Sauk
The Sauk, also known as the Sac, are a Native American tribe originally from present-day Wisconsin, with significant historical ties to the Mississippi and Rock River valleys in Illinois. They are part of the Algonquian language group and are culturally related to the Kickapoo and Meskwaki tribes. Their population is spread across three federally recognized nations: the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma, the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa (Meskwaki), and the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska, with a combined population of approximately 6,400 as of 2024.
Historically, the Sauk faced significant challenges, including the Black Hawk War of 1832, which arose from conflicts over land treaties with the United States. This conflict led to their relocation to Kansas and subsequently to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. The 1930s saw the re-establishment of their governance structure and efforts to preserve their culture, including initiatives to revitalize their endangered language. Notable figures from the Sauk tribe include Black Hawk, a leader during the war, and Jim Thorpe, an acclaimed athlete and Olympic gold medalist. Today, the Sauk continue to promote their cultural heritage through museums, events, and language preservation programs, while engaging in various economic development projects.
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Sauk
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Northeast
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Algonquian
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa
- POPULATION SIZE: 4,000 (2024: Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma); 1,450 (2024: Meskwaki Nation); much smaller population of Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska
When they first encountered Europeans, the Sauk (also spelled "Sac") lived in present-day Wisconsin. By the late 1700s, they were settled in the Mississippi and Rock River valleys of modern Illinois. They are closely related by culture and language to the Kickapoo and Meskwaki (Fox); a formal alliance with the latter lasted from 1733 to 1850 and led the United States government to regard them as a single "Sac and Fox" Indigenous group.
In the early nineteenth century, the Sauk became divided over attitudes toward the United States. One group, led by Black Hawk, supported the British in the War of 1812 while another party, led by Keokuk, cultivated the Americans. An 1804 treaty sold Sauk lands in Illinois to the United States, leading to the Indigenous group’s movement west of the Mississippi. An attempt by some to return to their old lands led to the disastrous Black Hawk War (1832). Black Hawk's rival Keokuk then took over leadership of the Indigenous group, and he promoted cooperation with the US government.
After the war, the Sauk moved increasingly southward. Iowa lands were ceded, and the tribe settled in Kansas. Pressured there by settlers, in 1867 they accepted a reservation in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). In 1891, Indigenous lands were allotted to individual members, and the Indigenous government was effectively dissolved. In the 1930s, the Sauk reorganized as the Sac and Fox Tribe of Oklahoma, with an elected chief. Two other distinct bands also developed: the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, or Meskwaki, and the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska, or Ne ma ha ha ki. These three groups were all listed as federally recognized tribes by the US government, eventually granting them some measure of autonomy.
The 1930s also saw the rapid decline of the Sauk language, with only a few families continuing to speak the language, which is a member of the Algonquin language family. Linguists believe it is the dialect most closely related to Proto-Algonquian, and therefore valuable in understanding the development and spread of Indigenous languages. By the twenty-first century, the only fluent speakers of Sauk were all older, and the language was at risk of extinction. The Sac and Fox Nation formed the Sauk Language Department to bring the Sauk language into schools to stimulate the preservation and revitalization of the language among younger generations.
In the twenty-first century, the Sauk remained organized into three federally recognized Indigenous nations: the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma, the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa (Meskwaki), and the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska. Each Indigenous nation had its own government and constitution. They operated various economic development opportunities including casinos, among other businesses. In addition to the language preservation efforts, each nation operated museums and participated in events to preserve Sauk culture and history.
Along with Black Hawk, the most famous Sauk is Jim Thorpe (1887–1953), who became the first Indigenous American to win an Olympic gold medal for the United States. A champion in the pentathlon and decathlon as well as a pioneer football star, Thorpe is regarded by many as one of the greatest athletes of all time.
Bibliography
"About the Meskwaki Nation." Meskwaki Nation Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, www.meskwaki.org/about-us. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
"Council." Sac and Fox Nation, www.sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov/about/council. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
"History." Black Hawk State Historic Site, www.blackhawkpark.org/history.php. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
"History of the Tribe." Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska, www.sacandfoxks.com. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.
McCollum, Timothy James. "Sac and Fox - The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture." Oklahoma Historical Society, www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=SA001. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
"Sauk Indians." Wisconsin Historical Society, www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS4350. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
"The Sauk Language." Talk Sauk, talksauk.com. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.
Sellers, Shiloh. "Sac and Fox Nation." The University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications, www.ou.edu/gaylord/exiled-to-indian-country/content/sac-and-fox. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
"Who We Are." Sac & Fox Nation, www.sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov/about. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.