Shoshone Indians

About 1,500 years ago to 2,000 years ago, an Anishinabe or Ojibway prophet, became widely known among Ojibway People who lived east along Atlantic Ocean's Coastline in Northeastern North America. Below are links to google earth photos of several Shoshone Indians communities. Below that is more information pertaining to Shoshone Tribe. This prophet would lead to Ojibway People forcing their way west as told to do by prophecy. Told to search for a turtle shaped island (it wasn't a turtle shaped island because they are found everywhere) and also for food that grows on water, Ojibway Soldiers were instructed by their commanders, who knew from that prophets predictions, which foretold of future events which were taken seriously by Ojibway leaders, to find a Flathead Shaped Mountain, which before finding this place, there would be six stopping places. Including Flathead Shaped Mountain, it was seven stopping places. However, it is also written that there are Eight Fires which indicates there are eight stopping places. They first seen Square Butte (Flathead Shaped Mountain ) which is 20 or so miles west of Great Falls, before reaching Great Falls of the Missouri River and Giant Springs. That's Seven Stopping Places (there are fiver waterfalls that make up Great Falls of the Missouri River) yet there's an eighth. It's Sulphur Springs which is around 1,000 feet or a little over three football fields from Missouri River. Sulphur Springs is first stopping place followed by Grand Falls, Crooked Falls (aka Horseshoe Falls), Rainbow Falls, Colter Falls, Giant Springs, Black Eagle Falls and then Square Butte (aka Flathead Shaped Mountain).

Shoshone Indians are native to Montana and from Montana they migrated further southwest to Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, California and Mexico. They are Ojibway. We know they are Ojibway because of 19th century Ojibway Historians who wrote that Ojibway was spoken extensively among Shoshone Tribe of Indians. More about that is below. After 1500, they forced their way southeast and became known as Comanche. They subjugated native tribes in those region and mixed their language with those tribes they subjugated. Today, they classify their language family as Uto-Aztecan (aka Mexican-Opata Language Family). However, in 19th century they classified their language family as "Shoshonean Language Family." That be a north division of Uto-Aztecan. Today, it's known as Numic. We will include a Shoshone description then a Shoshonean which is quite different from Shoshone because we know Shoshone People spoke Ojibway. Shoshonean People are an admixture of Ojibway and non Ojibway, as is their language. Many Shoshone Reservations are located adjacent to white towns. Many were established in 20th century and must be listed as being from Rocky Boy Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Chief Rocky Boy was leader of Ojibway's scattered throughout United States that didn't have Reservations according to historians.

Montana is Shoshone Indians native land. They lived in southwest and north central Montana. Their north limit in Montana is Great Falls or where Great Falls of Missouri River is located. Even as late as 1910, southwest Montana had a large Ojibway population. However, they were forcefully Deported out of this region. Today, there are no Shoshone Reservations (except Northern Cheyenne Reservation) in Montana yet Lemhi Reservation was adjacent to Montana. Cheyenne is derived from Shawani which is derived from an Ojibway word of Shaw-an. Whites shortened "Shaw-an-ni" to "Shaw-nee." On September 24, 1868 Shoshone leaders signed treaty with United States. However, American leaders refused to accept treaty. It led to an escalation in war in Montana. American leaders did acknowledge when they signed that September 24, 1868 Virginia City Treaty, that Shoshone Peoples territory extended from Yellowstone River to Montana's Bitterroot Mountains. Much of southwest Montana is Shoshone land. Chief Rocky Boy was living in southwest Montana in 1901 and 1902 before moving to his native Great Falls in late 1902. He was possibly living at Crow Reservation in 1900. I'm not certain about that. It's known that an Ojibway leader named Day Child, living at Crow Reservation, contacted chief Rocky Boy for help. American leaders forced Crow Reservation leaders to cede Crow Reservations north portion. They then forced those Ojibway's living in Crow Reservations ceded north portion, to leave Reservation. That's why chief Day Child contacted chief Rocky Boy. They needed to find a new Reservation. Chief Rocky Boy led them west to near Anaconda. Shoshone leaders never ceded their land in southwest and north central Montana and a small area in Yellowstone National Park. Thus, why chief Rocky Boy continued to live in that region. They had to forcefully Deport them. They never ceded their Reservation in Montana which is also known as Blackfeet and Piegan. It extends from Great Falls to Yellowstone National Park.

Idaho was another important location to Shoshone people. They lived throughout southern Idaho. Fort Hall Reservation is their primary Reservation in Idaho. Duck Valley is another of their Idaho Reservations. Lemhi Reservation is their most important. However, it's actually a part of their Blackfeet or Piegan Reservation of Montana and Wyoming. It was never ceded.

Wyoming is another location Shoshone Indians live. Wind River Reservation is their largest Reservation. It originally covered an area of around 3 million acres of land. Many Montana Shoshone People were Deported to Wind River Reservation in 1897 and 1904.

