Ho-Chunk
Encyclopedia
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans
, native to what is now Wisconsin
and Illinois
. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
-speaking tribes, such as the Fox, Sauk, and Ojibway (Ojibwe/Chippewa). Various spellings exist, reflecting the French and English colonists' attempts to record transliterations of the Algonquian words. These include: "Winnebago, Wiinibiigoo, Wuinebagoes, Ouinepegi, Ouinipegouek, and Winipeg". This name has been variously translated as, "people of the stinking water," "people of the filthy water," "people of the stagnant water'" and "people of the smelly waters."
The Algonquian words do not have the negative overtones attached to the French word puant and the English word "stinky." The French translated and shortened the name to simply les puants (or les puans), which was translated into English as "the Stinkards." Many researchers believe that the waters referred to were either stagnant waters of Green Bay or the aromatic, algae-filled waters of the rivers or lakes where the Winnebago were living in the mid-17th century. The earliest reports indicate that both the French explorers and the First Nations people understood the name to refer to their place of origin, not where they were living at the time of European encounter. They had migrated from earlier territories. While the names Lac des Puans (for Lake Michigan
on a map from 1650 ) and Le Baye des Puans (on later maps) led some historians to conclude these referred to the condition of the waters, early records of both bodies reported them as clear and fresh. The waters were named after the American Indian people then living on their shores.
Historians say the Algonquian terms referred to salt-water seas, which do have a distinctive aroma compared with fresh-water lakes. An early Jesuit record says that the name refers to Le Puans origin near the salt water seas to the north. Algonquians also called them "the people of the sea." (A Native people who lived on the shores of Hudson Bay
were called by the same name.) When Jean Nicolet
and Samuel de Champlain
learned of the "sea" connection to the tribe's name, they were optimistic that it meant Le puans were from or had lived near the Pacific Ocean
, and that there was a nearby possible connection to China
.
In recent studies, ethnologists say that the Winnebago, like the other Siouan-speaking peoples, originated or coalesced on the east coast of North America. The early 20th-century researcher H.R. Holand said they originated in Mexico
, where they had contact with the Spanish and gained a knowledge of horses. He cites the records of Jonathan Carver, who lived with the Winnebago in 1766-1768. But, contact with the Spanish could have occurred along the Gulf of Mexico
or the south Atlantic coast. Others suggested that the Winnebago originated in salt water areas, to explain how mid-western tribes had a knowledge of the Pacific Ocean, where the earth ends and the sun "sets into the sea." The Ho-Chunk say that their people have always lived in what is now the north central United States. Linguistic and ethnographic studies have generated other deep histories of the various American Indian peoples.
Ho-Chunk is the tribe's name for itself, or autonym
. It also has had numerous spelling variations, Hocak, Hotanke, Houchugarra, Hotcangara, Ochungaraw, Ochungarah, Hochungra Hochungara, and Ochangara. Translations include: "the fish eaters," "the trout people," "the big fish people", "the big speech people," "the people of the big voice," "the people of the parent speech", and "the people of the original language." Current elders say it means, "the people of the big voice" or "the people of the sacred language."
The written history of the Ho-Chunk begins with the records made from the reports of Jean Nicolet
, who in 1634 was the first European to establish contact with this people. At that time the Winnebago/Ho-Chunk occupied the area around Green Bay in Wisconsin, reaching beyond Lake Winnebago
to the Wisconsin River
and to the Rock River
in Illinois
. The tribe traditionally practiced corn
agriculture in addition to hunting. They were not advanced in agriculture. Living on Green Bay, they fished, collected wild rice
, gathered sugar from maple trees
, and hunted game.
