FDI - Omaha

The Omaha were a sedentary tribe which maintained much of their earlier Eastern Woodlands culture, except during the summer when they took up a migratory life of hunting the buffalo. They had separated late from other Dhegihan tribes, likely as a result of the domino effect of the Beaver Wars east of the Mississippi. They ultimately located in northeastern Nebraska.

The Ponca were among the Omaha until the mid-1700's. The Omaha were devastated by smallpox subsequent to the fissioning of the Ponca tribe. The Omaha reside today in a small portion of their aboriginal territory. The Omaha are the originators of the modern pow wow holding their first in 1804 which was witnessed by Lewis and Clark.

Aboriginal Locations (Subdivisions)

IL (Omaha, Ponca)

Year	*History*
167X	Approximate time of removal from Illinois to Nebraska as a result of the domino effect of the Beaver Wars, mentioned as Mahas, a wandering nation on a Marwuette map which placed them just east of the Missouri in central Iowa
1700	Reference in Beaurain's "Memoire", Pierre Charles le Seur without visiting tribe recorded their location on the Big Sioux River, southeast of present Sioux Falls in South Dakota and with a population of 4,000
1735	First Omaha village west of the Missouri established on Bow Creek in present Cedar County, Nebraska
1755	Village establish near present location of tribe; Ponca fissioned form the Omaha
1775	Large village of Tonwontonga established under Chief Blackbird
1777	Tribe bacame involved in fur trade
1795	Scotsman John McKay established trading post on the Missouri in present Nebraska, visited Omaha village and met Chief Blackbird
1800	Smallpox epidemic, 2/3 losses
1804	Celebrated a Whe'wahchee or dance of thanksgiving, the first pow wow ever, witnessed by Lewis and Clark
1808	Manuel Lisa established trading posts in Nebraska near the Omaha, took an Omaha wife, introduced an array of vegetables to the tribe
1812	Manuel Lisa built substantial trading post
1815	Treaty of friendship with U.S.
1824	Jean-Pierre Cabanne established trading post 2.5 miles south of Fort Lisa
1831	Smallpox epidemic
1836	Tribe ceded large tracts of land in Missouri to U.S.
1843	Tribe attacked by Lakota after returning to Big Village
1844	Tribe abandoned Big Village and relocated to Papillion Creek
1854	Sold their lands except for a reserve
1865	Gave up the northern part of their territories to the Wiinnebago
1882	Granted lands in severalty and made citizens
1889	Susan La Flesche Picotte became the first Native American woman to become a Medical Doctor

Year	Total Population	IN	NE	SD	Source

Arrival	4,600	4,600
1700	4,000			4,000	NAHDB calculation
1780	2,800		2,800		Mooney estimate
1800	2,800		2,800		NAHDB calculation
1803	300		300		Smallpox epidemic, 90% losses
1804	600		600		Lewis and Clark
1829	1,900		1,900		Swanton
1849	1,600		1,600		Swanton
1851	1,349		1,349		Schoolcroft estimate
1880	1,349		1,349		Census
1900	1,300		1,300		NAHDB calculation
1906	1,228		1,228		US Indian Office
1910	1,105		1,105		Census
1923	1,440		1,440		US Indian Office
1930	1,103		1,103		Census
1937	1,684		1,684		US Indian Office
1973	1,369		1,369		BIA
1981	1,469		1,469		BIA
1989	1,860		1,806		BIA estimate
2000	5,000		5,000		NAHDB calculation
2005	5,992		5,992