Snake Indians
Snake Indiansis a collective name given to theNorthern Paiute,Bannock,andShoshoneNative Americantribes.
The term was used as early as 1739 by French trader and explorerPierre Gaultier de Varennes, Sieur de la Verendryewhen he described hearing of theGens du Serpent( "Snake people" ) from the Mandans. This is probably the first written mention of the Shoshone people. The term "Snakes" is also used to refer to the Shoshone by British explorersDavid ThompsonandAnthony Henday.[1]
The term was also used byPlains Tribesto refer to the Shoshone. They called the Shoshone "snake" referring to the Shoshone sign inPlains Indian Sign Languagefor the Shoshone people. The sign was used forsalmonbut the fish was unknown on theGreat Plains.[2]
This term was widely used by American immigrants on theOregon Trailin theSnake RiverandOwyhee Rivervalleys of southernIdahoandEastern Oregon.[3][4]The term "Snake Indian" later included the Northern Paiute tribes found in the basins between theCascade Mountainsand these valleys in Oregon and northernNevadaand northeasternCalifornia.These people were the opponents of theCalifornia,OregonandWashington VolunteersandU.S. Army,in theSnake War.
In Canadian history
[edit]From 1688-1720s, when the British Empire first came into prolonged trade contact with the Western Cree andBlackfoot,both of these groups were united in a war against "the Snake Indians" of Canada.[5]It is not clear if this term (used in this period of Canadian history) is meant to refer to theNorthern Paiute people,inaccurate, or perhaps entirely unrelated. In modernPlains Cree language,the term "kinêpikoyiniwak / ᑭᓀᐱᑯᔨᓂᐘᐠ", literally translating to "Snake Indian" refers toShoshone people.[6]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^"Beyond Borderlands: Overview".Archived fromthe originalon 2013-06-20.Retrieved2013-06-09.
- ^Loether, Christopher."Shoshone".Encyclopedia of the Great Plains.University of Nebraska–Lincoln.Retrieved15 November2022.
- ^Bancroft, Hubert Howe.History of Oregon, Volume II, 1848-1888.The History Company, San Francisco, 1888, p.462 note 4.
- ^"Wyoming History - Shoshoni and the Seeds of Change".Wwcc.cc.wy.us. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-06-27.Retrieved2013-03-26.
- ^"Manitoba History: Review: The Plains Cree: Trade, Diplomacy and War, 1790 to 1870".
- ^Itwêwina Plains Cree Dictionary - kinêpikoyiniw
External links
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