Abc

Apache, the Ndee, "the people" of Arizona and other States
Blackfoot, the Siksika, whose painted red faces we can relate

Cheyenne, the Tsitsistas, meaning relatives of the Cree
Dakota Sioux, the Dakota, meaning little snakes in Ojibwe

Euchee, or Yuchi, are the "children of the sun"
Fox, the Meskwaki, eventually native to Wisconsin

Gros Ventre, strangely named "big belly" by the French
Huron, with their above allies left many a tribe wrenched

Inuit, the Eskimo, this tribe with the snow
Juaneño, from the Sunshine State around Orange and San Diego

Kickapoo, with their linguistic code, unique called "whistle speech"
Lakota, like the Dakota, speak with similar tongues they teach

Mohawk, "People of the Flint" from upstate New York
Navajo, is now the most spoken, where extinction has not gone berserk

Ottawa, "the traders" their name lives on in their City
Potawatomi, "fire keepers" one hundred speakers, my hearts in pity

Qwulhhwaipum, "the prairie people from beyond the mountain range"
Ryawas, by the Missouri River where they no longer reign

Shawnee, meaning "southerner" were a far ranging tribe
Tonkawa, "they keep together" but only a few still reside

Ute, of Colorado and Salt Lake valley fame
Victorious the ones who remain to this day, whilst the V has no name

Wiyot, and its last native speaker, died in 1962
X, xenophobic they would be, to the ancestors of me and you

Yavapai, from Arizona, are the "people of the sun"
Zuni, like all the tribes above, fell victim to the white mans gun.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2010



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Date: 6/4/2010 1:33:00 PM
Great poem! I'm from Oklahoma, lots of tribes there. What is Sac-N-Fox?
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Date: 6/2/2010 4:01:00 PM
I think that this is one of your best, James. It is carefully laid out and constructed. I can see the construction, but in this case, one doesn't mind as the sheer joy of reading this to the finish elimminates any such quibbles and it is inherent in this form, anyway. A keeper. Regards and thank you! Gerard
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Date: 6/2/2010 4:01:00 PM
I think that this is one of your best, James. It is carefully laid out and constructed. I can see the construction, but in this case, one doesn't mind as the sheer joy of reading this to the finish elimminates any such quibbles and it is inherent in this form, anyway. A keeper. Regards and thank you! Gerard
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Date: 6/1/2010 7:55:00 AM
Wow I bet a lot of research was required to write this poem and I'm so grateful for what I've learned--thank you James!!
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Date: 5/31/2010 1:24:00 PM
Thorough coverage. Awesome job. Thanks for the congrats. All the best, Ralph/Una (she's from Edinburgh)
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Date: 5/31/2010 12:26:00 PM
Pure genius and educational my friend. Thanks for enlightening me. How is it the Highlander is so knowledgable of the Native Americans? We sometimes forget the Native Americans' history as we chastise other nations for racial inequities. We don't quite have a pure slate ourselves, do we?
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Date: 5/30/2010 6:07:00 PM
To me this is quite informative. I enjoyed it
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Date: 5/30/2010 4:33:00 PM
Wow!! This is amazing, James...not only doing this wonderful Acrostic poem, but knowing so much about Native Americans and the history of each tribe! This poem should be taught to children as a way of memorizing and learning! Great work!! ~ Love, Carrie
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Date: 5/30/2010 2:41:00 PM
And they were wise to be xenophobic. I was raised in North Dakoa. The Sioux were dignified and proud people. I live in Washington where the affable Swinomish abide and they are very friendly and trusting. Thank you for your kind remarks on my "Forgotten Veteran". Love, Joyce
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Date: 5/30/2010 12:57:00 PM
I didn't realize there was so many different tribes James. My mother, is of course Cherokee. Agape, Moses
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Date: 5/30/2010 10:53:00 AM
Your knowledge of American history and our native people is astonishing, James. I'll have to look up "xenophobic." You've become an acrostic master and I really enjoyed learning more about the various tribes in your great poem! Love, Carolyn
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