Who Are the Ho-Chunk?
The Ho-Chunk (formerly called Winnebago) are a Siouan-speaking people of the Great Lakes, now divided into two federally recognized tribes: the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin (~8,000 members) and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (~5,500 members). Their self-name "Hoocąk" (Ho-Chunk) means "People of the Big Voice" or "People of the Parent Speech"—claiming ancestral status among Siouan peoples. They speak Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), a Siouan language with approximately 200 fluent speakers. The Ho-Chunk are the only Siouan people who never moved onto the Great Plains, maintaining woodland traditions despite forced removal attempts.
Woodland Siouan
The Ho-Chunk are unique among Siouan peoples for remaining in the eastern woodlands. While related nations (Lakota, Crow, Osage) moved onto the Plains, the Ho-Chunk stayed in Wisconsin, maintaining forest and lake-oriented lifeways. Wild rice, fish, and woodland game supplemented corn agriculture. Effigy mounds throughout Wisconsin—built centuries ago—are attributed to Ho-Chunk ancestors. The complex clan system, dividing the tribe into "sky" and "earth" moieties, organized social life. French contact (1634) brought trade goods but also disease and conflict. The Ho-Chunk navigated European colonial rivalries while maintaining their homeland.
Removal Resistance
The US government attempted to remove the Ho-Chunk from Wisconsin at least five times between 1840 and 1874—each time they returned. Removed to Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and finally Nebraska, many Ho-Chunk walked back to Wisconsin, hiding from authorities. This stubborn return eventually forced federal acceptance of their presence. The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska represents those who stayed in Nebraska; the Ho-Chunk Nation those who returned to Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Ho-Chunk have no reservation—instead, they hold scattered trust lands throughout their ancestral territory, purchased through their own efforts.
Contemporary Ho-Chunk
Modern Ho-Chunk have achieved economic success while maintaining cultural identity. The Ho-Chunk Nation operates multiple casinos in Wisconsin, generating substantial revenue. The Winnebago Tribe runs similar enterprises in Nebraska. Both tribes invest in language revitalization; Ho-Chunk language programs include immersion education and documentation. Traditional arts, ceremonies, and clan structures continue. The name change from "Winnebago" to "Ho-Chunk" (1994 in Wisconsin) reclaimed indigenous identity. How the two separated communities maintain connections while building independent nations shapes this people of the Big Voice's future.
References
- Radin, P. (1923). The Winnebago Tribe (37th Annual Report, Bureau of American Ethnology)
- Loew, P. (2001). Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal
- Arndt, G. (2016). Ho-Chunk Powwows and the Politics of Tradition