Kentucky Indian Tribes: Identity and Life

There were many issues regarding the truth behind the residence of Indian tribes in Kentucky. The rumors started because it was aimed at appraising the price of the lands in the said area. However, the majority of the accounts revealed that indeed Native Americans set foot in Kentucky. In fact, they did 14,000 years ago. History revealed that the first ever Native Americans of Kentucky were the Paleoindians. These people set foot in Kentucky 12,000 B.C. Indeed, Kentucky Indian tribes have there for almost the longest time.

After some time, their timeline met those of the other Native Americans. With this, they started getting influenced by the European culture, just like how the other tribes were. Kentucky history timeline revealed that the peak of the conflicts in which Indian tribes of Kentucky was part of was in the 1800s. It was around this time that they were being forced to leave their original settlements.

Kentucky Native American Map
Kentucky Native American Map

Life of the Kentucky Indian Tribes

Kentucky Indian tribes were mostly hunter-gatherers and hunter farmers. Though there were different languages within the geographic region, their primary language was Muskogean. At the same time, the majority of the Native Americans in Kentucky were practitioners of the Southeast cultural group. Their housing style was manifested by their villages being composed of Asi Wattle and Daub Houses.

Aside from the European culture, the Native American tribes in Kentucky were also highly exposed to the culture of United States. This immersion to the diverse culture of the Kentucky Indian tribes fostered the eruption of different battles and wars. Indian reservations in Kentucky were known to have witnessed all the different kinds of battles that the tribes embarked on for the purpose of preserving their identity and home.

Among the many Native American tribes that set foot in Kentucky, follows are some of the most famous ones:

Kentucky Indian Tribe – Shawnee Tribe

Kentucky Indian Tribe - Shawnee Tribe
Kentucky Indian Tribe – Shawnee Tribe

According to some historians, he said Kentucky Native American tribe had an ancestry leading to the Cumberland River.One of its famous leaders was Tecumseh. During the time of the French and Indian wars, the majority of the member of the tribe helped the French.During their efforts of protecting their residency in Kentucky, as well as in Ohio, they formed a confederacy with other known Indian tribes such as the Delaware, Wyandot, Miami, Ottawa, Chippewa, and Mingo in 1782.

Among the many Kentucky Native Americans, the Shawnee tribe was the one that really formed the strongest connection with Kentucky, although they established more villages in the southern part of Nashville. At the same time, they also established some settlement in Lexington, Ky, making them Indians in Ky.

Kentucky Indian Tribe – Cherokee Tribe

Kentucky Indian Tribe - Cherokee Tribe
Kentucky Indian Tribe – Cherokee Tribe

The Cherokee tribe took residence in the southeastern part of Kentucky. There are prevailing dilemmas as to in which area did the tribe really settled longer. It appears that the tribe was somehow nomadic, constantly moving from one place to another around Kentucky. Through the years, the tribe developed to the point of being worthy of being part of the Five Civilized Tribes along with Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole. Some of the clans belonging to this tribe were Aniwahya, Anigatogewi, Anikawi, and Anigilohi.

Kentucky Indian Tribe – Yuchi Tribe

Kentucky Indian Tribe - Yuchi Tribe
Kentucky Indian Tribe – Yuchi Tribe

This Kentucky Indian tribe was said to have resided beside a river of similar form to Green River. This specific tribe had a bad relationship with neighboring tribes Cherokee, Catawba, and Creek. However, it was able to remedy the relationship with the Creeks as they united to fight against the White Americans during the 1813 battle. Yuchi tribe was known for living separately within the village. Additionally, aside from the general language being practiced in Kentucky, they also have their own language, Euchee. Many said they were absorbed by the Creek tribe as their numbers reduced because of a disease.

Kentucky Indian Tribe – Chickasaw Tribe

Kentucky Indian Tribe - Chickasaw Tribe
Kentucky Indian Tribe – Chickasaw Tribe

The Chickasaw tribe positioned themselves in the westernmost part of Kentucky. Moreover, they were also one of the tribes who exhibited fast spreading across the area. In just a short time, they were also able to establish settlements across the Tennessee River. They were strong practitioners of Muskhogean, and they had strong similarities to the Choctaw tribe despite the fact that they were not exactly in a friendly relationship.

Chickasaw tribe was known for their warlike characteristics. They were also very territorial, which explained why they have several neighboring enemies as they proactively try to expand their own territories. They were known for always claiming neighboring lands as their own. Some of their famous Native American enemies were the Choctaw, Creeks, Cherokee, Illinois, Kickapoo, and Shawnee. They valued their independence too much and partnered with bravery, the protected their territories with their strength and blood.

Other Kentucky Indian tribes worth mentioning are Delaware, Mosopelea, and Wyandot.

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