Hidatsa
Hidatsa is a Native American tribe primarily located in North Dakota, known for its rich cultural heritage and history. As a member of the Siouan language group, the Hidatsa people have deep roots in the Plains culture area. The tribe has undergone significant changes over the years, with a population of 811 reported in the 2020 U.S. Census, while the broader Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation is projected to have a population of around 17,460 in 2024. The Hidatsa are recognized for their traditional practices, agricultural expertise, and distinct societal structures. Their history is intertwined with the Mandan and Arikara tribes, forming a collective cultural identity. Understanding the Hidatsa tribe provides insights into the broader narrative of Indigenous peoples in North America and their resilience in contemporary society. Exploring their customs, language, and historical experiences can enrich one's appreciation of Native American cultures.
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Hidatsa
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Plains
- LANGUAGE GROUPS: Siouan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: North Dakota
- POPULATION SIZE: 811 (2020: US Census); 17,460 (2024: Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation)
The Hidatsa were a Siouan-language family that lived along the middle Missouri River. Like their neighbors, the Arikara and the Mandan, the Hidatsa lived in villages of earthen mounds and practiced agriculture and hunting. Their palisaded villages were near the Knife River, a branch of the Missouri in North Dakota, north of modern Bismarck.
Historically, the Hidatsa had been one with the before they separated in the eighteenth century. One legend has it that the split resulted from a dispute over a certain buffalo killed during a hunting party. The nation at that time was governed by two factions, each with a separate chief. The wives of each of these leaders began arguing over the stomach of the dead buffalo. When one of the women killed the other, a battle began between the two factions. Several people were killed on both sides of the struggle. This resulted in the migration to the Rocky Mountains of about one-half of those remaining. These migrants became the Crow, while those left behind constituted the Hidatsa. Linguistic similarities remained after the separation.
This powerful nation began to acquire horses in the 1730s and 1740s from nomadic Plains tribes, with whom they traded. The acquisition of these swift animals made hunting buffalo easier and faster. The nation used the bison products for food, tepee covers, robes, and utensils. To aid in their hunting and to demonstrate their bravery and daring, Hidatsa warriors raided other nations for horses and loot. War dances often preceded these raids. Occasionally, the Hidatsa were raided by members of the Dakota, who called the Hidatsa “Minitari.”
The nation’s farming efforts yielded corn, beans, and squash. The men sometimes raised tobacco, which was considered a sacred plant. Clothing was elaborate. Made from animal skins, it was usually decorated with quills and, after the White traders arrived, with beads. The spreading eagle-feather headdress probably originated with either the Hidatsa or the neighboring Mandan.
Clans and societies were important elements of Hidatsa life. Members of these groups often had certain functions and performed particular ceremonies. The supernatural played an important role. Men often sought visions, and shamans with particularly strong visions were consulted for advice. It was believed that they were able to read the future, diagnose sickness, and perform acts of magic.
Many similarities existed between the Hidatsa and their geographical neighbors, specifically the Mandan and the Arikara. They were all semi-nomadic nations. That is, part of the year was spent cultivating and harvesting crops, while the remainder was spent on the hunt, especially for buffalo. They were also all subject to problems associated with the arrival of White settlers, such as fewer buffalo to hunt and diseases that ravaged their populations. Smallpox epidemics occurred repeatedly through the years. In 1837, the Hidatsa were joined by about one hundred Mandan survivors of the disease. The two nations lived together from that point. In the twenty-first century, they are part of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation, which functions as one Indigenous government grouping.
Historically, the Hidatsa were hunters and horticulturists, growing and storing maize, squash, and beans. They used the vegetable to trade inter-tribally with other Plains Indigenous Americans, such the Lakota and Sioux. US military takeover of pastoral nations and diseases such as smallpox decimated the Hidatsa population, which attempted to incorporate ranching and commercial wheat farming into their economy in the late 1800s. Through the end of the twentieth century, MHA Nation members continued to work primarily as commercial farmers and ranchers, but unemployment was high among the three-tribe nation. Commercial ventures, government employment, and public assistance supplemented the MHA economy.
In the twenty-first century, the Hidatsa people, as part of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation—also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes—primarily resided on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. They were dedicated to preserving their cultural heritage, providing social services to their members, and engaging in economic development initiatives. The MHA Nation actively managed its oil and natural gas reserves while pursuing renewable energy projects, including a solar energy initiative, for which they received a federal grant from the Environmental Protection Agency in 2024. The Nation continued to offer housing, community centers, healthcare, education, and infrastructure management, while also seeking additional business opportunities through its MHA Business Development programs.
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