Legend of the Pawnee Indians             

                Told by Bert Peters

 

The story of the Pawnee Nation goes back to antiquity. Our traditions and legends, as told by our "Old Men" tend to lead us to believe that we originated in the southwest. In telling the stories "we came from that direction.�?Up to the present time, our story has not been handed down to us in books, although several historians have told about the Pawnees; still we need to tell
 what we heard from our "Old Men" about our origin. I listened to my grandfather, "White Eagle" in his late years. He had many stories, which he told. I also listened to my brother-in-law----Charley Allen, and Mark Evarts and Linford Smith. Many times I purchased meat and tobacco and took them to my brother-in-law's house for dinner (Charley Allen). I would invite older men to come eat. After dinner we smoked and talked into the night--sometimes all night.

 

The Story

 

A long, long time ago, before we were made like we are now, there was a race of big people or giants that lived on this earth. These people were so strong and powerful they began to laugh at nature making fun of the lightning and thunder. They tried to fight the lightning and swore at the thunder. They were so powerful and strong that they chased buffalo on foot. When they caught one, these giants tied them to their belts like boys do now with rabbits. After sometime Atius Ti-ra-wa-hut grew tired of their antics and decided to do away them. So he sent rain and thunder and lightning to cause a great flood and cover these people. Then when the water went down Atius Ti-ra-wa-hut made another race.

 

Since Atius Ti-ra-wa-hut is the Great Spirit there also were lesser spirits in the sky and the universe. The Morning Star was the greatest of the male stars. The Evening Star was the greatest of the female stars. Morning Star had a helper called the Sun. Evening Star's helper was the Moon, also female. So, according to plan, Morning Star in­vaded and attacked Evening Star. As a result, a girl was born. Sun mated with Moon and a boy was born. Both of these children were carried to earth by whirlwinds and the Pawnees were born. Morning Star demanded a young girl as a sacrifice. So each year a captive girl from another tribe was sacrificed at planting time so that all life could continue and satisfy the demands of Morning Star.

 

We are told we came from the south­west but the exact location is not known. However, our people lived in houses of mud and stone, possibly similar to the houses of the Pueblo or even like the houses farther south in Mexico.

 

One day, two men appeared to the Pawnees and said they could lead the tribe to a new land. A meeting was called of all the people where they received rules and regulations that were to be observed on the migration. They were to start on a given day and all were to stay together. All of their belongings were to be carried as best they could. Many had dogs, using travois pulled by the dogs. There was no way that the number of people could be estimated, but there were many. The women were warned about their children. No one was to assist any child that might fall down. At this time, a short while after birth, children were able to walk; so s mothers were warned not to help any child regardless of age, to its feet if they fell, but to let them walk all the way. However, they did not count on mother love and as they traveled, a youngster only a few weeks old, fell and started to cry. His mother reached down and picked him up and soothed his aches and pain. It was then the leader stopped and called a meeting of the mothers. You were told not to help any child, but one mother disobeyed so you women will have to suffer from now on. You will have to carry your children for the first year of your lives. They will be dependent on you for everything. It has been this way ever since. No one can say how long they traveled, but in the course of the migration they crossed some rivers and mountains.

 

About 1942 there were some soldiers stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona who hiked to a mountain near a military reserve. When they reached the top they saw what they thought were wagon tracks. The ruts were deep but narrow. They followed the tracks to see if they could find where the wagons climbed the mountain, but they could find no tracks crossing the mountain. One day as we visited they told me about the tracks. 1 thought about the migration of our people and remembered the time one of our "Old Men' say that there were so many people going over the mountains that the tracks made by dog-pulled travois was so deep that the tracks could be seen today.
                       

