Official Kids Mag

Quapaw history Let's learn a little more about the Quapaw Native people, who settled in this area about 500 years ago. The Quapaw immigrated from the Ohio River Valley to the Arkansas River Valley and arrived in Arkansas between 1543 and 1673. The Quapaw were part of a larger group known as the Dhegiha Sioux, who split into the tribes known today as the Quapaw, Osage, Ponca, Kansa and Omaha. The Quapaw moved down the Mississippi River into Arkansas, this is the origin of the word Ogaxpa, which can be translated as "downstream people". Tribal history tells the story that as the Dhegiha people were moving they came upon the river, and there was a dense fog. The people created a rope by braiding a grapevine and while crossing the river, the vine snapped. The Omaha people continued against the current, which is the origin of their name. The Quapaw believe their people were at the end of the rope and they floated down the river after it broke, separating their people from the group. Today, most of the Quapaw Nation resides in northeastern Oklahoma with the tribal headquarters in Quapaw, Oklahoma. The Quapaw community was traditionally based around the family, and grouped into clans. The clans were divided into two groups, the Sky People and Earth People. The Quapaws also believed in a force called Wakondah, which held everything in balance. They were farmers who grew corn, beans, squash, gourds and tobacco. Women were in charge of gardening, and butchered and prepared the hides of animals such as deer, bear and buffalo, which the men hunted. Tribal flag History In the late 1970s, as other Indian nations in northeast Oklahoma were developing and displaying tribal flags, the Quapaw Tribe decided they needed a flag as well. They developed various ideas to design the tribal flag. The original design was drawn on cardboard. The first flags were produced on stiff canvas, on which a local artist painted the design. Meaning of the flag The four eagle feathers represent each of the four main points of the compass (north, south, east, and west.) The number four is sacred to the Tribe and is found in many of the Quapaw ceremonies and practices. The Quapaw People hold the eagle in high esteem because it flies the highest in the sky, which puts him closest to the Creator. The Tribe believes the eagle talks with God, and eagle feathers are used in many of their ceremonies. The red and blue background of the flag represents a kind of blanket used in Native American Church meetings. This blanket is made from wool broadcloth, a cloth that is also used by the tribe for traditional clothing such as leggings, breechcloths, and skirts for women. It was originally obtained through trade with Europeans. The word "o-gah-pah" represents how the Quapaw people say "Quapaw" in the Quapaw language, which means "downstream people." For more information about the Quapaw, visit www.quapawtribe.com www.OfficialKidsMag.com • July 2022 • 31

• Cover