Remembering Iowa’s Indigenous populations

Iowa celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October in recognition of Native Americans who were the first to call the state home.

The Ioway Tribe was the first tribe that inhabited the state of Iowa and the reason the state got its name. The names of many of Iowa’s lakes, rivers, cities, counties, schools and buildings show the influence of Indigenous peoples’ on the state.

Today, the Meskwaki Nation — or the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi of Iowa — is the only federally recognized Indian tribe in the state. Located in Tama, the settlement is more than 8,624 acres and 1,440 enrolled tribal members, according to Meskwaki Nation.

The estimated number of Native Americans in Iowa in 2017 — the last available data — was 16,222, according to the Iowa Department of Human Rights.

The Meskwaki came to Iowa after relocating multiple times. They fought against the French in the Fox Wars from 1701 to 1742. In 1735, the Meskwaki allied with the Sauk to fend off Europeans and other Indian Tribes, according to Meskwaki Nation. The tribes moved southward from Wisconsin in to Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.

Through a series of land concessions in 1845, the Sauk and Meskwaki formally lost all lands and were removed to a reservation in Kansas, according to Meskwaki Nation. Members of the tribe reclaimed their Iowa homeland, however, and by 1856, the state enacted a law allowing the continued residence of the tribe.

Since then, the Meskwaki have purchased their land. Because of this it is not an Indian Reservation. It is privately purchased property and a sovereign nation. They have their own constitution, codified laws and police officers, and a fully functioning court system.

The Meskwaki people are working hard to maintain their language, which is of a similar dialect to the Sauk and Kickapoo. They are working to build a better life for their community members through family service programs and are the largest employer in Tama County.

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