For more information, please contact your nearest office site. The ponca tribe was forcibly removed from its ancestral land in northeastern nebraska and marched south at gunpoint. Like numerous other tribes in nebraska, they were forced to witness the shrinking of their homelands until most were moved to the indian territory in the present day state of oklahoma. We encourage all parents to register their children for this wonderful program. Ponca tribe of nebraska po box 288 niobrara ne 68760 voice 402. This document titled, constitution and bylaws of the ponca tribe of indians of oklahoma was registered with the u. Peaceably inclined and never numerous, they built earthlodge villages, cultivated gardens, and hunted buffalo. The nebraska center for the book believes one book one nebraska demonstrates how books and reading connect people across time and place. Their traditions and historical accounts suggest they originated as a tribe east of the mississippi river in the ohio river valley area and migrated west for game and as a result of iroquois wars. The tribe s probable size in 1780 was estimated at 800. Ponca folktale about coyotes greed getting him into trouble. The ponca struggled to survive ponca chief standing bear struggles to save his people by james giago davies native sun news today correspondent day. About the book the culture of the ponca indians is less well known than their misfortunes. A brief history of the ponca people by jonathan holmes.
Until the arrival of the teton sioux circa 1750, the poncas territory stretched from the missouri river to the black hills. Explore nebraska history is a free app that shares the heritage of nebraska at your fingertips. Brown was a professor of sociology at oklahoma state university. The ponca tribe of nebraska would like to honor all 2020 graduates throughout the nation in a special section in our june 2020 newsletter. The stories provided in this app expand upon our historical markers with each point on. In 1906, the ponca in oklahoma numbered 570 and those in nebraska, 263.
Publishes books and journals especially in american history, the american west, and native american studies. By 1804, largely because of smallpox, their numbers dwindled to around 200. It was named for the ponca indian tribe native to the region. For a terminated tribe, a recounting of the history and eth nography is.
Whitepages is the largest and most trusted online phone book and directory. A model of research and clarity, the ponca tribe is still the most complete account of these indians. More than 800 men, women and children made the journey, encountering snow, rough terrain and sickness along the way. The ponca are a midwestern native american tribe of the dhegihan branch of the siouan language group. Yet this is just what standing bear, of the ponca indian tribe, did in omaha in 1879.
Ponca tribe of oklahoma 20 white eagle drive ponca city ok 74601 voice 580. The main topic is native american literature, but materials related to the lewis and clark corps of discovery, nebraska outdoors, midwest religion, and other reference and study materials are also available. Traditions common to the ponca, omaha, kansas, osage and quapaw give evidence that they were once a people living as a single group in the northern kentucky, southern ohio and southern indiana area along the ohio river, and may have their earliest roots in the middle mississippian culture known to exist in that area between 800 and 1550. Ponca indian legends, myths, and stories native languages. Ponca the encyclopedia of oklahoma history and culture. Populism, progressivism, and the transformation of nebraska politics, 18851915 by robert w. County road 198, laurel cemetery, neligh, antelope county, nebraska view this markers location 42. By 1937, the ponca population reached 1,222 with 825 in oklahoma and 397 in nebraska. Ponca legend about the coming of horses to their tribe. The ponca timeline explains what happened to the people of their tribe. Ponca carnegie library partnered with united way of siouxland to provide access to all ponca area children under the age of 5 to dolly partons imagination library. One book one nebraska about nebraska center for the book. More than 200 titles are available for the community to check out from the tribal library. Ponca was established in 1856 and is nebraskas fourth oldest town.
The missouri indians had been a separate tribe until 1829 when many of them. In the 1700s the ponca indians separated from the omaha tribe and established villages along the niobrara river and ponca creek in present nebraska and. Nearly a century later, nebraskas northern ponca followed the inspiring tale of standing bear to cross perhaps the most challenging bridge in its history. The term ponca was the name of a clan among the kansa, osage, and quapaws. The ponca tribe of nebraska is headquartered in niobrara, nebraska. In 1962, at the request of the ponca, congress provided for a termination of the reservation. This is the homeland of the ponca indians who have lived in this area since earliest recorded history. The other is the ponca tribe of indians of oklahoma.
