Indian Tribes of Iowa
IowayThe Ioways at Work
The
Ioway Indians (also called Iowa Indians) lived in Iowa before European-American
settlers arrived in the 1830s. They lived in villages along major rivers such
as the Mississippi and the Missouri.
In this tribe, work was divided between clans. "Every clan, Bear or Buffalo
for example, had a special job to do," said Lance Foster, a member of
the Ioway tribe. "The Bear Clan would lead people in hunts and also act
as police. The Buffalo Clan tended to be farmers. Although everyone planted
something, the Buffalo were the leaders."
In the Ioway tribe, specialists worked at different tasks. Some people made
arrows and others made drums. "Usually you paid them in something like
horses or goods," Foster said. "There wasn't any money. It was all
about trade."
Women were the caretakers of families and the farmers who cultivated the fields.
"They were considered the heart of the nation," Foster said. "The
men were mainly for the defense of the tribe."
Children were given responsibilities when they were as young as 5 years
old. Boys hunted birds and rabbits for food. Girls helped their mothers in
the fields and learned to sew by making doll clothes. "All children were
made to feel good about their contributions," Foster said.
"The most respected people were the ones who worked for the good of all
people," Foster remarked.
By 1996 members of the Ioway tribe lived mainly in Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
They worked in a variety of jobs on and off the reservation, but still had
responsibilities to the tribe.
"They always try to make time during pow wows, ceremonies and funerals
for traditional roles of work," Foster said in a 1996 interview. "Some
people cook feasts while others might be responsible for making drums or other
objects."