Although their Siouan language indicates either contact or common origin with the other peoples of this language group, the oral traditions of the Ho-Chunk speak of no other homeland other than what is now large portions of Wisconsin, Iowa
, and Minnesota
. These traditions suggest that they were a very populous people and the dominant group in Wisconsin in the century before Nicolet's visit. While their language was Siouan, their culture was similar to the Algonquian peoples. Current elders suggest that their pre-history is connected to the mound builders of the region. The oral history also indicates that in the mid-16th century, the influx of Ojibwa peoples in the northern portion of their range caused some movement to the south. They had some friction with the Illiniwek
, as well as a division of the people: the Chiwere
group (Iowa
, Missouri
, Ponca
, and Oto
tribes) moved west because the reduced range made it difficult for such a large population to be sustained.
Nicolet reported a gathering of approximately 5,000 warriors as the Ho-Chunk entertained him. Historians estimate that the population in 1634 may have ranged from 8,000 to more than 20,000. Between that time and the first return of French trappers and traders in the late 1650s, the population was reduced drastically, with some reporting it dropped below a total of only 500 people. The result was the Ho-Chunk's loss of dominance in the region. Numerous Algonquian tribes migrated west to escape the problems caused by the powerful Iroquois
tribes' aggressiveness in the Beaver Wars
.
The reasons given by historians for the reduction in population vary, but they agree on three major causes: the loss of several hundred warriors in a storm on a lake in the course of a military effort. One account says this took place on Lake Michigan after the warriors had repulsed the first attack by Potawatomi
from what is now Door County, Wisconsin
. Another says the number was 600. Another says it was 500 lost in a storm on Lake Winnebago during a failed campaign against the Fox
, while still another says it was in a battle against the Sauk. Even with such a serious loss of warriors, the historian R. David Edmunds notes that it was not enough to cause the near decimation of the whole people; he suggests two additional causes. The Winnebago apparently suffered from a widespread disease, perhaps an epidemic
of one of the European infectious disease
s, such as smallpox
. (Ho-Chunk accounts said the victims turned yellow, which is not a trait of smallpox). Historians have rated disease as the major reason for the losses in American Indian populations. Historic accounts say that many of the Ho-Chunk's traditional enemies, the Illinois, came to help the tribe at their time of suffering and famine, aggravated by the loss of so many hunters. The Winnebago reportedly attacked the Illinois and ate the dead. Enraged, Illinois warriors retaliated and killed nearly all the Winnebago.
After peace was established between the French and Iroquois in 1701, many of the Algonquian peoples returned to their homelands. The Ho-Chunk were relieved of the pressure on their territory. After 1741, while some remained in the Green Bay area, most returned inland.
From a low of perhaps less than 500, the population of the people gradually recovered, aided by intermarriage with neighboring tribes and with some of the French traders and trappers. A count from 1736 gives a population of 700. In 1806, they numbered 2,900 or more. A census in 1846 reported 4,400, but in 1848 the number given is only 2,500. Like other American Indian tribes, the Ho-Chunk suffered great losses during the smallpox epidemics of 1757-58 and 1836; in the 19th-century epidemic, they lost nearly one-quarter of their population. Today the total population of the Ho-Chunk people is about 12,000.
Through a series of forced moves imposed by the U.S. government in the 19th century, the tribe was relocated to reservations increasingly further west: in Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota
and finally Nebraska
. Through the period of forced relocations, many tribe members returned to previous homes, especially in Wisconsin, despite the US Army's repeated roundups and removals. The U.S. government finally allowed the Wisconsin Winnebago to homestead land in the state. The Ho-Chunk in Nebraska have gained federal recognition as an independent tribe.
Waukon, Iowa
and Decorah, Iowa
, both county seats, of Allamakee
and Winneshiek County, Iowa
, respectively, were named after the 19th-century Ho-Chunk chief Waukon Decorah
.
