The Omaha Tribe originally migrated from the east coast and lived in Missouri before moving to Nebraska due to warfare with the Dakota tribe. They are known for their craftsmanship and lived in tipis during warmer months and houses made of wood and earth in winter. They grew crops, hunted buffalo, fished, and collected nuts, roots, and berries. Their primary weapons were bows and arrows and specialized spears. They encountered European settlers in the early 1800s and sold their hunting grounds to the US government for $850,000 USD. They still use a reservation in Nebraska.
The Omaha Tribe is a group of Native Americans generally associated with the U.S. state of Nebraska, although that is not the tribe’s original home. Some research suggests that the tribe originally migrated from the east coast, but that was so long ago that there is very little data about it. Before the 17th century, there was a time when these Indians lived in Missouri, but warfare with the Dakota tribe would cause them to leave that area and move to Nebraska. The Omaha are known for their craftsmanship with beadwork and quilting. Their name means “those who travel against the tide”.
During the warmer months, the Omaha tribe traveled with buffalo, living in special hide tents called tipis. In winter and autumn, they settled in houses made of wood and earth. The tipis were erected and disassembled en route by the women of the tribe, and this could be done very quickly.
In their villages, the Omaha tribe grew various crops, including beans, squash, and melons. They gathered these foods in the fall when they returned from following the buffalo. In terms of sustenance, buffalo meat made up the bulk of their diet. In the winter they also hunted smaller game and fished extensively. Additionally, the women of the tribe collected nuts, roots, and berries as a supplement to the crops.
When hunting, the Omaha tribe used bows and arrows as their primary weapons and tribe members usually fished with specialized spears. In wartime, bows were used as weapons, along with spears and shields. Like many other Plains tribes, their wars were fought less violently than in most other cultures. They generally fought to prove their mettle, and turf warfare or more dangerous battles were rarer. They had a custom called counting coup, which was to lay hands on an enemy during a fight, and this was generally considered more important than killing enemies in battle.
The Omaha tribe first encountered European settlers in the early 1800s with the arrival of famed explorers Lewis and Clark. In general terms, the relationship between the Omahas and the white settlers was relatively peaceful. In the mid-1850s, the tribe decided to sell many of its hunting grounds to the United States government for approximately $850,000 US Dollars (USD). Around the same time, a reservation was established in Nebraska, which the tribe still uses.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
