- Fact 2 - The Crow, aka the Absaroka
or Apsaalooke, are a tribe of Indians who historically
lived in the Yellowstone river valley. They split from the
Hidatsa tribe in present-day North Dakota either around
1400-1500 CE Their name means means "children of the
large-beaked bird" and they were semi-nomad hunters and farmers
in the northeastern woodland. Tribal warfare, especially with
the Sioux, forced them to move to the Great Plains where they
hunted buffalo
- Fact 3 - Homes and Houses: Tepees
(also spelled Teepees or Tipis) are tent-like American Indian houses used by
Plains tribes. The Crow were well known for very large tipis
that could accomodate mattresses and a fire pit
- Fact 4 -
A tepee is constructed
from wooden poles and animal skins such as buffalo hides and
designed to be quickly set and quickly dismantled - a village
could be ready to move in an hour
- Fact 5 -
The names of a famous Crow leaders were
Chief Plenty Coups who waged war on settlers and pioneers along
the Oregon Trail and Medicine Crow who negotiated peace
- Fact 6 - Clothes and Clothing -
Clothes were generally made from the skins of animals which were
sewn together from the thread made from the sinews of deer.
- Fact 7 - Clothing for men: Men wore
breechcloths which were made from a long rectangular piece of
animal skin or cloth which was worn between the legs and tucked
over a belt, so that the flaps of the breechcloth covered the
front and behind. The legs were bare.
- Fact 8 -
Clothing: Men also wore fringed
buckskin tunics which were often decorated with beads and
buffalo hide cloaks during harsh weather
- Fact 9 -
Clothing: Leggings were worn by both men and women to cover the
bare legs and were sometimes decorated with a fringe
- Fact 10 -
Clothing for women: Women wore long buckskin dresses (the skin
of a male deer) which were decorated with beads
- Fact 11 - Shoes and footwear:
Moccasins were made of soft leather or deerskin and sewn
together with deer sinew. Moccasins were a soft slip on shoe, or
slipper, consist of a sole and sides made of one piece of
leather, stitched together at the top and were a light beige
color.
- Fact 12 - Some Crow men wore hair
so long it touched the ground
- Fact 13 - Fact 13 -
Feather War Bonnets: They also wore
beaded, feathered war bonnets. The war bonnet, with its long
trailer of feathers was a symbol of honor and accomplishment
among Plains tribes such as the
Araphaho,
Crow,
Sioux,
Blackfoot,
Cheyenne, and
Plains Cree. War bonnets consisted of a cap or
band decorated with eagle feathers, ermine fur and beadwork.
There were 3 types of feathered war bonnets
- a trailing bonnet with feathers
trailing to the floor (worn by the Crow)
- a straight-up feather headdress
- a halo war bonnet in which the
feathers fanned out around the face and shoulders
- Fact 14 - Men wore their hair in
three braids with a topknot
- Fact 15 - Hair: Women
wore their hair in loose or in two, thick braids
- Fact 16 - Jewelry: Women wore
beaded necklaces
- Fact 17 - Face paint / War Paint: Men wore
bright face paint in times of war and also for religious
ceremonies.
- Fact 18 - Crow weapons: Weapons
included bows and arrows, war clubs, spears and knives. They also used
shields made of buffalo hides
- Fact 19 - Enemies of the Crow
tribe included the Sioux, Shoshone and Blackfoot Indians
- Fact 20 - Before horses were
introduced by the Europeans the Crow used dogs to pull sleds
called travois
- Fact 21 - Food: Men hunted buffalo
and deer. Meat was supplemented by roots, berries and fruits
- Fact 22 - History: In 1851 the Crow
were granted 35 million acres of land but this was quickly
reduced in 1868 to 8 million acres but in 1870 they were moved
on to an Indian reservation in Oklahoma
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