Kiowa Tribe

General Information

• Original pop: About 3,000
• Current pop: 8,500
• Original location: Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas
• Moved in 1800's to an Oklahoma reservation

Alliances

• The Kiowa did not join any other tribes. They traded regularly w/other tribes from The Great Plains and Western Plateau, though. They traded buffalo hides and meat for corn from the Mandan/Pueblo Indians. Plains sign language was used to communicate

Housing

• Buffalo-hide tipis
• 12ft high
• Hole in center for fire, 3 sides for beds(willow rods across 2 poles then covered with specialized buffalo skins), entrance side: kitchen, pantry, general storeroom

language

• Most Kiowas speak English today
• Some speak native Kiowa language
• "Hacho"is a friendly greeting
• The language is now endangered due to lack of teaching to children

Daily living

• Men: Hunters/warriors/responsible for food/defense. Usually became chiefs
• Women: In charge of building home and dragging luggage when moving
• Children: School/helps mom/hunts, fishes, plays-swim, dolls, toys, games

weaponry

• Bow and arrow
• Clubs w/ hide shields
• Frequent fight w/ Osage and Sioux: Counting Coup(touching an opponent in battle w/ no harm done)

transpotation

• The kiowa were not coastal: built rafts when needing to cross rivers
• Dogs w/ travois
• Horses: was ridden or used for luggage w/ travois

food

• Buffalo, birds, rabbits, potatoes, fruits, nuts, and corn
• Hunted buffalo w/bow and arrow, wolf disguises, fire circles, cliff hunting
• Corn from trading

Culture

• Marriage: patterns of face paint
• Legend: Zemoguani, or horned fish, was thought to lurk in caverns and kill a swimmer
• Crafts: famous for beadwork, hide paintings, parfleche(decorated rawhide containers