Arapaho Literature

"All plants are our brothers and sisters, they talk to us and if we listen, we can hear them.
If we wonder often, the gift of knowledge will come."

Stories

Girl Who Climbed to the Sky
Girl Who Climbed to the Sky, #2
How Medicine Man Resurrected Buffalo
Lame Warrior and the Skeleton
Nihancan and the Dwarf's Arrow
Star Husband

More Stories

The Arapaho autonym is Hinono'eino or Inun-ina ("our people" or "people of our own kind"), when referring to the tribe they use Hinono'eiteen (Arapaho Nation). They were also known as Hitanwo'iv or Hetanevoeo/Hetanevo'eo'o ("People of the Sky" or "Cloud People") by their Cheyenne allies or Mahpíyato ("Blue Cloud Men") by Dakota, Mahpíya thó ("Blue Sky People") by Lakota and Assiniboine. The Caddo (Toniibeenenno' or Toniibeeneseino' - "pierced nose People") called them Detseka'yaa, the Wichita (Hinosouno' ) Nia'rhari's-kûrikiwa'ahûski, and the Comanche Saria Tühka / Säretika (Sata Teichas), all names signifying "dog-eaters". To Pawnee, Ute and other tribes they were also known as "dog-eaters".

The Northern Arapaho who called themselves Nank'haanseine'nan or Nookhose'iinenno ("white sage men") were known as Baantcline'nan or Bo'oociinenno' ("red willow men") to the Southern Arapaho, whereas the latter were called by their northern kin Nawathi'neha or Noowunenno' ("Southerners"). The Northern Arapaho were also known as BSakuune'na' (Bee'eekuunnenno') ("blood-soup men").

The Cheyenne adapted the Arapaho terms and referred to the Northern Arapaho as Vanohetan or Vanohetaneo/ Váno'étaneo'o ("Sage (Brush) People") and to the Southern Arapaho as Nomsen'nat or Nomsen'eo ("Southerners").

The Arapaho nation are unusual as they occupy many different regions.
They lived for some time in the Red River Valley of Minnesota and North
Dakota territories before they crossed the Missouri River and settled in
Wyoming. There they divided into the Northern Arapaho and Southern
Arapaho. The latter settled on a reservation in Oklahoma, while the
Northern Arapaho joined the Shoshones on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.

Arapaho Chiefs and Leaders

Rabbit Run, Cut Nose, Cut Finger, Birds Chief, Sr.
Two Lances, Nawat ['Left-hand'], Henry Lincoln
Charles Harrington Bent, Little Bird, Birds Chief, Jr.


Little Raven


Little Raven's Son

Indigenous Peoples'
                      Literature Return to Indigenous Peoples' Literature

Compiled by: Glenn Welker
ghwelker@gmx.com

Copyright @ 1993-2016

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