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Shawnee Indian
Divisions
The Shawnee have 5 divisions, which may
be regarded as phratries, or perhaps
as originally distinct tribes, and the members of these divisions
occupied different sides of the council house in their public assemblies.
Their names are
Chilahcahtha (Chillicothe)
Kispokotha (Kispogogi)
Spitotha (Mequachake?)
Bicowetha (Piqua)
Assiwikale (Hathawekela)
The villages of the tribe have generally taken their names from these
divisions. The Woketamosi division mentioned by Heckewelder is probably
one of these, but is not the Piqua.
According to Morgan (Anc. Soc., 168, 1877) the Shawnee have 13 clans, as
follows:
M'-wa-wä', wolf;
Ma-gwä', loon;
M'-kwä', bear;
We-wä'-see,
buzzard;
M'-se'-pa-se, panther;
M'-ath-wa', owl;
Pa-la-wä', turkey; |
Psake-the',
deer;
Sha-pä-ta', raccoon;
Na-ma-thä', turtle;
Ma-na-to', snake;
Pe-sa-wä',
horse;
Pä-täke-e-no-the', rabbit.
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The Turtle clan occupies an important
place in their mythological traditions. At a conference in 1793 the Shawnee
signed with the snake totem.
The early estimates of the numbers of the Shawnee are only partial, owing
to the fact that the tribe was not united. The highest estimate given is
that of 1817, which places them at 2,000 souls. Others are 1,750 (1732);
1,000 (1736); 1,500 (1759, 1765, 1778, 1783, 1794, 1812); 1,900 on
Auglaize river (1794); 1,600 (1812 one-half in Missouri). In 1909 the
Eastern Shawnee numbered 107; the Absentee Shawnee 481; and those
incorporated with the Cherokee Nation about 800, making, with a few
individuals, resident Cherokee, a present total of about 1,400 for the
tribe, a considerable decrease in the last twenty years.
The books presented are for their
historical value only and are not the
opinions of the Webmasters of the site.
Handbook
of American Indians, 1906
Index of Tribes or Nations
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