The Fox Tribe By: Laken Arneson

Location of the Fox • They called themselves Mesquake meaning “Red earth people”. • Early French explorers mistook a clan name for that of a tribe and began

reffering to them as “Renard” meaning Fox. • Lived in the Eastern Woodlands and prane regions, mainly in Michigan and

Wisconsin but multiple forced locations left their descendants in Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma

Tribal Relations • The Fox was culturally related to the Sauk, Kickapoo, Mascouten, and Shawnee. • They all speak an Algonquian language. • The Fox and Sauk tribe have been such closely related allies that they are usually

considered a single tribe the Sac and Fox • The Fox tribe was nearly destroyed in war with the French and surviving Fox

Indians fled to the Sauk villages for protection. They still live together today .

Sauk & Fox, Kaw Delegation in Washington, D.C. - 1867

The Sauk and Fox tribe travelling together

The Algonquian language English: One Two Three Four Five Man Woman Dog Sun Moon Water White Yellow Red

MeskwakiNekotiNi·šwiNeswiNye·wiNya·nanwiNeniwaIhkwe·waAnemo·haKi·šeswaKi·šeswaNepiWa·peškiAsa·wiWa·peški

The Fox diet and how they got their food

• The women grew corn, beans, squash, and Tobacco. They also gathered wild plants such as nuts, honey, fruits, berries, and tubers.

• Men hunted large and small game, deer, and buffalo from the eighteenth century until 1820.

• Most tools and utensils were made of wood, grasses, stone, or bone. They also carved bark containers.

Their Beliefs and Rituals • The fox believed in an upper world and lower world. • Believed to be grand children of the earth. • Supernatural beings included the Great or Gentle Manitou who ruled the upper

world. Other beings included spirits who were associated with the 4 cardinal directions of the earth.

• Certain actions might gain the attention and favor of the spirits. • Winter and Summer ceremonies.

Dancing ritual The 4 cardinal directions of the earth

Clothing, Artwork, and Housing • Clothing consisted mainly of buckskin, breech-cloths, dresses or aprons, leggings,

and moccasins. Hide and fur robes. • People painted and tattooed themselves • Fox artists are known for their quill embroidery, pottery, and beadwork. • They made silk appliqué from mid 18th century on. • The fox had two different types of homes they lived in yearly, Summer villages

and winter camps. • For transportation men made bark and dugout canoes. • The fox exported deer skins, tallow, and lead. • The Fox weapons were bows, arrows, and spears.

Breech-cloth Shawl

Leggings Apron

Moccasins

Fox Housing, Transportation, and Weapons

In Winter, the Fox lived in small dome-shaped wigwams covered in reed mats.

In Summer, the Fox lived in houses covered in elm bark.

Dugout canoe Elm bark canoe Bow and Arrow

Government

• The Fox society was divided into bands or villages that formed in the summer but broke up in the winter.

• There were divisions of Peace and War• The fox were each ruled by two chiefs , A heredity Peace Chief and the

War Chief.

The War Cheif

The peace cheif

Bibliography

• http://www.bigorrin.org/sf_kids.htm