About the Quapaw Indian Culture

Before the arrival of the Spanish and French explorers, the Quapaw were part of a larger Sioux language group that split apart from the Omaha Indians. The Quapaw, or downstream people, located down the Mississippi River to where this River met the Arkansas River. They lived in Arkansas and were, in fact, often called the Arkansas Indians. The Omaha, consisting of the Osage, Ponca and Kansa, traveled further up the river. Similar to other Indians that lived in this part of the United States, the Quapaw had many ceremonies and often buried their dead in mounds. They lived in rectangular homes with a large extended or varied number of families, until they were forced to move to Oklahoma and nearly died out.

Function

The Quapaw Indians had a patrilineal society, which was based on the male line of descent. The family was the basic unit, and a group of families made up a clan. The clans were named after a variety of different aspects of the environment including animals; heavenly bodies, such as the moon and stars; and natural forces, such as the wind and rain. Several families lived together in bark- and reed-covered homes that were kept warm and lit by a hearth in the middle of the rooms. These houses were built around a central plaza. There was also a larger building for meetings and ceremonies, as well as an open-walled and roofed structure for public events for the whole tribe. A leader, under the counsel of the elders, governed the village. Someone different led each village, but at times they made joint decisions. All the clans agreed that they originated from the same ancestor, so they had a shared identity and responsibilities.

Identification

Because of their location, the Quapaw Indians had a variety of different foods. The men hunted deer and buffalo and smaller animals, such as turkeys and waterfowl. Also, with nets and spears, they caught fish in the rivers. The women would search for berries and nuts to add to their meals. The fertile land made farming the most important part of their meal source, with corn, beans and squash the main foods. After the arrival of the settlers, they added fruits, such as melons, and chickens to their diet. The women were dressed in long skirts made of deerskin, with long hair left loose or braided. They would sometimes fringe their clothes or decorate them with porcupine quills. The men wore loincloths, leather legging and buffalo robes. These were also decorated like the women's wear. They also shaved their heads and only left one long strand of hair in the back, called a scalplock. They would paint their faces and bodies for ceremonies and often wore tattoos. At times, the Quapaw leaders put on warbonnets, which were similar to those worn by the Plains Indians.

Significance

The Quapaw were a very religious group of people and felt great respect for their environment. They often had elaborate ceremonies in honor of nature and animals that they had killed for food. The most important force was named Wakondah or Wakontah, which was a part of all that existed. The holy men or shaman were the liaisons between the Wakondah and the humans. They helped with spiritual concerns, treated illnesses, led religious events and continued Quapaw traditions from one generation to the next. Their main goal was to keep balance among the different parts of the world.

Effects

Quapaw artists are famous for making pottery, weaving baskets, carving pipes. Similar to other mound builders in their area, they produced unique pieces of pottery from clay. Some of these are called head pot vessels, or pottery containers that were topped by a stylized head. Today these are very rare, because most of them were broken before found by archaeologists. They varied in size from just about 4 inches to about twice that size. The Quapaw also are known for their animal effigy pots, including frogs, deer, dogs, turtles, birds and rabbits. Researchers believe that these were supernatural effigies, but do not know for sure. The natives also produced elaborate bottles and jars with geometric patterns and swirls of various colors.

History

In the late 1600s, the Quapaw were thought to have a population of more than 5,000. Over a period of eight decades, their population dropped to 700 due to a smallpox epidemic in 1699. In the colonial years, the Quapaw and Europeans did not often confront each other. By the early 1800s, however, the federal government started taking over the Quapaw land. In 1824, they were moved to Texas near the Red River, which often flooded. Not being able to live in this new area, they moved back to Arkansas, where the settlers complained again. Finally, the Quapaw were forced to move to Oklahoma. In 1867, they had to sign over the bulk of their lands. Today, the Quapaw just have a small parcel of historic trust lands of fewer than 13,000 acres. However, they built a $300 million casino in 2007.