The Kiowa tribal leader Kicking Bird first enters into the written historical record maintained by the Americans in 1865 when he participated in a treaty council and was one of the Indian leaders who signed the Treaty of Little Arkansas River. There is no reference of his earlier life in the historical record and it is assumed that he was probably born about 1835 in what is now considered southwestern Oklahoma. He was given the names Tene-angpote (Eagle Striking with Talons) and Watohhkonk (Black Eagle).
The Kiowa language belongs to the Tanoan language family and is related to the Pueblos of Taos, Jemez, Isleta, and San Ildefonso in New Mexico. Kiowa oral tradition, however, does not speak of a Pueblo origin but tells of their homeland farther north in the Yellowstone region of Wyoming and Montana. By 1865, they had migrated from the Northern Plains, where they had been allied with the Crows, to the Southern Plains where they were affiliated with the Comanches.
In 1865, tribal leaders from the Southern Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, and Kiowa met with American negotiators and signed the Treaty of the Little Arkansas. According to the treaties (one for each of the tribes), the Indians were allowed to range over their old lands as long as they did not disturb roads, military posts, or towns. The Indians were promised annuities for 40 years. In his biographical sketch of Kicking Bird in Notable Native Americans, John Little writes:
“According to this agreement, the Kiowa and Comanche tribes accepted a reservation in what is now the Oklahoma panhandle and adjacent areas of Texas; the treaty was later nullified by the government of Texas.”
In 1866, a Kiowa war party raided into Montague County, Texas. They killed one American settler, James Box, and abducted his wife and daughter. Major General Winfield S. Hancock felt that Kicking Bird had been a member of the war party and was involved in the crimes. However, General William Tecumseh Sherman, Commander of the Division of the Mississippi, felt that Kicking Bird was not involved.
In 1866, Lone Wolf assumed leadership of the Kiowa following the death of Dohausan (Little Mountain) who had been the principal chief since 1833 and had united the Kiowa bands. The Kiowa tribe existed as a sense of common identity and, in reality, the tribe came together only once a year (sometimes less) for the Sun Dance. In Kiowa tradition there were seven autonomous tribal divisions, each composed of several bands: Biters, Elks, Kiowa proper, Big Shields, Thieves, Pulling Up, and Black Boys. During the annual encampment these divisions occupied set places in the camp circle. Each of these divisions had a head chief who was selected on the basis of ability (the position was not inherited) and there was a nominal chief for the entire tribe.
The Kiowa in 1866 were divided into two factions: Kicking Bird and Stumbling Bear felt that the Kiowas must remain at peace with the Americans; Santanta, Lone Wolf, and Satank favored fighting for their lands. In his book Who Was Who in Native American History: Indians and Non-Indians From Early Contacts Through 1900, Carl Waldman reports it this way:
“On Little Mountain’s death, Lone Wolf was the compromise choice for his successor over Santanta, who headed the war faction, and Kicking Bird, who headed the peace faction.”
In 1867, Major General Winfield S. Hancock held a conference with Kiowa leader Kicking Bird and urged the Kiowas not to ally themselves with the Sioux and the Cheyenne in their war against American settlers. At this time the Sioux and Cheyenne were battling against the Americans building the Bozeman Trail. John Little reports:
“Kicking Bird responded that he had always advised his tribesmen to maintain peace and friendship with the whites, and he professed agreement with Hancock’s assertion that the white man would ultimately win in any prolonged conflict with the Indians.”
Also in 1867, the Americans brought together 4,000 Indians from several tribes to hold council at Medicine Lodge Creek, Kansas. The Americans wanted the tribes to agree to a reservation in Indian Territory and to surrender their own land claims. While Kicking Bird attended the council, Satank, Stumbling Bear, and Satanta spoke for the Kiowas. Satanta told the American Peace Commission:
“I love the land, the buffalo and will not part with it. I don’t want any of the medicine lodges (churches) within the country.”
By 1870, Kicking Birds advocacy of peace with the Americans had led many of the young Kiowa warriors to view him as a coward. Carl Waldman reports:
“Because of his stance, Kicking Bird was accused of cowardice in 1870 at a Sun Dance held on the North Fork of the Red River. To preserve his influence, he participated in his only raid of the period: he led a war party of about 100 into Texas and purposely lured out the cavalry.”
They seized a mail stagecoach. The war party was pursued by an American force of 53 soldiers but was defeated by the Kiowas. John Little writes:
“Some historical observers view the Texas assault as a necessary evil that functioned to confirm Kicking Bird’s bravery and, thereafter allowed him to influence his tribe in the direction of peace. The U.S. military authorities ignored Kicking Bird’s transgression, apparently in the belief that he remained the best home for Indian-white peace.”
By 1874, the U.S. Army considered Kicking Bird to be the principal Kiowa chief. The militant Kiowas had been defeated at the battle at Palo Duro Canyon. In 1875, Kicking Bird was involved in negotiations with the Army regarding the surrender of the remaining militants. Kicking Bird was asked to identify the militant leaders so they could be taken to St. Augustine, Florida and held there as prisoners of war. Among those identified by Kicking Bird were Lone Wolf and Maman-ti. Maman-ti was a powerful medicine man and he declared that he would bring about Kicking Bird’s death. Within a week, Kicking Bird drank a cup of coffee, became violently ill, and died.
While most Kiowas believed that Maman-ti’s medicine killed Kicking Bird, the Army physician indicated that it was probably strychnine poisoning. Kicking Bird was buried at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Indians 101
Often in American history, Indians are portrayed as a faceless group with little mention of important individuals. American Indian biographies are important to our understanding of the complexity of American history. More biographies from the Indians 101 series:
Indians 101: Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, Writer, Musician, and Activist
Indians 101: Kennekuk, Kickapoo Leader and Prophet
Indians 101: Joseph LaFlesche, Omaha Chief
Indians 101: Nakaidoklini, Apache Spiritual Leader
Indians 101: Ilchee, a Powerful Chinook Woman
Indians 201: Dr. Susan LaFlesche, Omaha Physician
Indians 101: Eschiti, Comanche Medicineman
Indians 201: Mourning Dove, first American Indian woman novelist