. Formerly known as the Wisconsin Winnebago Tribe, they changed their name to the Ho-Chunk Nation. There were 7,192 tribe members as of May 23, 2011; 5,042 lived in Wisconsin, and 2,150 lived somewhere else. 3,158 are males, 3,674 are females, 1,972 are minors, 4,619 are adults, and 601 are elders. The tribe owns 4,602 acres (18.625 km²) scattered across parts of 12 counties in Wisconsin and one county in Minnesota. The largest concentrations are in Jackson County
, Clark County, and Monroe County
in Wisconsin. Smaller areas lie in Adams
, Crawford, Dane
, Juneau
, La Crosse, Marathon
, Sauk
, Shawano
, and Wood Counties in Wisconsin.
The tribe operates six casinos in Wisconsin: Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells
in Baraboo
, Ho-Chunk Gaming Black River Falls in Black River Falls
, Ho-Chunk Gaming Nekoosa in Nekoosa
, Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg in Wittenberg
, Ho-Chunk Gaming Tomah in Tomah
, and Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison in Madison
.
, but small parts extend into southeastern Dixon County
and Woodbury County, Iowa
. There is a small plot of off-reservation land of 116.75 acre (0.472470905 km²) in southern Craig Township in Burt County, Nebraska
. The total land area is 457.857 km² (176.78 sq mi). The 2000 census
reported a population of 2,588 persons living on these lands. The largest community is the village of Winnebago
, with other communities in Emerson
and Thurston, Nebraska
.
The Omaha
also have a reservation in Thurston County. Together, both tribes cover the whole land area of Thurston County. The Winnebago tribe operates the WinnaVegas Casino in the Iowa portion of the reservation. This land was west of the Missouri River
, but the United States Army Corps of Engineers
changed the course of the Missouri River, and the reservation land was divided into Iowa and Nebraska. So, although Iowa is east of the Missouri River, the tribe successfully argued that this land belonged to them under the terms of a predated deed. This land has a postal address of Sloan, Iowa
, since rural addresses are normally covered by the nearest post office.
The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is governed by an elected nine-person council. The administration is as follows:
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, native to what is now Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
Etymology
The term "Winnebago" originally came from an exonym, that is, a name given to the people by the neighboring AlgonquianAlgonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking tribes, such as the Fox, Sauk, and Ojibway (Ojibwe/Chippewa). Various spellings exist, reflecting the French and English colonists' attempts to record transliterations of the Algonquian words. These include: "Winnebago, Wiinibiigoo, Wuinebagoes, Ouinepegi, Ouinipegouek, and Winipeg". This name has been variously translated as, "people of the stinking water," "people of the filthy water," "people of the stagnant water'" and "people of the smelly waters."
The Algonquian words do not have the negative overtones attached to the French word puant and the English word "stinky." The French translated and shortened the name to simply les puants (or les puans), which was translated into English as "the Stinkards." Many researchers believe that the waters referred to were either stagnant waters of Green Bay or the aromatic, algae-filled waters of the rivers or lakes where the Winnebago were living in the mid-17th century. The earliest reports indicate that both the French explorers and the First Nations people understood the name to refer to their place of origin, not where they were living at the time of European encounter. They had migrated from earlier territories. While the names Lac des Puans (for Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
on a map from 1650 ) and Le Baye des Puans (on later maps) led some historians to conclude these referred to the condition of the waters, early records of both bodies reported them as clear and fresh. The waters were named after the American Indian people then living on their shores.
Historians say the Algonquian terms referred to salt-water seas, which do have a distinctive aroma compared with fresh-water lakes. An early Jesuit record says that the name refers to Le Puans origin near the salt water seas to the north. Algonquians also called them "the people of the sea." (A Native people who lived on the shores of Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
were called by the same name.) When Jean Nicolet
Jean Nicolet
Jean Nicolet de Belleborne was a French coureur des bois noted for exploring Green Bay in what is now the U.S. state of Wisconsin.-Life:...
and Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain , "The Father of New France", was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnologist, diplomat, and chronicler. He founded New France and Quebec City on July 3, 1608....
