Native American tribes in Iowa


Several Native American tribes hold or have held territory within the lands that are now the state of Iowa.
Iowa, defined by the Missouri River and Big Sioux River on the west and Mississippi River on the east, marks a shift from the Central Plains and the Eastern Woodlands. It fits within the Prairie cultural region; however, this region is seldom used, and the region is more commonly split between Great Plains and Northeastern Woodlands.
Many tribes have migrated through or been forcibly removed through the region.

Today

Today, there are four federally recognized tribes in Iowa: the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, the and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.

Precontact era

Chiwere-Siouan speaking tribes

  • Ho-Chunk
  • Iowa
  • Missouria
  • Otoes
The precontact Oneota culture may have included Chiwere language–speaking peoples. At the time of contact with European explorers, their range covered most of Iowa. The Ho-Chunk ranged primarily east of the Mississippi in southern Wisconsin, the Ioway/Baxoje ranged in northern Iowa, the Otoe in central and southern Iowa, and the Missouria in far southern Iowa. All these tribes were also active during the historic period.

Dhegihan Siouan–speaking tribes

The following tribes arrived in the late prehistoric period:
  • Kaw
  • Omaha
  • Osage
  • Ponca
The Dhegihan Siouan peoples lived near the Missouri River in the very Late precontact and post-contact periods; they appear to have migrated to the region from the south or southeast. Their origin location is debated.

Other Western Siouan language–speaking tribes

The following tribes also had an early presence in Iowa:
  • Hidatsa
  • Mandan
These may be descendants of the Mill Creek culture who flourished from 1100 to 1300 CE and whose territory extended into northwest Iowa. Their territory was wide. The Lewis and Clark expedition reported on Mandan villages on the upper Missouri River.

Dakota Siouan–speakers

  • Santee Dakota
  • Yankton Dakota
The Dakota pushed southward into much of Iowa in the 18th and 19th centuries. They often encountered European-American settlers. In 1840, the translator Isaac Galland noted several Dakota groups in or near Iowa, including Wahpekute, North Sisseton, South Sisseton, East Wahpetonwan, West Wahpetonwan, Yankton, and Mdewakantonwan.

Post-contact

Caddoan speaking–tribes

  • Arikara
  • Pawnee
These may descend from the Central Plains tradition cultures who lived in southwest Iowa, especially around the present-day Glenwood area. The Pawnee are shown in southwest Iowa on a 1798 map, although they ranged primarily to the west.

Algonquian speakers

Tribes from the early contact period:
The encroachment of Europeans and long-term conflict among Algonquian and Iroquoian tribes in the east pushed many eastern tribes into the Midwest. Many Meskwaki remained in Iowa, even after Indian Removal in 1846. They established a recognized Settlement.

Iroquoian speakers

The Wyandot were Iroquoian speakers from the early post-contact period. Again, the encroachment of Europeans and the long-term conflict between Algonquian and Iroquoian tribes in the east pushed these tribes into the Midwest.

Anishinaabeg

These tribes moved to Iowa during the historic period:
  • Potawatomi
  • Ojibwe
  • Odawa
The forced relocation of tribes in the 19th century from east of the Mississippi led to some eastern tribes living in and near Iowa. Their former territory had been around the Great Lakes. Potawatomi Chief Sauganash founded the village that eventually grew into Council Bluffs.

Southern Plains tribes

  • Plains Apache and Comanche traveled through the region from the 17th century to 19th century.

    Indian settlements and claimed lands in Iowa

  • Meskwaki Settlement, Iowa
  • Blackbird Bend

    Notable Indians who lived in Iowa

  • Appanoose
  • Antonine Barada
  • Black Hawk
  • Douglas Spotted Eagle
  • Inkpaduta
  • Keokuk
  • Mahaska "White Cloud"
  • Neapope
  • Maria Pearson
  • Poweshiek
  • Quashquame
  • John Raymond Rice
  • Sauganash
  • Sidominadota
  • Taimah
  • Wabansi
  • Wapello
  • Watseka
  • Ray Young Bear
  • Notchininga "No Heart"