Tamaroa people facts for kids
The Tamaroa were a group of Native American people. They lived in the central part of the Mississippi River valley in North America. The Tamaroa were part of a larger group called the Illiniwek or Illinois Confederation, which included 12 or 13 tribes.
Their name, "Tamaroa," comes from the word tamarowa. This word means "cut tail" in their language. It might have been linked to an animal like a bear or a wildcat. The Tamaroa spoke an Algonquian language, just like other Illiniwek tribes. They lived on both sides of the Mississippi River. This was near where the Illinois and Missouri Rivers join the Mississippi. Their way of life was probably similar to other Illinois tribes like the Kaskaskia and Peoria.
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The Tamaroa Tribe
Early Life and Location
About 3,000 Tamaroa people once lived along the Mississippi River. Their homes were near where the Missouri and Illinois Rivers meet the Mississippi. Later, they moved to an area close to what is now Cahokia, Illinois.
In 1682, their village was also called Tamaroa. It had about 600 lodges, which are types of homes. In 1689, a Catholic mission was started near the Tamaroa village. This mission attracted another Illinois tribe, the Cahokia, who came to live with the Tamaroa. After these two tribes joined together, they had only 90 homes. This shows that the Tamaroa population had quickly become much smaller.
Facing Challenges
The Tamaroa tribe faced many difficulties. They were affected by new diseases from Europe. They also faced conflicts with other tribes, like the Chickasaw and Shawnee. These challenges caused their population to shrink even more.
Joining Other Tribes
In 1703, the Tamaroa joined with the Kaskaskia tribe. They moved to the mouth of the Kaskaskia River. The French had already built a community there with the same name.
By 1803, the United States government officially recognized the remaining Tamaroa people. They were considered members of the Kaskaskia tribe.
Moving West
In 1818, five Tamaroa leaders signed the Treaty of Edwardsville. Through this treaty, the Illiniwek groups gave up about half of what is now the state of Illinois to the United States.
Later, the descendants of the Tamaroa joined with other larger Illiniwek tribes. One of these was the Peoria tribe. In the 1830s, many Native American tribes were forced to move from their lands. This event is known as the Indian removal. Because of this, most Tamaroa descendants now live in Oklahoma. They are part of the Confederated Peoria Tribe.
The group later joined the Peoria tribe and moved to what would become the Kansas Territory. The combined Peoria tribe was given land in Indian Territory. This means that an unknown number of Tamaroa descendants were among the Peoria people who received land. This started in 1889. Their reservation was in what is now Ottawa County, Oklahoma.
