The Cheyenne Tribe Made By: Naomi Cohen #10

A tribe that lived a long time ago.

Shelter Since the Cheyenne hunted buffalo in the prairie they had an open field. That also means that they needed to be able to move their houses into different areas. That is why they lived in teepees, but what were they made of?

Making a Teepee The steps for making a teepee are 1) build a main pole frame 2) make an outer pole frame 3) sew a buffalo hide cover 4) cover the wooden pole with the hide and 5) carve a buffalo hide door and a smoke flap.

Food When the Cheyenne lived in present-day Minnesota they planted corn, squash, pumpkins, beans, and tobacco. The men fished and hunted duck, other marsh animals, and forest game. The Cheyenne gathered wild rice from the marshes. They also picked fruits and berries. Women dug plant roots for stews and grilling. When they moved to the Great Plains, the Cheyenne stopped planting crops, except tobacco. Instead, they depended on buffalo for food.

Culture The Cheyenne have large feasts. They also have “promise shirts.” They are supposed to wear their promise shirts to the large feasts. If one of the adults doesn’t have a promise shirt on at the feast they are considered the demon of the Cheyenne.

Clothing Cheyenne men wore lightweight deer skin skirts so that it was easier to run, fight and hunt. They also wore armbands, headbands and huge pouches from their waists. Cheyenne women wore dresses made of deer and elk . When it got colder they wore leggings. Sometimes women wore a smaller leather pouch around their neck. All the Cheyenne Tribe wore moccasins.

Geography The Cheyenne tribe originally lived in what is now called Minnesota. At some point they moved to two areas in the plains: the Northern Cheyenne near the Platte River and the Southern Cheyenne near the Arkansas River. They have settled the Blake Hills of South Dakota and the Powder River Country of present day Montana. The climate is driest in the central portions.

Closing Even though the Cheyenne lived a long time ago their spirit still lived today.