Plains Indians By:

Claire McGratton, Julia Rawson, Cristina Berardine and Alex Gault

Location They occupied the Mississippi up into

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Southern Manitoba.

The Plains Indians were nomadic, therefore moved around a lot.

Population Their were about 35000 plains people. The different tribes were:

› Assiniboine› Siksika› Kainai› A’aninin› Pikuni› Nehiyauak› Tsuu T’ina

Languages Different tribes spoke different

languages. They were: Siouan Algonqiuian Caddoan Kiowan Shoshonean Athapascan Shahaptian

Languages Sign Language was also a way of

communicating with each other. It was very important when speaking with other tribes because they did not speak the same language.

Diet The Plains Indians would eat mainly

buffalo.

Diet They also ate:

› Pronghorn, whitetail, mule deer, elk, sheep, mountain goat, beaver, smaller animals, roots, berries, fish.

The major problem was that it was difficult to preserve the meat.› They preserved buffalo by making pemmican.

The also ate dogs if they had to, and sometimes they were served for ceremonial purposes.

WorkRoles of Men

Hunting was the number one role of men How they hunted:

› With spears, snares, bow and arrows› An annual communal hunt existed› Hunting was crucial to survival; food, shelter, clothing

and tools.› They used the “head-smashed-in-buffalo-jump” in

which they would chase a herd towards a cliff and they would fall over the edge.

WorkRole of Women

They constructed and owned the teepees

Watched the children Made crafts; moccasins and clothes Cooked

Political Organizations All tribes had a chief as the decision

maker Men and women were segregated by

their duties Shamans were men who tended to the

ill and created medical remedies

Lifestyle The Plains People were very religious; a

prayer before eating, working and in the morning

They used dog sleds for their transportation

Nomadic (they moved around and followed their food)

Lifestyle Rituals

Sun Dance› Takes place during mid-summer

at a pre-determined location› It is used for a request for

supernatural aid or a response to a vision quest

› It was over a course of 8 days, 4 days of rituals, followed by 4 days of dancing around a sacred pole

› Symbolizes: capture, torture, captivity, escape and involved self-torture.

› An opportunity to renew kinship ties, marriages and exchange property

Lifestyle Rituals

Vision Quest› A young boy goes out

into the wilderness to reflect and await a vision from a spirit guide

› He has to fast from food and water for 4-5 days

› The spirit guide usually presents itself in the form of a dangerous animal

Housing The Plains People lived in teepees that

were easily constructed and mobile The bottom of the teepee was egg shaped

for maximum room A smoke hole provided them to have fires

within the teepee and improved ventilation The teepee was made from dried animal

hide

Housing