ABOUT THE ARAPAHO PEOPLE

About The Arapaho People
by Pius Moss:
" At one time this land...there was no land here but water. Well, briefly, and it's very brief, I've never added nothing. I've heard this time and time again from my father, my aunts and uncles in the English relationship....but in the Arapaho they were my fathers and mothers. So, I've heard this time and again that the place we live in now, was all water. And the old man we call the Flat Pipe, he was somewhat tired of being in the water. So he called for help. Well, after so long for some time, how many ducks flew by. Ten, twelve, whatever, but ducks flew by. They heard his plea for help. So they went down and he made the approach saying he needed help. "Do you want to get some land?" So, the ducks said that they would help. Do what they could. So they, in turn, went down into the depths of the lake or waterbed, or whatever it is....ocean. In due time they began to come back. Some didn't have anything, some had very little in their bills....very little earth. And they didn't accumulate too fast and the old man just wasn't satisfied. Still, he had something that he did not have before."So, in due time, here comes a turtle........... "
"The turtle, then, was summoned by the old man, if he could help...going down into the depths of the ocean or water or lake to see if he could retrieve some land. Earth. He said that he would do what he could...glad to help. So then he went down. All right...in due time, here he comes back with a bit more than what the ducks had come up with. Then he went down how many times. Each time he came up with more. That satisfies the old man and then, as far as we're concerned, that's how land was established and that's how creation was established As far as our instructions...the information has never been put out in such a way to where it's been stereotyped or been distorted. It's simple. That's why I believe the elders when they tell me we were here all the time under those circumstances."
"And that was the origin of the Arapaho. We were here all the time in the Great Plains area. The anthropologists do state that we came from Southeast Asia across a land bridge between Alaska and Siberia, then came into the Northern American continent into the area of the Great Lakes, then on down into the area of New Jersey. Then westerly to the Great Lakes area, Minnesota, and then eventually back to the Great Plains."
"Now....that is what the anthropologists have come up with and the time involved? You pick up a book and it says 2,000 years. The next book will say 3,000....4,000. Information that I have received is simple but true. Now, we speak of oral instruction and the elders say...and I myself believe....that because the culture of the mainstream of my life that has enveloped us, it has the tendency to overcome our thoughts at times. At times we will surrender to that other culture and distort some of the oral information. That is why I say the old people gave instructions orally and, as simple as they were, they were maintained that way."
"At one time, for the Native American....that's including all Native Americans...there was a land of plenty. Actually there was that time. But then, progress...or whatever you might call it. Very near 500 years ago, the western hemisphere was discovered by a man named Columbus. Then I would say about 200 or 300 years later, the actual landing took place on the eastern coast. And that's where the migration started as far as the European people."
"Now, when that time came, the Indians were very kind. But in due time because of the want of property, the want of land, the people that came from the European countries began to want this...want that. A whole different Nation came into the country with the thought of this in mind. This will be mine. Whereas to the Indian, land belonged to everybody, not just one but to everybody. That was the thought that all Indians were instructed.....Now, because of the influences...sickness and disease...being brought in by the immigrants, that smallpox took quite a few lives.........."
"Indians depended on the buffalo which roamed the vast North American plains area. That was his way of life....the buffalo. Complete dependency on this animal. Wherever the animal was, that's where the Arapaho was. If the animal moved, he moved. He didn't wait to send scouts out to see where the animals were. At a moment's notice, he was notified that the animals were moving, he moved and that is the reason why the structure that we call a tipi was adopted by the plains Indians. It was easily taken down and easily put up in no time at all. Because of the buffalo's migration, the Arapaho had to be nomadic, in quest of the buffalo from time to time. Now, the Arapahos moved all over the plains area, eastern slope of the Rockies, into Canada, how far into Canada...there's no boundaries....east to the Mississippi River and south to the Mexican border...wherever the grass allowed the buffalo to roam in."
"So, in so doing, they ran into other tribes that also were in quest of this particular animal for their way of life. Often times, skirmishes...small battles....took place and that was understandable. The Arapaho did not look for trouble, but then, didn't run away from it when it came upon him. He took care of his family...protected them the way anyone in the family, as far as a man was concerned, would do. Now, when we say they depended on the animal entirely, that is just what the Arapaho did. We have supermarkets in this contemporary era of living. This was known also as the supermarket of the Arapaho and of all the Plains Indians. The Arapaho.... everything that he needed came from this animal."
"Now, when an animal is depended on so greatly as the buffalo was, when that animal is annihilated -- rubbed off by the buffalo hunters from the face of the plains area -- the Arapahos and the Plains Indians were at a loss. Their area of living...their way of life...was taken away. They had to go into another area to find a way of life that would take care of them and when that began, there were changes coming in quite regular. They started looking for the buffalo, but it just wasn't there. A few scattered...but not as plentiful as they were when they really were dependent on the animal just about every day."
"Now, after the animal was annihilated, the government went into the procedure of starting to herd the Indians toward Oklahoma, to situate them in a central place. Now, the Arapaho were moving all the time. Chief Black Coal, the Chief, was moving his tribe constantly. Maybe not trying to get away from the soldiers, but in quest of the buffalo. Always moving and maybe that is the reason why we are not down in Oklahoma."
"The reservation days started in 1878 for the Arapaho when the U.S. Army soldiers caught up with them. But in the meantime, Chief Black Coal had his people going back and forth...Eastern Wyoming, Western South Dakota, Western Nebraska, Western Kansas. Back and forth through that area. In due time, Chief Black Coal summed the fact up that he had to have a place for his tribe. So when they were in the area of Glenrock, Wyoming (not necessarily at that town, but in the area -- that's where the camp was) Chief Black Coal called a meeting. An assembly was had and he informed the Arapahos there that he was going west to approach Chief Washakie, if he could have his tribe live there in the same area. He wanted 10 or 12 volunteers...no women, no children."
"Now, I will go back here a little bit. The reason for his nomadic status and migrating.The home base of the Arapahos is Ft. Collins, Colorado....that whole area. Because of what happened in the State of Colorado...the Sand Creek Massacre...the Arapahos left the area. Their belief and custom is that wherever death occurs, they do not go back. I have realized that in my growing up years in my own family. Now, after the Sand Creek Massacre, they never went back to this area no more. They stayed completely away from it because of the massacre. As far as history tells us and what the Arapahos say...the women, children old men and those men that were in camp were just about completely wiped out. The U.S. Army opening fire on a camp that had the American flag and the flag of truce flying in camp. Now, just whatever happened, why it happened that way has not been actually or really determined. Because of that happening, the Arapahos did leave and never return."
" But that was their home country. "
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