Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Native American tribe of Miami
Indians.
, who traditionally spoke the Miami-Illinois language, a language of the Algonquin family, but few tribal members speak the language today. There have been recent and ongoing attempts at a revival of their 'sleeping' tongue, which is particularly well-documented in early sources (including a complete Illinois-French dictionary) The name 'Miami' derives from the tribe's autonym (name for themselves) in their Algonquian language
, Myaamia (plural Myaamiaki); it appears to have come from an older term meaning 'downstream people’. Some scholars contended the Miami called themselves the Twightwee (also spelled Twatwa), supposedly an onomatopoeic reference to their sacred
bird, the Sandhill crane
. However, recent studies have shown that Twightwee derives from the Delaware language exonym name for the Miamis, tuwéhtuwe, a name of unknown etymology. Some Miamis have stated that this was only a name used by other tribes for the Miamis, and not the autonym which the Miamis used for themselves. Another common term was Mihtohseeniaki, "the people." The Miami continue to employ this autonym today.
Miami society was divided into clans, led by hereditary chiefs. They settled in village of long houses
. They were farmers and were known for a unique type of white corn. Traditionally, they played double ball, the moccasin game, and darts.
Like all Oklahoma tribes, the Miami endured their communal lands being broken up by the Dawes Act
and their tribal government destroyed by the Curtis Act of 1898
. They persevered and organized their own tribe, independent of the Peoria under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act
, ratified their constitution on August 16, 1939.
. Of the 3,812 enrolled tribal members, only 775 of them live within the state of Oklahoma. Many members live in Indiana and Kansas. Thomas E. Gamble is the Chief of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. The Miami Tribe issues its own tribal vehicle tags and operate their own housing authority.
Atotankiki Myaamiaki is the Miami Nation quarterly newspaper. The tribe is in the process of building the Myaamia Complex, for the benefit of tribal elders, to house the food program and tribal library.
In the interest of providing economic development for the community, the tribe created Miami Nation Enterprises, which oversees tribally-owned companies such as Miami Business Services, which provides personnel, information technologies, and business supplies; Miami Designs, which provides graphic art and promotional materials; Miami Cineplex, a movie theater and arcade; and ServiceWorld Computer, which provides computer networking and support, as well as video surveillance.
The tribe has partnered with Miami University
of Oxford, Ohio
to create the Myaamia Project. The two organizations are working together to conduct research projects to revitalize Miami language and culture and to offer university students opportunities to visit and work with the tribe on various projects.
The tribe holds an annual pow wow
early in June and a stomp dance
every winter.
An unrecognized tribe of Miami Indians live in Indiana
today.
Miami tribe
The Miami are a Native American nation originally found in what is now Indiana, southwest Michigan, and western Ohio. The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is the only federally recognized tribe of Miami Indians in the United States...
Indians.
History
The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is Eastern Woodland tribeEastern Woodlands tribes
The Eastern Woodlands was a cultural area of the indigenous people of North America. The Eastern Woodlands extended roughly from the Atlantic Ocean to the eastern Great Plains, and from the Great Lakes region to the Gulf of Mexico, which is now the eastern United States and Canada...
, who traditionally spoke the Miami-Illinois language, a language of the Algonquin family, but few tribal members speak the language today. There have been recent and ongoing attempts at a revival of their 'sleeping' tongue, which is particularly well-documented in early sources (including a complete Illinois-French dictionary) The name 'Miami' derives from the tribe's autonym (name for themselves) in their Algonquian language
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
, Myaamia (plural Myaamiaki); it appears to have come from an older term meaning 'downstream people’. Some scholars contended the Miami called themselves the Twightwee (also spelled Twatwa), supposedly an onomatopoeic reference to their sacred
Sacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
bird, the Sandhill crane
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
. However, recent studies have shown that Twightwee derives from the Delaware language exonym name for the Miamis, tuwéhtuwe, a name of unknown etymology. Some Miamis have stated that this was only a name used by other tribes for the Miamis, and not the autonym which the Miamis used for themselves. Another common term was Mihtohseeniaki, "the people." The Miami continue to employ this autonym today.
Miami society was divided into clans, led by hereditary chiefs. They settled in village of long houses
Long house
A longhouse or long house is a type of long, proportionately narrow, single-room building built by peoples in various parts of the world including Asia, Europe and North America....
. They were farmers and were known for a unique type of white corn. Traditionally, they played double ball, the moccasin game, and darts.
Like all Oklahoma tribes, the Miami endured their communal lands being broken up by the Dawes Act
Dawes Act
The Dawes Act, adopted by Congress in 1887, authorized the President of the United States to survey Indian tribal land and divide the land into allotments for individual Indians. The Act was named for its sponsor, Senator Henry L. Dawes of Massachusetts. The Dawes Act was amended in 1891 and again...
and their tribal government destroyed by the Curtis Act of 1898
Curtis Act of 1898
The Curtis Act of 1898 was an amendment to the United States Dawes Act that brought about the allotment process of lands of the Five Civilized Tribes of Indian Territory: the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee, Cherokee, and Seminole...
. They persevered and organized their own tribe, independent of the Peoria under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act
Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act
The Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of 1936, also known as the Thomas-Rogers Act, is a United States federal law that extended the US Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. It sought to return some form of tribal government to the many tribes in former Indian Territory...
, ratified their constitution on August 16, 1939.
Today
The headquarters of the Miami Tribe are Miami, OklahomaMiami, Oklahoma
Miami is a city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. As of 2009, the population estimate was 12,910. It is the county seat of Ottawa County. The city is named after the Miami tribe...
. Of the 3,812 enrolled tribal members, only 775 of them live within the state of Oklahoma. Many members live in Indiana and Kansas. Thomas E. Gamble is the Chief of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. The Miami Tribe issues its own tribal vehicle tags and operate their own housing authority.
Atotankiki Myaamiaki is the Miami Nation quarterly newspaper. The tribe is in the process of building the Myaamia Complex, for the benefit of tribal elders, to house the food program and tribal library.
In the interest of providing economic development for the community, the tribe created Miami Nation Enterprises, which oversees tribally-owned companies such as Miami Business Services, which provides personnel, information technologies, and business supplies; Miami Designs, which provides graphic art and promotional materials; Miami Cineplex, a movie theater and arcade; and ServiceWorld Computer, which provides computer networking and support, as well as video surveillance.
The tribe has partnered with Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
of Oxford, Ohio
Oxford, Ohio
Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern portion of the state. It lies in Oxford Township, originally called the College Township. The population was 21,943 at the 2000 census. This college town was founded as a home for Miami University. Oxford...
to create the Myaamia Project. The two organizations are working together to conduct research projects to revitalize Miami language and culture and to offer university students opportunities to visit and work with the tribe on various projects.
The tribe holds an annual pow wow
Pow woW
Pow woW is French musical group. Their biggest hit was "Le Chat" in 1992. Their next single was the French version of song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", titled "Le lion est mort ce soir".- Albums :* Regagner les plaines...
early in June and a stomp dance
Stomp dance
The Stomp Dance is performed by various Eastern Woodland tribes and Native American communities, including the Muscogee, Yuchi, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Delaware, Miami, Caddo, Ottawa, Peoria, Shawnee, Seminole, Natchez, and Seneca-Cayuga tribes...
every winter.
An unrecognized tribe of Miami Indians live in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
today.