What clothes did the Kiowa women wear? The type of clothes worn by the women of the Kiowa tribe were knee-length dresses and leggings. The women also wore the buffalo robes to keep warm and dry. Kiowa women wore their hair in two, thick braids decorated with beads. The dresses of the Kiowa women that were used for special occasions were elaborately decorated with beads and painted with signs and symbols. What did the Kiowa tribe live in? The Kiowa tribe lived in tent-like homes called tepees. The tepees were constructed using long wooden poles that were covered with animal skins such as buffalo hides. The tepee tent was pyramid shaped, with flaps and openings. The tepee was rounded at the base and tapered to a narrow open smoke hole at the top. Most tepees were approximately 12 to 16 feet in diameter at the base. A hearth was built in the center of the tepee for heating and cooking. The tepee suited the nomadic lifestyle of the Kiowa tribe as it was quick to erect and easy to dismantle. What language did the Kiowa tribe speak? The Kiowa tribe spoke in the Uto-Aztecan language. The Plains tribes spoke in many different languages and used sign language to communicate with each other and Many writers have claimed that it was first created by the Kiowa tribe. What did the Kiowa tribe eat? The food that the Kiowa tribe ate included the meat from all the animals that were available in their vicinity: Buffalo, deer, elk, bear and wild turkey. The mainstay of their diet was supplemented with roots and wild vegetables such as spinach, prairie turnips and flavored with wild herbs. Wild berries and fruits were also added to the food available to the Kiowa. When animals for food was scarce the tribe ate pemmican, dried buffalo meat. What weapons did the Kiowa use? The weapons used by the Kiowa tribe included bows and arrows, stone ball clubs, jaw bone clubs, hatchet axe, spears, lances and knives. War Shields were used on horseback as a means of defence. The rifle was added to their weapons with the advent of the white traders and settlers. Who were the most famous leaders and chiefs of the Kiowa tribe? The most famous leaders and chiefs of the Kiowa tribe included Santana, Chief Red Tipi, Chief Little Mountain, New Fire, Chief Lone Wolf and Chief Kicking Bird. The Kiowa tribe mounted many raids along the Santa Fe Trail over which the wagon trains, stage coaches and the settlers traveled from the Missouri River through southern and central Kansas, up along the Arkansas River and then southwest across the desert for Santa Fe in New Mexico, and the surrounding areas. Kiowa History Timeline The following history timeline details facts, dates and famous landmarks and battles fought by the Kiowa Nation. The Kiowa tribe fought on the British side in the War of Independence and in the War of 1812. Kiowa History Timeline 1650: The Kiowa originated in the northern basin of the Missouri River and the migrated south to the Black Hills 1682: The Spanish explorer Rene-Robert Cavalier, Sieure de La Salle made first white contact with the Kiowa tribe 1680: It was about this time the Kiowa tribe obtained horses 1781: Smallpox epidemic decimates the Kiowa Tribe killing over 2,000 people 1790: The Southern Kiowa move with Comanche tribe to New Mexico 1800's: With the wide spread use of the horse the Kiowa tribe roamed the Southern area of the Great Plains living a nomadic way of life 1801: The Kiowa suffered a terrible attack of smallpox 1818: The Kiowa suffered yet another smallpox epidemic and this time they were also struck by cholera 1821: Spanish rule is replaced by Mexico 1821: Santa Fe trail opens 1829: Comanche and Kiowa come into conflicts with settlers and U. S. troops on the Santa Fe Trail 1830: Santana (Set-tainte which means White Bear Person) is born and will become a great leader of the Kiowa tribe 1833: The Cut-Throat Massacre: Osage Indians attack a Kiowa camp and many were killed 1835: US Treaty made at Fort Gibson 1840: The Texas Rangers are formed to fight the Comanche and Kiowa tribes 1849: Outbreak of another cholera and smallpox epidemic killing over than half of the tribe 1851: Fort Laramie Treaty with Plains Indian Tribes 1858: Antelope Hills Expedition (aka the Battle of Little Robe Creek) between the Texas Rangers and the Tonkawa against Kiowa villages beginning in Texas 1853: Treaty at Fort Atkinson, Kiowa, Comanche and Apache Native Indians in which "...annuity to be given annually in July in the vicinity of Beaver Creek, the government may establish farms for the benefit of the tribes." 1861: Santa Fe trail closed down by the Comanche, Kiowa, Cheyenne and Arapaho raids 1863: Full scale war in the Great Plains by an alliance of Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa and Comanche 1864: The First Battle of Adobe Walls - Kit Carson led a group of cavalry but was overwhelmed by the Comanche and forced to retreat 1864: Sand Creek Massacre 1865: Santana participated in the Treaty at Little Arkansas River placed Kiowa and Comanche on a reservation in Indian Territory 1867: Treaty of Medicine Lodge providing 4,000 square miles land reservations to many tribes of Plains Native Indians who, in return, had to surrender some 60,000 square miles of their own land 1868: Treaty is broken and Comanche and Kiowa raids target Texas and Kansas, all tribes are then ordered to Oklahoma 1869: Comanche-Kiowa Agency was relocated to Ft. Sill 1874: The Red River Wars (1874 - 1875) force the Kiowa and Comanche onto reservations 1876: The Buffalo War - Buffalo are wantonly slaughtered all over the Great Plains (over 65 million were destroyed by white hunters) depriving the Native Indians of their means to live 1878: Chief Santana dies on October 11, 1878 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma 1887: The Dawes General Allotment Act led to the break up of the large Indian Reservations and the sale of Indian lands, including Comanche lands to white settlers. 1892: Jerome Agreement was a treaty negotiated between Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache tribes reducing the reservation to roughly 600-700 square miles of land 1892: Measles killed more than 300 of the Kiowa and Comanche people 1901 The Kiowa-Comanche and Wichita Reservation is broken up due to Government pressure to open the land for settlement
Kiowa History Timeline The Story of Kiowa For additional facts and information refer to the legend and the Story of the Battle of Adobe Walls. |