QUAPAW INDIANS
The Quapaw Tribe

The name Quapaw (Ugakhpa or O-gah-pah) is
translated as “people who live downstream.”
Our state is named for this American Indian
tribe!
The Quapaw looked like this
And now, the Quapaw!

The Quapaw
language

Like the Caddo and
Osage Indians, the
Quapaw speak English
but many also speak
their Quapaw
language.
What did the Quapaw men wear?



Similarly to other Native Americans, the men wore
breechcloths with leather leggings and buckskin
shirts.
Men and women both wore moccasins and long
buffalo robes in cold weather.
In warm weather, the Quapaw wore less clothing,
just like us!
Quapaw women

Quapaw women wore long deerskin dresses
and wore their hair loose or braided.
Quapaw men’s hairstyles and head
coverings!


Quapaw men often adorned
their heads with a scalplock
and wore a “roach” like
Caddo and Osage men.
Quapaw Leaders sometimes
wore a headdress.
Tribal tattoos


Native Americans had
special tattoos
depending on their tribe
and their deeds.
These tattoos had
religious significance.
tattoos
Transportation


The Quapaw knew how to make dugout canoes from
cypress trees, but they usually traveled by land.
They used dogs to pull a travois (like a sled) when
they traveled by land. (The Osage did this also.)
What did the Quapaw eat?


The Quapaw ate basically the same things as the
Caddo and Osage. The were farmers and ate
corn, beans and squash.
The men provided meat through the hunting of small
game and organized buffalo hunts.
Tools and weapons

The Quapaw used bows
and arrows to hunt and
to fight. They also used
war clubs and spears.

War clubs could take many
different forms.
Quapaw homes

Quapaw homes took
time to build. They were
made of river cane,
wood and vines and
coated with plaster. The
roof was usually made
of grass or tree bark.
Quapaw children


Quapaw children did the
same thing that Caddo and
Osage children did. They
did chores and sometimes
got to play with dolls or
play games.
As with other Native
Americans, Quapaw mothers
carried a young child in a
cradleboard on her back.
Image is courtesy of the Wisconsin
Historical Society,
www.wisconishistory.org
Art by the Quapaw

This is Quapaw artwork.
Here is an example of
Quapaw beadwork.
Music and the Quapaw

Like the Caddo and Osage, the Quapaw enjoyed
music and dancing.
Quapaw stories and legends

Storytelling was very important to the Quapaw.
One of their stories is about a monster or ogre.
What were the roles of men and women
among these three Indian tribes?



Primarily the women were farmers, child- care
givers and cooks.
The men were the hunters and sometimes warriors if
necessary. Chiefs were usually men.
Both men and women participated in artwork, music,
storytelling and medicine.