Montana Indian Tribes

Arapaho

The Arapaho proper occupied, or camped in, parts of southeastern Montana at various periods of their history. (See Wyoming.)

Arikara

Some Arikara hunted in eastern Montana. In 1869 and 1880, together with the Hidatsa and Mandan, they relinquished rights to land in the southeastern part of the State. (See North Dakota.)

Assiniboin

From a Chippewa term signifying "one who cooks by the use of stones." See Assiniboin Location

Atsina

Probably from Blackfoot At-se'-na, supposed to mean "gut people." See Atsina Location

Bannock

The Bannock ranged into the western part of the State. (See Idaho.)

Cheyenne

The Cheyenne frequently entered the eastern part of Montana and the Northern Cheyenne were ultimately assigned a reservation within the State. (See South Dakota.)

Chippewa

The Chippewa had little contact with the region now included in Montana until very recent times when a considerable number came to live there, 486 according to the census of 1910. (See Minnesota.)

Cree

The original homes of the Cree were north of the present United States, though their war parties frequently came into the territory now occupied by this country to fight the Dakota, Blackfoot, and other tribes. In comparatively late times a number, given by the census of 1910 as 309, settled in Montana, and others were reported from Washington (91), Michigan, Oregon, North Dakota, Idaho, Kansas, and Minnesota. (See also Canada.)

Crow

A translation, through the French gens des corbeaux, of their own name Absároke, "crow-, sparrowhawk-, or bird-people." See Crow Location

Dakota

The Dakota entered Montana at times to hunt and fight the Crow but were not permanent residents of the State. (See South Dakota.)

Hidatsa

Together with the Arikara and Mandan, in 1869 and 1880 the Hidatsa took part in treaties ceding territory in southeastern Montana to the United States Government. (See North Dakota.)

Kalispel

This tribe probably visited the westernmost parts of Montana at times and most of them finally settled upon the Flat-head Reservation in that State. Some of them, together with the Salish and Kutenai, ceded Montana lands in 1855. (See Idaho.)

Kiowa

According to tradition, the Kiowa at one time lived in the southeastern part of this State. (See Oklahoma.)

Kutenai

Said to be from a term applied to this tribe by the Blackfoot Indians and believed by Turney-High (1937) to have come originally from the name of a Kutenai tribe or division called Tunaha. See Kutenai Location

Mandan

The Mandan were parties to treaties made in 1869 and 1880 ceding their claims to land in southeastern Montana. (See North Dakota.)

Nez Percé

Individuals belonging to this tribe sometimes entered the southwestern part of Montana. (See Idaho.)

Piegan

The Piegan were the southernmost sub-tribe of the Siksika.

Salish

See Salish

Tunahe

(Tunā'xe). Given by Teit (1930) as the name of an extinct Salishan tribe living in west central Montana, but identified by Turney-High (1937) as a former eastern or plains band of the Kutenai Indians, that band, in fact, from which the name Kutenai is derived.

Spokan

Some Spokan probably entered western Montana at times and, in 1910, 134 were reported as residents of the State. (See Washington.)

Additional Resources

• Indian Land Patents

• The Indian Tribes of North America

• Salishan Family

• Crow Tribal Records,  June 1949 to October 1950

• Montana Indians Wounded in the Action, World War II

• Montana Indian Honored War Dead, World War II

Notes About the Book:

Source: The Indian Tribes of North America, by John R. Swanton, 1953, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 145, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC.

Online Publication: The manuscript was scanned and then ocr'd. Minimal editing has been done, and readers can and should expect some errors in the textual output.

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