Chief Shaumonekusse (c. 1785 – 1837) was a leader of the

Otoe The Otoe ( Chiwere: Jiwére) are a Native American people of the Midwestern United States. The Otoe language, Chiwere, is part of the Siouan family and closely related to that of the related Iowa, Missouria, and Ho-Chunk tribes. Histori ...

Native American tribe in the early 19th century. The Otoe are a Central Plains tribe, closely related to the

Ioway The Iowa, also known as Ioway or Báxoje (, "grey snow people"), are a Native American tribe. Historically, they spoke a Chiwere Siouan language. Today, they are enrolled in either of two federally recognized tribes: the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma ...

Missouria The Missouria or Missouri (in their own language, Niúachi, also spelled Niutachi) are a Native American tribe that originated in the Great Lakes region of what is now the United States before European contact.May, John D"Otoe-Missouria"''Oklah ...

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hocąk, Hoocągra, or Winnebago are a Siouan languages, Siouan-speaking Native Americans in the United States, Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois ...

, and Winnebago.

Name

The subchief was known as Shaumonekusse, Chonmonicase, Ietan, Letan, and L'Letan. ''Sų Manyi Kathi'' in the

Chiwere language Chiwere (also called Iowa–Otoe–Missouria or ) is a Siouan languages, Siouan language originally spoken by the Missouria, Otoe, and Iowa people, Iowa peoples, who originated in the Great Lakes region but later moved throughout the Midwest an ...

means "Prairie Wolf." His name is also spelled Sų Manyi Kasisooⁿ and Shųmanyikathi.

Personal

Sų Manyi Kathi belonged to the Bear clan. Shaumonekusse was described as a witty and sociable person, and "a daring, active, and successful warrior. We are not aware of his having any hereditary claims to the chieftainship of his tribe, to which he has risen gradually by his own merits. He is a person of deep penetration, and is capable of acting with much duplicity on any occasion when he may consider it politic to conceal his real views."

Career

"He recounted his deeds in 1819 during a dance performed before members of the Stephen Long Expedition to the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

. Later in life he killed his brother after a fight in which the latter bit off the end of his nose." Shaumonekusse traveled with an American Indian delegation to Washington, DC in 1821 to meet with high-ranking officials, including President

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American Founding Father of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He was the last Founding Father to serve as presiden ...

. Of his five wives, he took the youngest, Eagle of Delight, with him to the American capital.

Charles Bird King Charles Bird King (September 26, 1785 – March 18, 1862) was an American portrait artist, best known for his portrayals of significant Native American leaders and tribesmen. His style incorporated Dutch influences, which can be seen most promi ...

painted both of their portraits on that trip.

References

{{Reflist

External links

"Shaumonekusse"
''Indian Tribes of North America'', Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1910 Native American leaders 19th-century Native American people 1780s births 1837 deaths Presidency of James Monroe Otoe people