was placed by Congress under the supervision of the Smithsonian Institution. It was directed that all the archives, records, and materials relating to the Indian tribes collected by the Survey of the Rocky Mountain Region under the auspices of the Interior Department should be transferred to the Institution for use by the Bureau.