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The Pawnee (sometimes Paneassa) are a Native American tribe that historically lived along the Platte River in what is now Nebraska. In the 18th century they were allied with the French and played an important role in limiting Spanish expansion onto the Great Plains defeating them decisively in a battle in 1720.In the 19th century, epidemics of smallpox and cholera wiped out most of the Pawnee, reducing the population to approximately 600 by the year 1900; as of 2002, there are approximately 2500 Pawnee.
1 Social structure
1.1 Overview
Descended from Caddoan linguistic stock, the Pawnee are not typically known as Plains Indians in the context of traditional representations; their villages constructed of earthen lodges tended to be permanent. They were an agricultural people who grew beans, maize, beans, squashSquash may refer to: Squash (sport), the racquet sport Squash (drink), a type of drink Squash (vegetable), a vegetable. See also: Wiktionary:Squash., pumpkins and squashSquash may refer to: Squash (sport), the racquet sport Squash (drink), a type of drink Squash (vegetable), a vegetable. See also: Wiktionary:Squash.. With the coming of the horse cultureThe term Horse culture is used to define a tribal group or community whose day to day life revolves around the herding and breeding of horses. Notable examples are the American Indians of the Great Plains and the Mongols of Mongolia. History is littered w to the Great Plains they did begin to take on some of the cultural attributes of their cousins, but the buffalo cultureThe Buffalo Culture refers to the Native Americans of the Great Plains whose culture and very way of life revolved around the American bison (or buffalo). These beasts roamed the western plains for tens of thousands of years numbering in their millions un remained secondary to the maize culture.
The Pawnee Confederacy was divided into the following four bands:
- Chaui (Tcawi)
- Kitkehahki (Republican)
- Pitahauerat (Tappage)
- Skidi (Wolf)
The Chaui are generally recognised as being the leading band although each band was autonomous and as was typical of many Indian tribes each band saw to its own although with outside pressures from the SpanishThe Kingdom of Spain is a country located in the southwest of Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. To the northeast, along the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny principality of Andorra. It inc, FrenchThe French Republic or France ( French: Republique francaise or France is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. and Americans, as well as neighbouring tribes saw the Pawnee drawing closer together.
1.2 Lodges
The Pawnee lodges tended to be oval in shape, the frame was constructed of 10-15 posts set some ten feet apart which formed the floor of the lodge. In the centre were four posts representing the four directions, this framework was then covered with willow branches, grass and earth. A hole was left in the centre which served as a combined chimney and skylight, the lodge itself was semi subterranean and the floor was approximately three feet below ground level. A buffalo skin door on a hinge could be closed at night and wedged shut. There could be as many as 30-50 people living in each lodge. A village could consist of as many as 300-500 people and 10-15 households. Each lodge was divided in two, north and south and each section had a head who oversaw the daily business, each section was further subdivided into three. The membership of the lodge was actually quite flexible. Twice a year the tribe went on a buffalo hunt and on their return the inhabitants of the lodges would often move into another lodge, although they generally remained within the village.
