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Native American Tribes of Arkansas

Did you know the name "Arkansas" is a Siouan Indian word? It comes from Acansa, which was the name of a major Quapaw village in southeastern Arkansas. Many people believe that Acansa meant "downstream people," but that isn't true--Quapaw, the tribe's own name for themselves, means "downstream people." Acansa probably came from the Quapaw word meaning "southern place." Their non-native neighbors frequently referred to the Quapaw as the Acansa, Arkansas, or Alkansea Indians because of this town. The Quapaw Indians were not the only native people of this region, however.

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The original inhabitants of the area that is now Arkansas included:

The Caddo Indians

The Choctaw Indians

The Osage Indians

The Quapaw Indians

The Tunica Indians

Other Indian tribes driven into Arkansas after Europeans arrived:

The Cherokee Indians

See also our new Caddo, Choctaw, Tunica, and Cherokee Facts for Kids pages!

There are no federally recognized Indian tribes in Arkansas today.

Most Native Americans were forced to leave Arkansas during the Indian Removals of the 1800's. These tribes are not extinct, but except for the descendants of Arkansas Indians who escaped from Removal, they do not live in Arkansas anymore. They were moved to Indian reservations in Oklahoma instead. If you click on the link for each tribe above, you can find more information about them.

Other Indian communities and organizations in Arkansas today include:

Arkansas Band of Western Cherokee:
PO Box 142
Flippin, AR 72634
http://arkansascherokees.com/

Other resources about American Indian history, culture and society in Arkansas state:

Historic Native Americans in the Mississippi Valley: Map and profiles of the Arkansas and Mississippi tribes.

Parkin Archeological Site: Arkansas state park on the site of an ancient Native American village.

Toltec Mounds: National Historic Landmark site displaying the prehistoric monuments of the Arkansas Mound-Builders.

Recommended books about Arkansas Native Americans:

Arkansas Indians: Introducing Arkansas's Native American history and culture to kids.

Indians and Europeans in Arkansas: History of the Arkansas Indian tribes and their interactions with white settlers.

Rumble of a Distant Drum: The Quapaws and Old World Newcomers: Interesting book on Quapaw Indian culture and culture.

Art of the Osage: Color photographs and history of Osage Indian art.

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