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Kansa

Location:

The traditional homelands of the Kansa (or Kaw) includes present-day central Kansas along the Kansas and Saline Rivers.

Language:

The Kansa are related to the Omaha, Osage, Quapaw and Ponca tribes. Their dialect is a Siouan language and they are a patrilineal clan like the Iowa, Omaha, Osage and Ponca tribes. The names "Kaw" and "Kansa" came from early French traders The Kansa name was dropped when the Bureau of Indian Affairs started using Kaw to prevent confusion between them and the Kansas Indians.

History:

The tribe went through many hardships throughout their history of contact with settlers. They went from 3,000 in the eighteenth century to 600 in the twentieth century. After the whites began to move in the Kansa were moved onto a reservation on the Indian Territory in June 1873.

Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on Kaw culture.

Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the web address of this page.

If you are Kaw, your feedback is much appreciated.

 

Kaw Nation: http://www.kawnation.com/

 

References:

  • "Kansa" Encyclopedia Britannica Online

  • http://www.eb.com:180/bol/topic?eu=127688&sctn=4

  • http://www.eb.com:180/bol/topic?thes_id=214646

Written by: Michael J. Miller