Who Are the Crow?
The Crow, who call themselves Apsáalooke ("Children of the Large-Beaked Bird"), are a Siouan-speaking people of the Northern Great Plains, primarily Montana. Today numbering approximately 13,000-14,000 enrolled tribal members, they live primarily on the Crow Reservation in south-central Montana, one of the largest reservations in the United States. The Crow speak Crow (Apsáalooke Aliláau), a Siouan language still spoken by many tribal members. The Crow were renowned horse breeders and buffalo hunters who developed a distinctive culture on the Northern Plains. Their complex history includes alliance with the United States against their traditional enemies, a strategy intended to protect their homeland.
Plains Culture
The Crow separated from the Hidatsa perhaps 400-500 years ago, moving westward from the Missouri River villages to become nomadic buffalo hunters. They developed a classic Plains culture: tipis, horse wealth, seasonal buffalo hunts, warrior societies, and the Sun Dance. The Crow were famous horse breeders—early European visitors noted their excellent herds and horsemanship. Territory centered on the Yellowstone River basin, including lands now occupied by Yellowstone National Park. Society was organized matrilineally, with children belonging to their mother's clan. Vision quests and the accumulation of war honors shaped men's status. The Crow were surrounded by powerful enemies—Sioux, Blackfeet, Cheyenne—and warfare defined much of traditional life.
American Alliance
Facing expansion by the Lakota and other powerful peoples, the Crow made the strategic decision to ally with the United States rather than resist. Crow scouts served with the U.S. Army, including at the Battle of Little Bighorn, where Crow scouts accompanied Custer. This alliance was not betrayal of other Native peoples but a strategic choice to protect Crow territory against traditional enemies who were themselves expanding. The strategy had mixed results: the Crow retained a reservation on their homeland, but it shrank dramatically through land cessions and the 1887 Dawes Act. The alliance remains controversial but reflects the complex calculations indigenous peoples faced during American expansion.
Contemporary Crow
Modern Crow Nation maintains strong cultural identity. The Crow language is relatively healthy compared to many Native languages, with substantial numbers of speakers including children in some families. The annual Crow Fair ("Tipi Capital of the World") brings thousands of Crow together each August for the largest Northern Plains powwow. Traditional clan systems, kinship terminology, and social organization remain important. Economic challenges persist on the reservation, with high unemployment and poverty rates. Coal mining provides revenue but raises environmental concerns. The Crow have produced notable figures including politician Robert Yellowtail, senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, and Olympic medalist Joe Medicine Crow. The Crow demonstrate both the costs and complexities of survival strategies during American expansion.
References
- Hoxie, F. E. (1995). Parading Through History: The Making of the Crow Nation in America
- Lowie, R. H. (1935). The Crow Indians
- Medicine Crow, J. (2006). Counting Coup: Becoming a Crow Chief on the Reservation and Beyond