Bannock
Bannock refers to an Indigenous American group originally part of the Northern Paiute nation, primarily located in southeastern Idaho on the Fort Hall Reservation. The name "Bannock" comes from their Indigenous name, Banakwut. Historically, they were skilled horsemen who formed close alliances with the Shoshone and traveled extensively across Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming for hunting and trading. Bannock society was organized into family units grouped into larger bands led by chiefs, with a cultural emphasis on communal activities such as buffalo hunting and seasonal dances.
The Bannock engaged in a diverse subsistence lifestyle that included fishing for salmon and gathering plants, while their spiritual practices involved shamans who conducted healing and weather-control ceremonies. The dramatic influx of settlers during the California Gold Rush severely impacted their way of life, leading to significant population decline due to disease and conflict. In 1868, the Bannock signed the Fort Bridger Treaty, which resulted in their relocation to the Fort Hall Reservation. Today, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, which include the Bannock, number over 6,000 and are involved in various economic and cultural preservation initiatives. These efforts reflect a commitment to maintaining their heritage and natural resources, ensuring the survival of their traditions in a modern context.
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Bannock
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Great Basin
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Uto-Aztecan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Fort Hall Reservation, southeastern Idaho
- POPULATION SIZE: 38 (2010 US Census); Over 6,000 in Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho (2024 Shoshone-Bannock)
The name “Bannock” derives from the nation's Indigenous American name, Banakwut. Originally a branch of the Northern Paiute nation in southeast Oregon, they acquired horses in the eighteenth century and moved to Idaho.
The Bannock were closely allied with the Shoshone. They were primarily horsemen and ranged widely throughout Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Family units were organized into at least five larger bands. Each band was headed by a chief, who inherited his position through the male line, subject to approval by band members. The Bannock traveled with the Shoshone to hunt buffalo, trade, or battle against their common enemies, the Blackfoot—and sometimes the Crow and Nez Perce.
In the winter—and while traveling—the Bannock lived in buffalo-skin tepees adorned with pictures of their exploits. The Bannock fished for salmon in the spring, gathered seed and roots in the summer, and communally hunted buffalo in the fall.
Their major ceremonies were four seasonal dances. The dead were buried with their heads pointed west, since souls were thought to journey west along the Milky Way to the land of the dead. Both men and women served as shamans responsible for healing illness, conducting ceremonies, and controlling the weather.
The California gold rush and opening of the Oregon Trail in the mid-nineteenth century brought hordes of Whites through Bannock lands, with devastating results. Wagon trains destroyed their pastures, and smallpox reduced their population from about 2,000 to 500. The Bannock and Shoshone fought in vain to protect their way of life. Finally, in 1868, they signed the Fort Bridger Treaty, agreeing to relocate to the Fort Hall Reservation. Adverse conditions and bitterness over their losses led them to revolt in 1878 (the Bannock War). The revolt was suppressed by 1880, and the Bannock returned to their 500,000-acre Fort Hall Reservation, where most live today with the Shoshone. The combined population of the Shoshone-Bannock nation in 2024 was over 6,000 people. The nation provided several services to its members, including employment opportunities, healthcare, and education programs. The nation operated several business including casinos, small businesses, and tourist-related activities. The Shoshone-Bannock are also involved in cultural preservation and protecting natural resources like salmon.
Bibliography
"About." Shoshone-Bannok Tribes, www.sbtribes.com/about. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
"About Us." Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel, shobangaming.com/about-us/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
"Fish and Wildlife." Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, www.sbtribes.com/fish-and-wildlife/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
"History of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes." Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, web.archive.org/web/20150511200457/http://www.shoshonebannocktribes.com/shoshone-bannock-history.html. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
"Idaho: Fort Hall Reservation." Partnership with Native Americans, secure.nativepartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=PWNA‗Native‗Reservations‗FortHall. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
Pritzker, Barry. A Native American Encyclopedia. Oxford UP, 2000.
Smoak, Gregory E., and Laura Woodworth-Ney. "Identity, Sovereignty, and Idaho's Native Peoples." The Blue Review, Boise State University, 12 Feb. 2014, wayback.archive-it.org/8092/20190724191028/https://thebluereview.org/identity-sovereignty-idahos-native-peoples. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.