Utah was possibly their second most important location. Montana was their most important location. According to Ojibway Historians, Ojibway People lived along a "Great Salt Lake" on it's east. We know an eastern Ojibway migration happened around 1500. They came up from a southwest location according to 1832's Edinburgh Encyclopedia. They reached Missouri Rivers mouth at Mississippi River then forced their way to what is now Chicago. Next they settled Manitoulin Island under O-gi-ma Sa-gi-ma's leadership. From there, O-gi-ma Sa-gi-ma led them to colonize Ottawa River Valley then St. Lawrence River Valley. It was not a westward migration in 1500. It was an eastern migration. Ojibway Soldiers took control of land from Missouri River to Atlantic Ocean. They did so to fight white invaders. In Utah, Ojibway People have three Reservations. They are: Goshute Reservation; Northwestern Shoshone Reservation; and Skull Valley Reservation. They also live at Uintah-Ouray Reservation. .

Nevada has more Shoshone Reservations than any other State. They include these following Reservations:Battle Mountain; Duck Valley; Duckwater; Elko Colony; Ely Shoshone; Fallon Paiute-Shoshone; Fort McDermitt; Goshute; Reno-Sparks Colony; South Fork Colony; and Wells Colony.

Oregon has only one Shoshone Reservation. That is Fort McDermitt Reservation. Many Shoshone People who lived in Oregon, were forced to relocate to Yakima Reservation in Washington State, after American leaders illegally broke treaty and forced them off Malheur Reservation. After illegally eradicating Malheur Reservation, a short war known as Bannock War of 1878 happened. After 1878's conflict, anywhere from a few hundred to over 2,000 Shoshone Indians and Paiutes were relocated to Yakima Reservation.

California has four Shoshone Reservations. Ojibway expansion to California was successful. However, it was only in east California where Ojibway People lived among themselves. Their Reservations in California include these following: Big Pine; Bishop Community; Death Valley; and Lone Pine. All were created in 20th century. One in 1912 (Bishop), Big Pine and Lone Pine in 1939 and Timbisha or Death Valley Reservation in 1982.

Shoshonean People are considered a north division of Uto-Aztecan. They are an admixture of Ojibway and non Ojibway Tribes. They include these following Tribes: Chemehuevi-Ute of Arizona, California and Nevada; Cahuilla, Gabrielino, Luiseno, and Serrano of southern California; Hopi of Arizona; and Mono-Paviotso of California and Oregon.

Pima People are obviously Ojibway. We know Ojibway People have Reservations in northern Mexico. They are Nacimiento in Coahuila, Mexico and Tamichopa in Sonora, Mexico. Their Tamichopa Reservation in Sonora, Mexico is 73 miles south of Arizona's border with New Mexico. These Ojibway People live as far south as Durango, Mexico and Jalisco, Mexico. They had a Reservation in Durango at one time. It may have been located near Mapimi, Durango which is 34.2 miles or 55.03 kilometers northwest of Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. In Arizona, Pima People are better known as Papago. Pima Languages have four dialects. They are: O'odham or Papago in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico; O'ochkam in Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico; O'otham in Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico; and Tepecano in Jalisco, Mexico. Tepecano is supposedly no longer spoken. It was spoken at Azqueltan, Jalisco, Mexico at one time.

According to Anishinabe author Andrew Blackbird, Ojibway Language was extensively spoken among Shoshone People. Blackbirds information about Ojibway Language extensively spoken among Shoshone People is on page 89 in chapter 11 of his book "History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan." Click here to read Blackbirds book. It's a googlebooks page. Place your mouses arrow over EBOOK-FREE button. Where you see download, click pdf. You can get his 1887 book for free. It is very important. Peter Jones who was a mid 19th century Ojibway author, wrote that Ojibway Language was spoken from Mississippi Rivers headwaters (they are located in southwest Montana near Idaho) and headwaters of Red River.

Wind River Reservation of Wyoming

It covers 3,473 sq. mi.
Population is 23,237 (most are non Indian).

Northern Cheyenne Reservation of Montana

It covers 707 sq. mi.
Population is 4,789.

Kiowa-Comanche-Apache of Oklahoma

It covers 3,889 sq. mi. Reservation Stolen.
Population is 14,700.

Death Valley Timbisha Shoshone of California

It covers over 12.0 sq. mi. or over 7,700 acres.
Population is over 300 but only around 50 live at Indian Village and 24 at Furnace Creek.

Duck Valley Reservation of Idaho-Nevada

It covers 450 sq. mi.
Population is 1,265.

Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho

It covers 814 sq. mi.
Population is 5,762 (about a third are non Indian).

Fort Washakie Reservation of Utah

It covers ? sq. mi.
Population is ?.

Goshute Reservation of Nevada-Utah

It covers 177 sq. mi.
Population is 105.

Elko Reservation of Nevada

It covers ?.
Population is ?.