learned of the "sea" connection to the tribe's name, they were optimistic that it meant Le puans were from or had lived near the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and that there was a nearby possible connection to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
In recent studies, ethnologists say that the Winnebago, like the other Siouan-speaking peoples, originated or coalesced on the east coast of North America. The early 20th-century researcher H.R. Holand said they originated in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, where they had contact with the Spanish and gained a knowledge of horses. He cites the records of Jonathan Carver, who lived with the Winnebago in 1766-1768. But, contact with the Spanish could have occurred along the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
or the south Atlantic coast. Others suggested that the Winnebago originated in salt water areas, to explain how mid-western tribes had a knowledge of the Pacific Ocean, where the earth ends and the sun "sets into the sea." The Ho-Chunk say that their people have always lived in what is now the north central United States. Linguistic and ethnographic studies have generated other deep histories of the various American Indian peoples.
Ho-Chunk is the tribe's name for itself, or autonym
Autonym
Autonym may refer to*Autonym, the name used by a people to refer to themselves or their language, synonymous with endonym*Autonym, the true name of an author disclosed by resolving a pseudonym...
. It also has had numerous spelling variations, Hocak, Hotanke, Houchugarra, Hotcangara, Ochungaraw, Ochungarah, Hochungra Hochungara, and Ochangara. Translations include: "the fish eaters," "the trout people," "the big fish people", "the big speech people," "the people of the big voice," "the people of the parent speech", and "the people of the original language." Current elders say it means, "the people of the big voice" or "the people of the sacred language."
History
Jean Nicolet
Jean Nicolet de Belleborne was a French coureur des bois noted for exploring Green Bay in what is now the U.S. state of Wisconsin.-Life:...
, who in 1634 was the first European to establish contact with this people. At that time the Winnebago/Ho-Chunk occupied the area around Green Bay in Wisconsin, reaching beyond Lake Winnebago
Lake Winnebago
Lake Winnebago is a freshwater lake in eastern Wisconsin, United States. It is the largest lake entirely within the state.-Statistics:...
to the Wisconsin River
Wisconsin River
-External links:* * * , Wisconsin Historical Society* * * *...
and to the Rock River
Rock River (Illinois)
The Rock River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Illinois. It rises in southeast Wisconsin, in the Theresa Marsh near Theresa, Wisconsin in northeast Dodge County, Wisconsin approximately south of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin...
in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The tribe traditionally practiced corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
agriculture in addition to hunting. They were not advanced in agriculture. Living on Green Bay, they fished, collected wild rice
Wild rice
Wild rice is four species of grasses forming the genus Zizania, and the grain which can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both North America and China...
, gathered sugar from maple trees
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...
, and hunted game.
Although their Siouan language indicates either contact or common origin with the other peoples of this language group, the oral traditions of the Ho-Chunk speak of no other homeland other than what is now large portions of Wisconsin, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, and Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. These traditions suggest that they were a very populous people and the dominant group in Wisconsin in the century before Nicolet's visit. While their language was Siouan, their culture was similar to the Algonquian peoples. Current elders suggest that their pre-history is connected to the mound builders of the region. The oral history also indicates that in the mid-16th century, the influx of Ojibwa peoples in the northern portion of their range caused some movement to the south. They had some friction with the Illiniwek
Illiniwek
The Illinois Confederation, sometimes referred to as the Illiniwek or Illini, were a group of twelve to thirteen Native American tribes in the upper Mississippi River valley of North America...
, as well as a division of the people: the Chiwere
Chiwere language
Chiwere is a Siouan language originally spoken by the Missouria, Otoe, and Iowa peoples, who originated in the Great Lakes region but later moved throughout the midwest and plains. The language is closely related to Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago...
group (Iowa
Iowa tribe
The Iowa , also known as the Báxoje, are a Native American Siouan people. Today they are enrolled in either of two federally recognized tribes, the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Ioway Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska....
, Missouri
Missouri tribe
The Missouria or Missouri are a Native American tribe that originated in the Great Lakes region of United States before European contact. The tribe belongs to the Chiwere division of the Siouan language family, together with the Iowa and Otoe...
