Illinois' Native American Heritage

November has been set aside as time to increase Americans awareness of Native American Indian cultures and history. And cultures is in this case the appropriate term since there is no single "American Indian" identity, but many different peoples who come together under that general designation.

Chief Illiniwek

For many in downstate Illinois, the mention of the word "Indian" is most likely to conjure up the image and controversy over the former symbol of the University of Illinois. That this issue stirs deep feelings in people can be seen by the recent flare-up over a Homecoming event and the push by some for the University to adopt a new mascot. Many people who can argue passionately on the subject of the Chief know little about the true history of the Illinois people (the term Illini, by the way, is a misnomer, a meaningless term), a group of interconnected tribes that numbered at least a dozen at one point and have been reduced to one relocated tribe today -- the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma that actually contains two of the original Illinois tribes as well as the Wea and Piankashaw tribes. The Confederated Peoria shared their reservation with a portion of the Miami tribe as well. In any case, the Illinois are not an "extinct nation" but rather one whose current status has largely been misunderstood and misrepresented by outsiders.

The entire mascot issue is a vexed one for some people. They don't understand why a beloved tradition is causing such an uproar and think people are just too sensitive, while others can't understand why people have difficulty grasping the way in which racial or ethnic mascots demean people. The Honor the Chief society typifies local groups efforts to resist challenges to beloved school symbols. On the other side, Blue Corn Comics offers a good overview of why Native American mascots and logos dehumanize the people they depict. The Peoria tribe's own view on the Chief was made clear when it sent a copy of its resolution requesting the University of Illinois to cease use of Chief Illiniwek to the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media (Item 50.) Similarly the tribe was present when votes were taken on all resolutions by the National Congress of American Indians protesting any use of Indian "mascots, logos and symbols" as perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

Heritage and Identity

One of the thorny difficulties related to American Indian life today is that of identity. This factor comes up in relation to mascot controversies when people cite different poll numbers that allow individuals to self-identify as Native American. In these instances it is important to determine how pollsters identified their polling population. Even the population who identified themselves on the census as belonging to a Native ethnic group struggle with with  what being Native American means and who exactly is one. Excellent essays on this subject can be found in the library's American Mosaic: The American Indian Experience database (user ID and password required off campus). For readers interested in exploring their own Native American heritage, TribalDirectory offers information on how to begin.

Black Hawk

Illinois's most famous Native American historical figure is probably Black Hawk, although there are certainly others with ties to the state that played important historical roles, such as Ely Parker and Keokuk. This legendary leader of the Sauk led his people in a war against the U.S. army over what the Sauk and Fox nations saw as an illegal treaty (or at best a misunderstanding) that was forcing them to surrender lands they regarded as theirs in Illinois and move across the Mississippi. For a detailed look at the events and personalities of the war, check out the Black Hawk War of 1832 sponsored by Northern Illinois University's Lincoln/Net digitization project. Black Hawk's autobiography is available for free online through Project Gutenberg.

Cahokia Mounds

The largest archeological site in the United States is here in Illinois at Cahokia Mounds, which is the largest prehistoric Native American city north of Mexico. It also includes the third largest pyramid in the Americas in Monks Mound. During the period from 1,100 to 1,200 A.D. this city, the name of which remains unknown, covered more than 6 square miles and encompassed a population of more than 15,000 and 20,000. It would be more than 600 years before another city in what is now the U.S. would attain this population (Philadelphia) and by that point the Cahokia were long gone. Another factor making the Cahokia site unique is the apparent large scale human sacrifice that was included as cultural practice during at least part of their existence, at least according to Cahokia scholar Timothy Pauketat. This Washington Post story provides a good summary of the civilization and its history.

Piasa Monster

And finally for flights of fancy, few beat Alton, Illinois' Piasa Bird or Piasa Monster. According to some, the Piasa bird is a legendary beast portrayed in a petroglyph by the Illinois Indians on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. Others remain firmly convinced that the "legend" was a story crafted by whites in the 1800s. In either case, it remains an engaging story of the way the two cultures interact with one another.

Explore other interesting sources of American Indian heritage at: the Native American Heritage Month site, which provides access to all of the major government resources related to the celebration.