Calendar history of the Kiowa Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 129-444))

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

46479

Title

Calendar history of the Kiowa Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 129-444))

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

James Mooney's seminal ethnographic record chronicles the Kiowa people from the mid-19th century through the 1890s. Blending rigorous historical analysis with intimate cultural observation, this text captures the tribe's transition from a nomadic, war-focused existence on the Great Plains to life on a reservation. Rich with oral traditions, ceremonial details, and personal narratives, it offers an enduring portrait of a culture facing profound transformation.

Summary up to 500 words

Compiled from the Seventeenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, James Mooney's *Calendar History of the Kiowa Indians* serves as a comprehensive historical and sociological archive of the tribe. Utilizing annual records kept by Kiowa leaders, specifically Anko, Mooney meticulously documents significant events, natural phenomena, and ceremonial cycles from 1833 to 1892. The text details the Kiowa's complex relationships with neighboring tribes, including their strategic alliance with the Comanche and conflicts with the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Pawnee. The narrative chronicles pivotal moments such as the acquisition of horses, which transformed their warfare and economy, and the devastating smallpox epidemics that ravaged the plains. It also tracks the gradual encroachment of American expansionism, from early official notices in the 1800s to the devastating Osage massacre of 1833 and subsequent dragoon expeditions. The story follows the tribe's journey from the open plains to the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867 and their subsequent relocation to Indian Territory. Mooney explores the decline of traditional practices like the Sun Dance, noting how government interference and the loss of buffalo forced these ceremonies underground or to a halt. Conversely, he documents the rise of new spiritual movements, such as the Ghost Dance, which offered hope during times of despair. Through detailed accounts of specific individuals like the chief Set-t'aite and the prophet Pá-iñgya, the work preserves a vanishing way of life with scholarly precision. The volume provides deep insights into Kiowa social organization, their unique heraldic systems, and spiritual beliefs, offering a poignant record of a culture adapting to the pressures of colonization while striving to maintain its identity.

LLM editorial rating

4.5/5

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Categories

• History
• Indigenous Peoples