, Ponca
Ponca
The Ponca are a Native American people of the Dhegihan branch of the Siouan-language group. There are two federally recognized Ponca tribes: the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma...
, and Oto
Otoe tribe
The Otoe or Oto are a Native American people. The Otoe language, Chiwere, is part of the Siouan family and closely related to that of the related Iowa and Missouri tribes.-History:...
tribes) moved west because the reduced range made it difficult for such a large population to be sustained.
Nicolet reported a gathering of approximately 5,000 warriors as the Ho-Chunk entertained him. Historians estimate that the population in 1634 may have ranged from 8,000 to more than 20,000. Between that time and the first return of French trappers and traders in the late 1650s, the population was reduced drastically, with some reporting it dropped below a total of only 500 people. The result was the Ho-Chunk's loss of dominance in the region. Numerous Algonquian tribes migrated west to escape the problems caused by the powerful Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
tribes' aggressiveness in the Beaver Wars
Beaver Wars
The Beaver Wars, also sometimes called the Iroquois Wars or the French and Iroquois Wars, commonly refers to a series of conflicts fought in the mid-17th century in eastern North America...
.
The reasons given by historians for the reduction in population vary, but they agree on three major causes: the loss of several hundred warriors in a storm on a lake in the course of a military effort. One account says this took place on Lake Michigan after the warriors had repulsed the first attack by Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
from what is now Door County, Wisconsin
Door County, Wisconsin
Door County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 27,961. Its county seat is Sturgeon Bay. Door County is a popular vacation and tourist destination, especially for residents of Wisconsin and Illinois....
. Another says the number was 600. Another says it was 500 lost in a storm on Lake Winnebago during a failed campaign against the Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, while still another says it was in a battle against the Sauk. Even with such a serious loss of warriors, the historian R. David Edmunds notes that it was not enough to cause the near decimation of the whole people; he suggests two additional causes. The Winnebago apparently suffered from a widespread disease, perhaps an epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
of one of the European infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
s, such as smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. (Ho-Chunk accounts said the victims turned yellow, which is not a trait of smallpox). Historians have rated disease as the major reason for the losses in American Indian populations. Historic accounts say that many of the Ho-Chunk's traditional enemies, the Illinois, came to help the tribe at their time of suffering and famine, aggravated by the loss of so many hunters. The Winnebago reportedly attacked the Illinois and ate the dead. Enraged, Illinois warriors retaliated and killed nearly all the Winnebago.
After peace was established between the French and Iroquois in 1701, many of the Algonquian peoples returned to their homelands. The Ho-Chunk were relieved of the pressure on their territory. After 1741, while some remained in the Green Bay area, most returned inland.
From a low of perhaps less than 500, the population of the people gradually recovered, aided by intermarriage with neighboring tribes and with some of the French traders and trappers. A count from 1736 gives a population of 700. In 1806, they numbered 2,900 or more. A census in 1846 reported 4,400, but in 1848 the number given is only 2,500. Like other American Indian tribes, the Ho-Chunk suffered great losses during the smallpox epidemics of 1757-58 and 1836; in the 19th-century epidemic, they lost nearly one-quarter of their population. Today the total population of the Ho-Chunk people is about 12,000.
Through a series of forced moves imposed by the U.S. government in the 19th century, the tribe was relocated to reservations increasingly further west: in Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
and finally Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. Through the period of forced relocations, many tribe members returned to previous homes, especially in Wisconsin, despite the US Army's repeated roundups and removals. The U.S. government finally allowed the Wisconsin Winnebago to homestead land in the state. The Ho-Chunk in Nebraska have gained federal recognition as an independent tribe.