The migration then went east until they came to a great river. Here they stopped for some time and built villages where they planted several crops. No one knew how long they stayed there, but some of the more ambitious crossed the river, possibly in bull boats made from skins of animals. These also built villages and went up on the east side of the river, possibly the Mississippi. But it seems that at each village site there was also an altar for ceremonial uses. These people evidently went north as far as Ohio and possibly New York. The language of the Seneca has been classified as being related to the Pawnee. One of our speakers said that on a trip home from the east they passed a town somewhere and looking out of the train window they saw some Indians that conversed with them in their own language. The main body moved northward, closely following the big river. Several times they stopped and planted crops and built villages, but no one knows how long they stayed in one place

Possibly about this time or sooner, one or two groups left the main body and went north. The Skidi say that this was their tribe and they traveled north for many years and had forgotten the main group. Their story says the Skidi came from the southeast, but they did not tell about their southwest origin. Somewhere, the Wichita also left the group and became a separate tribe.<

The three groups that made up the main body traveling north finally reached the spot where the Missouri River meets the Mississippi. Here they stayed for sometime, planting crops and building a village. No one knows how long they stayed here, but many seasons passed before they moved on. They reached the land where three rivers flowed to the Missouri. They liked the land and the surrounding territory because it contained much game of all kinds. Also, here the Skidi again joined the Pawnee group making four tribes in the Pawnee Nation, as it is today, the Skidi, Chaui, Kitkehahki, and those down the stream, the Petahauirata.

Written history found the Pawnee in Nebraska with their villages located on the Platte River and the Loup River and the Republican River. Now were here in Oklahoma

Group of Pawnees. From the left, Ari-Wa- Kis, Captain Jim; Si-Ri-Rey-Sa-Ra-Kuh, Roam Chief; Ra-Ruh-Wah-Kuh, John Louwalk; William Mathews; Sa-Ku-Ru-Ti-Wa-Ri, Walking Sun; Asa-Wa-Ki-Ra-Ray-Saru, Spotted Horse Chief; and James R. Murie. Photo Courtesy of William Hammond Mathers Museum, Indiana University, from the Wanamaker Collection.

The Pawnee Nation has a long and proud history going back over 700 years. At one time, early in the 19th century, there were over 10,000 members of the Pawnee Nation along the North Platte River in Nebraska.

The Pawnee villages consisted of dome shaped, earth covered lodges with a diameter of 25 to 60 feet with a long entrance leading towards the east. A center pit dug three to four feet in diameter served as a fireplace. These lodges housed extended families.

The Nation then, as it is now, was composed of four distinct bands: the Chaui 'Grand'; the Kitkihahki, 'Republican"; the Petahauirata, 'Tappage"; and Skidi, 'Wolf'. Each band went on separate hunts and often fought separate battles.

Before the middle of the 19th century, the tribe was stricken with smallpox and cholera. A great loss of life occurred and by 1900, the tribe's membership was decreased to approximately 600.

The Pawnees were well known for their ability to raid neighboring tribes and acquire their horses. They set out on foot and brought back hundreds of horses, especially from the tribes to the south and southwest. Horses gave the Pawnees the mobility that made them a name to be feared by their enemies.

Although the Pawnees never waged open war against the U.S. Government and were classified as a 'friendly nation", extra privileges were not gained. The government felt the need to placate warring tribes with gifts, which sometimes consisted of rifles to hunt buffalo. These rifles were in turn used against other tribes, including the Pawnees, who were not so fortunately armed.

Nevertheless, the Pawnee warriors were men of courage and great endurance. Even when outnumbered and outgunned, they fought valiantly. Some of these warrior feats were considered legendary.

One such great feat was that of Chief Crooked Hand of the Skidi Band, who arose from bed to muster the old men, women and boys and led the charge to defend their home. Although outnumbered two to one, they outfought a superior armed enemy and drove them away.

Pawnees dressed similar to other Plains tribes; however, the Pawnees had a special way of preparing the scalp lock by dressing it with buffalo fat until it stood erect and curved backward like a horn.

The Pawnees unwillingly ceded their lands to the U.S. Government in 1833, 1848, 1857 and 1872. The move from Nebraska to what is now Pawnee County was completed in 1875. The Pawnee Indian Agency was established just east of the present site of the City of Pawnee and an Indian boarding school, called Pawnee Industrial School, was built. The school, affectionately known as "Gravy U" was closed in 1958 and the land was returned to the tribe in 1968. Many of the old 'Gravy U' buildings have been renovated and are now used as tribal offices.

Today, the tribal enrollment numbers a little over 2,500 members and Pawnees can be found in all areas of the United States as well as foreign countries in many walks of life. Pawnees take much pride in their ancestral heritage. They are noted in history for their tribal religion, rich in myth, symbolism and elaborate rites.