Nebraska ponca tribe retracing the steps of their ancestors. Ponca people are thought to have migrated to the great plains from the ohio river valley. In 1977, chief standing bear was elected to the nebraska hall of fame in the state capitol. Brown, a professor of sociology at oklahoma state university, stillwater, and a ponca authority.
Ponca white pages phone books in nebraska ne whitepages. Standing bear was a chieftain of the ponca indian tribe, which farmed and hunted peacefully along the niobrara river in northeastern nebraska. A model of research and clarity, the ponca tribe is still the most complete account of these indians who inhabited the upper central plains. He was on the staff of the north dakota state historical museum 195053 and the kansas city museum 195557. Ponca tribe of nebraska across nebraska and oklahoma. Standing bear and the poncas journey nebraska life magazine. I expected a book with much more information regarding the history of this tribe, like. Each year, nebraska communities come together through literature in communitywide reading programs to explore a classic work by one of nebraskas bestloved authors, or a book with a nebraska setting. Walks on the ground traces changes in the tribe as reflected in educational processes, the influences and effects of the federal government, and the dominant social structure and culture.
The tribe is governed by a democratically elected council. The culture of the ponca indians is less well known than their misfortunes. The ponca tribe of nebraska is one of two federally recognized tribes of ponca people. A marker, 200 feet to the south, recalls the death of white buffalo girl of the ponca tribe. The other elders in the tribe confirmed kenneths stories and insights and contributed to the history louis has written about the ponca. We offer a broad range of health, social, educational and cultural services. This will add you to the list of participants on the ponca project category page. Then, figures taken in 1937 showed a total population of ponca was 1,222, divided as 825 southern ponca in oklahoma and 397 northern ponca in nebraska. We, the members of the ponca tribe of nebraska, in order to restore, preserve and protect all rights aboriginally held by our people and their descendants, promote peace, prosperity, happiness, and the general welfare of the members of our tribe and our posterity, to exercise home rule, to assert our inherent sovereignty, to protect our right of selfgovernment, to conserve custom, to improve our social order, to protect our rights as individuals, to promote our economic welfare, to promote.
Today, the ponca tribe of nebraska alone numbers close to 4,200. The ponca tribe today is primarily associated with the states of nebraska and. Sponsored links additional resources ponca religion and expressive traditions omahaponca language books of american indian myths indian religions nebraska indian reservations plains natives siouan languages. Ask the project leader shirley dalton to add the native americans project badge. The dispossession of the nebraska indians by david j.
List of books and articles about nebraska history online. We offer a broad range of health, social, educational and cultural services through five office sites. An indians attempt to appeal from the tomahawk to the courts. And because of this trial, the law finally said that an indian was indeed a. Nebraska historical society returns remains to ponca tribe. This book covers various aspects of ponca history and culture, including their.
Tomorrow, their ponca ancestors will complete a similar journey, but this one done out of respect and remembrance. Class of 2020, no later than may 15th, 2020, to have your graduate featured in this section. View a map of all nebraska historical markers, browse historical marker map. Ponca experienced growth when the covington, columbus and black hills railroad was extended to it in 1876. There they subsisted on horticulture and bison hunts.
Nov 08, 2017 the ponca struggled to survive ponca chief standing bear struggles to save his people by james giago davies native sun news today correspondent day. By 1829, their population had increased to 600 and by 1842, to about 800. Howards professional career as an anthropologist included museum work, field archaeology, and teaching. Department of the interior, bureau of indian affairs. Nearly a century later, nebraska s northern ponca followed the inspiring tale of standing bear to cross perhaps the most challenging bridge in its history. Learn more about the interesting stories and fascinating people highlighted by our nebraska historical marker program. The ponca tribe was originally published in 1965 as a bulletin of the smithsonian institutions bureau of american ethnology. Travel across our beautiful state in person or via your device with curated historical tours. Although the ponca tribe of nebraska does not have a reservation, the ponca restoration act. The omaha the pawnee the otoe the santee sioux the winnebago the ponca the iowa and the sac and fox. Ponca tribe of nebraska historic preservation officer shannon wright from left, dwight howe, cultural director for the ponca tribe, and state archaeologist rob bozell discuss repatriation of. The following ponca history timeline details facts, dates and famous landmarks of the people.