Among the nations closely associated with the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie are the Cheyenne and the Arapaho. Longtime allies who often lived and traveled together, these two peoples were important participants in the events of the treaty era and remain vibrant nations today.
The Cheyenne
The Cheyenne are a Plains nation with a rich history and a distinctive culture. In earlier times, some Cheyenne communities lived a more settled, village-based life before many adopted the mobile, horse-centered way of life of the open Plains. Following the buffalo, the Cheyenne became skilled hunters and horse people, with strong traditions of governance, ceremony, and community.
Over time, the Cheyenne came to be associated with both northern and southern regions of the Plains, as communities ranged widely. The nation maintained important councils and societies that guided community life and decision-making.
The Arapaho
The Arapaho, close allies of the Cheyenne, were likewise a Plains people whose life centered on the buffalo and the horse. They too ranged across wide areas of the Plains and, like the Cheyenne, came to be associated with both northern and southern regions over time. The Arapaho maintained their own rich traditions of ceremony, governance, and community.
Allies on the Plains
The Cheyenne and Arapaho frequently acted together, sharing camps, hunts, and common cause. Their alliance was a significant feature of the Northern Plains, and both nations appear among the parties to the 1851 treaty. The pressures of emigration, the disruption of the buffalo, and the growing presence of the United States affected them deeply, as they did their neighbors.
Living nations today
Both the Cheyenne and the Arapaho are living nations, with communities in several states. They maintain their governments, work to sustain their languages and ceremonies, and continue to shape their own futures. Their histories are part of the larger story of the Northern Plains and the treaty era.
Understanding the Cheyenne and Arapaho as distinct, enduring peoples enriches our appreciation of the 1851 treaty and the world it touched. To read more, see our articles on the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota and the buffalo and the Plains economy, or browse the tribal perspectives category.
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