Chief Mahaska
Encyclopedia
Mahaska or White Cloud, (1784 – 1834) was a chief of the Native American
Iowa tribe
.
. He became chief at an early age after killing several enemy Sioux
to avenge his father’s death by them.
Later Mahaska killed a French
trader in an argument; he was arrested and imprisoned in St. Louis, Missouri
. After he escaped, he led a raid against the Osage
.
Afterward, he decided that his father’s death was finally avenged. Mahaska lay down his arms and adopted the lifestyle of the European-American settlers, building a log home and farming. He refused to let his braves avenge the death of an Iowa chief named Crane at the hands of Omaha
Indians in 1833. When several Iowa killed six Omaha warriors, Mahaska assisted in their arrest.
The next year one of the Iowa escaped from Fort Leavenworth
and killed Mahaska by shooting him in the back as he sat by his campfire. He was buried along the Nodaway River
in Edna Township, Cass County, Iowa
.
Chief Mahaska became a symbol to settlers of the virtues of his native lifestyle, and of the possibility of peace between natives and settlers.
due to the velar fricative, which in turn was heard as "h"; and the third vowel is likely epenthetic
.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
Iowa tribe
Iowa tribe
The Iowa , also known as the Báxoje, are a Native American Siouan people. Today they are enrolled in either of two federally recognized tribes, the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Ioway Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska....
.
Early life and education
Mahaska was born into the Iowa tribeIowa tribe
The Iowa , also known as the Báxoje, are a Native American Siouan people. Today they are enrolled in either of two federally recognized tribes, the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Ioway Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska....
. He became chief at an early age after killing several enemy Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
to avenge his father’s death by them.
Later Mahaska killed a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
trader in an argument; he was arrested and imprisoned in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. After he escaped, he led a raid against the Osage
Osage Nation
The Osage Nation is a Native American Siouan-language tribe in the United States that originated in the Ohio River valley in present-day Kentucky. After years of war with invading Iroquois, the Osage migrated west of the Mississippi River to their historic lands in present-day Arkansas, Missouri,...
.
Afterward, he decided that his father’s death was finally avenged. Mahaska lay down his arms and adopted the lifestyle of the European-American settlers, building a log home and farming. He refused to let his braves avenge the death of an Iowa chief named Crane at the hands of Omaha
Omaha (tribe)
The Omaha are a federally recognized Native American nation which lives on the Omaha Reservation in northeastern Nebraska and western Iowa, United States...
Indians in 1833. When several Iowa killed six Omaha warriors, Mahaska assisted in their arrest.
The next year one of the Iowa escaped from Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
and killed Mahaska by shooting him in the back as he sat by his campfire. He was buried along the Nodaway River
Nodaway River
The Nodaway River is a river in southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri.-Etymology:The river's name first appears in the journal of Lewis and Clark, who camped at the mouth of the river on July 8, 1804, but who provide no derivation of the name. There exist several proposed etymologies...
in Edna Township, Cass County, Iowa
Edna Township, Cass County, Iowa
Edna Township is one of sixteen townships in Cass County, Iowa, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 140.-Geography:Edna Township covers an area of and contains no incorporated settlements...
.
Chief Mahaska became a symbol to settlers of the virtues of his native lifestyle, and of the possibility of peace between natives and settlers.
Marriage and family
He was married to Ru-ton-ye-wee-ma (Strutting Pigeon), who accompanied him and other Iowa on a trip to London in 1844.Etymology and spelling
The English name Mahaska originates from Mew-hew-she-kah, his name as transcribed in 1844 as that of the "first chief of the nation," from a photo upon his visit with several other Ioway men and women to London. This "first chief" would have to have been a descendant of the late White Cloud, a previous Ioway chief. The transcription likely represents [muhuʃɛka], in which the first vowel is raisedRelative articulation
In descriptions of phonetics and phonology, the manner and place of articulation of a speech sound may be specified relative to some point of comparison...
due to the velar fricative, which in turn was heard as "h"; and the third vowel is likely epenthetic
Epenthesis
In phonology, epenthesis is the addition of one or more sounds to a word, especially to the interior of a word. Epenthesis may be divided into two types: excrescence, for the addition of a consonant, and anaptyxis for the addition of a vowel....
.
Legacy and honors
- Mahaska County, IowaMahaska County, Iowa-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 22,381 in the county, with a population density of . There were 9,766 housing units, of which 8,975 were occupied.-2000 census:...
was named for him. - USS MahaskaUSS MahaskaUSS Mahaska may refer to: was a wooden, double-ender, sidewheel steamer, launched in 1861 and sold in 1868. was a yard tug, purchased in 1940 and served until at least 1969....
was named in his honor.