Waukon, Iowa
Waukon, Iowa
Waukon is a city in Makee Township,Allamakee County, Iowa, United States, and the county seat of Allamakee County. The population was 4,131 at the 2000 census. It is home to the annual .-History:...
and Decorah, Iowa
Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
, both county seats, of Allamakee
Allamakee County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 14,330 in the county, with a population density of . There were 7,617 housing units, of which 5,845 were occupied.-2000 census:...
and Winneshiek County, Iowa
Winneshiek County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 21,056 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,721 housing units, of which 7,997 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, respectively, were named after the 19th-century Ho-Chunk chief Waukon Decorah
Chief Waukon Decorah
Waukon Decorah , also known as Wau-kon-haw-kaw or "Snake-Skin", was a prominent Ho-Chunk warrior and orator during the Winnebago War of 1827 and the Black Hawk War of 1832...
.
Gender Roles
The Ho-Chunk men were hunters, catching fish and small game. A few of the men were also trained to create jewlery and other body decorations out of silver and copper for both men and women. Women were gatherers, collecting corn, squash, roots, berries, and sap from maple trees, which they used to create syrup and candy. Women also tanned hides, created mats, and made clothing.Ho-Chunk Nation
This tribe is headquartered in Black River Falls, WisconsinBlack River Falls, Wisconsin
Black River Falls is a city in Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,622 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County. The Ho-Chunk Nation has its administrative center in Black River Falls.-History:...
. Formerly known as the Wisconsin Winnebago Tribe, they changed their name to the Ho-Chunk Nation. There were 7,192 tribe members as of May 23, 2011; 5,042 lived in Wisconsin, and 2,150 lived somewhere else. 3,158 are males, 3,674 are females, 1,972 are minors, 4,619 are adults, and 601 are elders. The tribe owns 4,602 acres (18.625 km²) scattered across parts of 12 counties in Wisconsin and one county in Minnesota. The largest concentrations are in Jackson County
Jackson County, Wisconsin
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2009, the population estimate was 19,886. Its county seat is Black River Falls. Jackson County was formed from Crawford County in 1853.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Clark County, and Monroe County
Monroe County, Wisconsin
Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 40,899. Its county seat is Sparta.-Geography:According to the U.S...
in Wisconsin. Smaller areas lie in Adams
Adams County, Wisconsin
Adams County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Sources differ as to whether its name is in honor of the second President of the United States, John Adams, or his son, the sixth President, John Quincy Adams. As of 2000, the population of Adams County was 18,643. Its county seat is...
, Crawford, Dane
Dane County, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 426,526 people, 173,484 households, and 100,794 families residing in the county. The population density was 355 people per square mile . There were 180,398 housing units at an average density of 150 per square mile...
, Juneau
Juneau County, Wisconsin
Juneau County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2000 census, the population was 24,316. Its county seat is Mauston. It should not, however, be confused with the city of Juneau, Wisconsin, to which it has no connection.-Geography:...
, La Crosse, Marathon
Marathon County, Wisconsin
Marathon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is part of the Wausau, WI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 134,063. Its county seat is Wausau.-Geography:...
, Sauk
Sauk County, Wisconsin
Sauk County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 55,225. Its county seat and largest city is Baraboo. Sauk County is included in the Baraboo Micropolitan Statistical Area and in the Madison Combined Statistical Area....
, Shawano
Shawano County, Wisconsin
Shawano County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 40,664. Its county seat is Shawano.-History:...
, and Wood Counties in Wisconsin.
The tribe operates six casinos in Wisconsin: Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells
Ho-Chunk Casino
Ho-Chunk Casino is a Native American casino located in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The casino is owned by the Ho-Chunk tribe.-External links:*...
in Baraboo
Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo is the largest city in, and the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, USA. It is situated on the Baraboo River. Its 2010 population was 12,048 according to the US Census Bureau...
, Ho-Chunk Gaming Black River Falls in Black River Falls
Black River Falls, Wisconsin
Black River Falls is a city in Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,622 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County. The Ho-Chunk Nation has its administrative center in Black River Falls.-History:...
, Ho-Chunk Gaming Nekoosa in Nekoosa
Nekoosa, Wisconsin
Nekoosa is a city in Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. Its name derives from the Ho-Chunk word, "Nakrusa" which translates to "running water." The population was 2,590 at the 2000 census...
, Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg in Wittenberg
Wittenberg, Wisconsin
Wittenberg is a village in Shawano County, Wisconsin, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,177 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Wittenberg.-Geography:Wittenberg is located at ....
, Ho-Chunk Gaming Tomah in Tomah
Tomah, Wisconsin
Tomah is a city in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 9,093. The city is located partially within the Town of Tomah.-Education:...
, and Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
.
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
The tribe has a reservation in northeastern Nebraska and western Iowa. The Winnebago Indian Reservation lies primarily in the northern part of Thurston CountyThurston County, Nebraska
-History:Varying cultures of indigenous peoples lived along the rivers for thousands of years before European encounter.Thurston County was organized by European Americans in 1889 from land that had been divided between Dakota and Burt counties since the dissolution of Blackbird County in 1879. It...
, but small parts extend into southeastern Dixon County
Dixon County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,339 people, 2,413 households, and 1,705 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were 2,673 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
and Woodbury County, Iowa
Woodbury County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 102,172 in the county, with a population density of . There were 41,454 housing units, of which 39,052 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. There is a small plot of off-reservation land of 116.75 acre (0.472470905 km²) in southern Craig Township in Burt County, Nebraska
Burt County, Nebraska
-History:Burt County was formed in 1854. It was named after Francis Burt, the first governor of Nebraska Territory.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,791 people, 3,155 households, and 2,240 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . ...
. The total land area is 457.857 km² (176.78 sq mi). The 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
reported a population of 2,588 persons living on these lands. The largest community is the village of Winnebago
Winnebago, Nebraska
Winnebago is a village in Thurston County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 768 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Winnebago is located at...
, with other communities in Emerson
Emerson, Nebraska
Emerson is a village in Dakota, Dixon, and Thurston Counties in the U.S. state of Nebraska. Emerson was named after the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. The population was 856 at the 2000 census...
and Thurston, Nebraska
Thurston, Nebraska
Thurston is a village in Thurston County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 125 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Thurston is located at ....
.
The Omaha
Omaha (tribe)
The Omaha are a federally recognized Native American nation which lives on the Omaha Reservation in northeastern Nebraska and western Iowa, United States...
also have a reservation in Thurston County. Together, both tribes cover the whole land area of Thurston County. The Winnebago tribe operates the WinnaVegas Casino in the Iowa portion of the reservation. This land was west of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, but the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
changed the course of the Missouri River, and the reservation land was divided into Iowa and Nebraska. So, although Iowa is east of the Missouri River, the tribe successfully argued that this land belonged to them under the terms of a predated deed. This land has a postal address of Sloan, Iowa
Sloan, Iowa
Sloan is a city in Woodbury County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,032 at the 2000 census.-Economy:...
, since rural addresses are normally covered by the nearest post office.
The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is governed by an elected nine-person council. The administration is as follows:
- John Blackhawk, Chairman
- Darwin Snyder, Vice-Chairman
- Travis Mallory, Treasurer
- Louis C. Houghton Jr., Secretary
- Thomas Snowball Sr., member
- Romona Wolfe, member
- Morgan Earth, member
- Larry Payer, member
- Charles Aldrich, member
Notable Ho-Chunk people
- Joba ChamberlainJoba ChamberlainJustin Louis "Joba" Chamberlain is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.-Early life:Chamberlain was born and grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. Chamberlain's parents, Harlan Chamberlain and Jackie Standley, were never married and split up when Joba was 18 months old...
, Major League Baseball pitcher - Angel De CoraAngel De CoraAngel De Cora Dietz was a Winnebago painter, illustrator, Native American rights advocate, and teacher at Carlisle Indian School. She was the best known Native American artist before World War I.-Background:...
, artist and educator - Chief Waukon Decorah, warrior and orator
- Glory of the MorningGlory of the MorningGlory of the Morning was the first woman ever described in the written history of Wisconsin, and the only known female chief of the Hocąk nation...
