Cahinnio facts for kids
The Cahinnio were a Native American tribe. They lived in the area that is now Arkansas. The Cahinnio were part of the larger Caddo Confederacy. This was a group of related tribes who worked together.
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Who Were the Cahinnio?
The Cahinnio tribe lived in what is now southwest Arkansas. They settled near the Red River. French explorers met the Cahinnio people in the late 1600s.
Meeting French Explorers
In 1687, a French explorer named René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle encountered the Cahinnio. Later that year, a French priest named Father Anastasius Douay visited a Cahinnio village. This village was near where Arkadelphia, Arkansas is today.
Another French explorer, Henri Joutel, traveled with La Salle's group. He visited the Cahinnio lands in the 1680s. Joutel wrote about the Cahinnio people.
Daily Life and Skills
The Cahinnio were skilled at many things. Henri Joutel noted that they gave his group two loaves of corn bread. He described it as very good. Corn was a very important food for the Cahinnio. They also grew beans and sunflower seeds.
The Cahinnio used animal hides for different items. They made pouches from deer hide. They also used bearskins to make rugs for their homes.
The Cahinnio were famous for their excellent bows. They made these bows from a special wood called Osage orange wood. This wood was very strong and flexible.
Moving and Making Peace
During the 1700s, the Cahinnio tribe moved to new areas. They might have moved to find new sources of salt and horses. They settled along the southern bank of the Ouachita River.
By 1763, they had moved again. This time, they settled along the upper Arkansas River. In 1771, the Cahinnio and other nearby tribes signed a peace treaty with the French. This helped keep peace in the region.
The Cahinnio Today
By the 1800s, the Cahinnio tribe joined with other Caddo tribes. They became part of the larger Caddo community. Today, their descendants are part of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma.
Other Names for the Tribe
The Cahinnio tribe was known by a few other names. These include Cachaymon, Cahaynohoua, Caynigua Cahainihoua, and Cainione.
