Tall Chief

Tall Chief (ca. 1840–1918) was a hereditary chief of the Quapaw Tribe and a peyote roadman.[1][2][3] He served in this position after his father, Lame Chief, died in 1874, until his own death in 1918 at around 78 years old.[4]

Tall Chief
Ki-hi-ka-steh-teh
Chief of the Quapaw Tribe, Peyote Roadman
In office
1874–1918
Preceded byLame Chief
Personal details
Born
Wa-zhi Hunka

1840 (1840)
Indian Territory
DiedAugust 26, 1918(1918-08-26) (aged 77–78)
Quapaw, OK
NationalityFull Blood Quapaw, Snake Clan
Spouse(s)Zha-we Mi Te-ki, Mi Zhi-te, Wa si-sta, Mi Tsi-no, Emma Squirrel White
Residence(s)Quapaw, Oklahoma and Skiatook, Oklahoma
ProfessionChief, peyote roadman
Known forLast hereditary Chief of the Quapaw Tribe to be chosen in the traditional manner

Tall Chief was the last individual to be selected in the traditional manner from a hereditary chief line among the Quapaw people.[5][6][7][8][9] Tall Chief also facilitated the introduction of the Peyote Religion among the Quapaw and Osage people.[2]

Early life

Tall Chief was born around 1840 in Indian Territory along the Neosho River in what is now Kansas at a Quapaw village referred to as Hu-cha-pa Tah-wha. His father was a hereditary Chief named Ka-hi-ka te-dah, or Lame Chief, and his mother was named Mi-ska no-zhe, or White Sun Standing; both of Tall Chief's parents were Quapaw. Tall Chief's given name was Wa-zhi Hunka which in the Quapaw language refers to an eagle in Quapaw tradition which led the people to the earth. Tall Chief would translate this name as "Sacred Angel Bird" which led to him receiving the English name "Louis Angel".

Around 1870, when Tall Chief was approximately 30 years old, the group of Quapaws he belonged to moved from Hu-cha-pa Tah-wha to a location near present-day Skiatook, Oklahoma.[10][11]

Chief of the Quapaw Tribe

Tall Chief's father Lame Chief died in 1874, at which point Tall Chief was chosen to succeed his father in his position in the traditional fashion.[8][9][12][13] Multiple peace medals from European governments had been given to Quapaw Chiefs in the past; these were passed to Tall Chief and continue to be passed down among his descendants today.[10][14]

Tall Chief was a highly respected leader of the Quapaw people and was often asked to name children, perform marriages, and officiate at tribal ceremonies.[10][15][16] His testimony was also sought on many occasions for legal proceedings regarding Quapaw tribal members.[7][11][17]

While serving as Chief, he became known as Ki-he-kah-steh-teh or "Tall Chief" on account of height, which was further accentuated by his habit of wearing large hats with eagle feathers placed in them.[10][11][17]

Big Moon Native American Church

In the mid-1890s Tall Chief played an integral role in the introduction of the Peyote Religion or Native American Church to the Quapaw and Osage people.

The Big Moon variant of the Native American Church was founded by a Caddo and Delaware man known as John Wilson, who was also referred to as Moonhead. Wilson had been instructing the Delaware People in this ceremony when Tall Chief heard of it. Tall Chief requested Wilson to show him this ceremony, which resulted in Wilson officiating a peyote ceremony for Tall Chief near present-day Skiatook, OK. Tall Chief invited several Osage Chiefs, who then went on to embrace this religion.

Tall Chief also had Wilson introduce the ceremony to the group of Quapaw people who were living near the Spring River in what is now Quapaw, OK.[3][10][18][19] Tallchief was instructed by Wilson and became a Roadman. Tallchief had a roundhouse where he held Native American Church meetings near Skiatook, OK, and in Quapaw, OK on his allotment, and also put down Native American Church fireplaces for several families among the Osage and Quapaw people.[1][2][3][11]

Death and legacy

Tall Chief died at his home on his allotment near the Spring River outside of the town of Quapaw, in Ottawa County, OK, in 1918 at the approximate age of 78.[4][10]

Tall Chief Creek and Tall Chief Cove near Skiatok, OK were named after Tall Chief. Also a sculpture of Tall Chief was made which is now located at the John Zink Ranch.[11] Also, "Kihekah-Steh Powwow" which was formed by the Indian Club of Skiatook and continues today was named after Tall Chief.[10][20][21]

See also

References
  1. Swan, Daniel (1998). Early Osage Peyotism. Plains Anthropologist.
  2. "Quapaw Peyote (1962 Interview)". www.quapawtribalancestry.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  3. Josephine Walker Interview, 1968. Oklahoma Federation of Labor Collection, M453, Box 5, Folder 2. Western History Collections, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma. pp. 9–12.
  4. "Tall Chief Last Hereditary Chief of the Quapaw Tribe". www.quapawtribalancestry.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  5. "Quapaw Hereditary Chiefs from 1818-1918". www.quapawtribalancestry.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  6. "Official Minutes from Quapaw General Council 1962". www.quapawtribe.com. pp. 9–13 discuss selection of a Chief and that Tall Chief was the last hereditary Chief selected in the traditional manner. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  7. Sturtevant, William (2001). Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 13: Plains, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2. Smithsonian Institution. pp. 507, 509.
  8. Wishart, David (2004). Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. University of Nebraska Press. p. 596.
  9. "Quapaw (tribe) | Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture". www.okhistory.org. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  10. "Native Oklahoma" (PDF). "Kah Hi Kah Steh Tah: Tall Chief Last Hereditary Chief of the Quapaw Tribe. 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  11. "Tall Chief / Louis Angel Chief of the Quapaw Tribe in Oklahoma". www.quapawtribalancestry.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  12. "Quapaw Tribal Ancestry: Hereditary Chiefs of the Quapaw Tribe from 1818-1918". www.quapawtribalancestry.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  13. Sturtevant, William (2001). Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 13: Plains, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2. Smithsonian Institution.
  14. "Quapaw Tribe Artifacts: Pictures and descriptions of Quapaw Tribal artifacts". www.quapawtribalancestry.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  15. "Full text of "Kwapa Folk-Lore"". archive.org. April 1895. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  16. "Quapaw Tribe Oral History". www.quapawtribalancestry.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  17. 1969 Mary Red Eagle Interview. Oklahoma Federation of Labor Collection, M452, Box 5, Folder 2. Western History Collections, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma. pp. 4–6.
  18. "Quapaw Tribe Oral History". www.quapawtribalancestry.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  19. Stewart, Omer (1987). Peyote Religion, A History. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 112.
  20. "Osage County, Oklahoma, Biography: American Indians hold strong place in community". Skiatook Journal; Rutherford Publications, INC. 2001-08-15. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  21. "46th Annual Kiekah Steh Pow-Wow held in Skiatook". Skiatook Journal. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
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