, 18th-century chief - Henry Roe CloudHenry Roe CloudHenry Roe was a Native American who distinguished himself as an educator, college administrator, U.S. Federal Government official , Presbyterian minister, and reformer....
, born 1884, YaleYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
graduate, educator - Truman LoweTruman LoweTruman Lowe is a Ho-Chunk sculptor and installation artist living in Wisconsin. A professor of fine art at the University of Wisconsin, Lowe is the former curator of contemporary art at the National Museum of the American Indian...
, artist - HononegahHononegahHononegah was the wife of Stephen Mack, Jr. an employee for The American Fur Company, a pioneer to the Rock River Valley in northern Illinois and founder of the community of Rockton, Illinois...
, co-founder of Rockton, IllinoisRockton, IllinoisRockton is a village in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States located on the banks of the Rock River. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area... - Mountain Wolf WomanMountain Wolf WomanMountain Wolf Woman, or Xéhachiwinga , was a Native American woman of the Ho-Chunk tribe. She was born in April 1884 into the Thunder Clan near Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Her parents were Charles Blowsnake and Lucy Goodvillage...
- Red BirdRed BirdRed Bird was a leader of the Winnebago Native American tribe. He was a leader in the Winnebago War against the United States. He attacked settlers in the area of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, but surrendered when American forces marched into Ho-Chunk territory. He died in prison in 1828 while...
, chief and leader during the 1827 Winnebago War - Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War...
, Korean War Medal of Honor recipient - Chief Yellow ThunderYellow ThunderYellow Thunder , was a chief of the Ho-Chunk tribe. He signed two treaties with the United States in which his Ho-Chunk name was given as Wa-kun-cha-koo-kah and Waun-kaun-tshaw-zee-kau....
(also known as Waun-kaun-tshaw-zee-kau) - James Young DeerJames Young DeerJames Young Deer , born J. Younger Johnston and also known as Jim Young Deer, was an early Native American film actor, director, writer, and producer. With his wife and partner, Lillian St. Cyr, they were an "influential force" in the production of one-reel Westerns during the first part of the...
(also known as J. Younger Johnston), film actor, director, writer, and producer - Red WingRed Wing (actress)-External links:...
(also known as Lillian St. Cyr), film actress
See also
- Ho-Chunk mythologyHo-Chunk mythologyThe Hocągara or Hocąks are a Siouan-speaking Indian Nation originally from Wisconsin and northern Illinois, but due to forced emigration, they are also found in Nebraska, where about half the nation now lives...
- Winnebago languageWinnebago languageThe Winnebago language is the language of the Ho-Chunk tribe of Native Americans in the United States. The language is part of the Siouan language family, and is closely related to the languages of the Iowa, Missouri, and Oto...
- Badger Army Ammunition PlantBadger Army Ammunition PlantThe Badger Army Ammunition Plant or Badger Ordnance Works is an excess, non-BRAC, United States Army facility located near Baraboo, Wisconsin. Badger consists of 7,354 acres of land. It manufactured nitrocellulose-based propellants during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam...
- Doty IslandDoty Island (Wisconsin)Doty Island is an island in the state of Wisconsin in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Doty Island is between the cities of Menasha, and Neenah on the Fox River at Lake Winnebago at .-History:...
- Native American tribes in NebraskaNative American tribes in NebraskaNative American tribes in the U.S. state of Nebraska have been Plains Indians, who have a history of varying cultures occupying the area for thousands of years. More than 15 tribes have been identified as having lived in, hunted in, or otherwise occupied territory within the current state boundaries...
External links
- Ho-Chunk Nation, official website
- The Encyclopedia of Hočąk (Winnebago) Mythology
- Catholic Encyclopedia entry
- WinnaVegas Casino
- Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
- Paul Radin's Winnebago Notebooks at the American Philosophical Library
- http://www.winnebagotribe.com/tribal_council.html, official website