Sometimes it is interesting – pathetic, even – how language
can change the connotation of things, especially when the Americans get involved
with translating from Native American languages to English. We who speak
English may consider a “Fool Chief” to be something entirely different than the
original intent behind the title given to one of the chiefs of the three
primary camps or villages of the Kansa Indians, also known as the Kaw.
Thankfully, we have an explanation of the true meaning, thanks to a letter
written by a long-time resident of Morris County, Kansas.
Here is his short biography:
George P. Morehouse was born July 28, 1859, in Decatur, Illinois. In 1871 the elder Morehouse drove overland in covered lumber wagons to Diamond Springs, Morris County, Kansas, and opened a stock ranch, where his family settled. The stock farm gained a reputation for quality.
George Morehouse became an expert hunter and horseman,
driving herds to other ranches. At a young age he was active in politics and
early railroad matters, and was a frequent speaker and debater. He attended
Albion (New York) Academy, and graduated in 1884. He also graduated from the
University of New York, where he was elected president and orator of his class.
He studied law, but returned to Council Grove to manage the cattle ranch. He
finished his legal education in Kansas and was admitted to the bar in 1889. He
was appointed city attorney of Council Grove, serving about six years.
Morehouse was also elected county attorney of Morris County, the county which included
the Kaw Reservation at Council Grove between 1848 and 1872.
Here is the letter addressed to George W. Martin (emphasis in bold added):
Council Grove, Kansas, April 16th 1904
The Honorable George W. Moreland,
Topeka, Kansas.
My dear sir and friend:-
Your letter will with inquiry relative
to the matter of the “Fool Chiefs” of the Kaw Indians received and I should
have answered it sooner, but the duties in our spring term of Court have
prevented. There will be no discrepancies in the Indian stories of Capt.
McClure and the writer.
There were two Fool Chiefs, who at
different times were well-known head chiefs of the Kaw Indians,- father and son.
The Fool Chief the First,
"Ca-ega-tan-nin-ga," was prominent as a great chief away back as
early as 1819, when Major Long's exploring expedition held a council with the Kaws
on the Missouri River and when a part of the Expedition visited their large
village near the mouth of the Blue [River].
The Kaws had three villages on the
Kansas River, the largest one governed by the Fool Chief and the other two
presided over by Hard Chief and American Chief. It may here be mentioned that
the Kaws governed and usually operated in all things by threes.
 |
| Fool Chief's Village - Courtesy Kansapedia |
They were always divided into three
villages or tribal divisions and when they lived on their reservation near this
place, kept up the three village scheme. Fool Chief the first, came here with
the Kaws in 1847 and during the year of 1848 while on a visit and to Missouri
was killed in a difficulty in Johnson County, in the manner you relate in your
address.
"Kah-he-ga-wa-ti-an-gah" or
Fool Chief the second, was a son of the former and seemed to inherit the rank
from his father. He was “Fool Chief” during the residence of the tribe here and
went with the Kaws in 1873 to their present home in the Indian Territory, where
he died a very old man a few years ago.
During most of his life he was a great
and wise councilor and in his younger days a brave warrior, but once, a few
years before the tribe went to the Territory, he became crazed by liquor and in
a quarrel killed a Kaw brave with little or no excuse.
It caused a grand council of the tribe
to be convened and after full investigation, he was only allowed to save his
life by paying a great fine, which took a large number of ponies, robes and
many valuable relics. He was also required to surrender his chiefship for a
time and was considered in disgrace.
"Kah-he-ga-wa-ti-an-gah" was
a peculiar hereditary title and had historical and important significance. Some
claim that there was always a “Fool Chief” or a Kah-he-ga-wa-ti-an-gah in the
tribe. At different times and by different writers it was spelled
Ca-ega-wa-tan-nin-ga, Ka-he-ga-wa-ta-ning-ga, and Kah-he-ga-wa-ti-an-gah the
latter being the authorized way by those who lived with the Kaws here and
according to our mutual friend Judge Huffaker is the most expressive. Kah-he-ga
means chief and wa-ti-an-gah means brave
and courageous even to rashness. The term “Fool Chief” was a high and honorable distinction and
became hereditary, but could only be maintained
by brave and warlike qualities along with good conduct and wisdom in counsel.
Originally it was obtained by some remarkable act of personal bravery, daring,
Indian prowess which brought advantage and renowned not only to the individual
but to the tribe.
The spelling of Indian names varies and
is not very important, but that which gives best representation of the
pronunciation should be used. Having no written language, this is manifestly
so.
The later day fool chiefs in
Kansas are in no wise followers of the methods of those dusky worthies of long
ago, but now as then all dynasties in Kansas, whether of the fool character or
otherwise come to an end and so must this letter.
Have you sent those last pamphlets
relative to the State Seal, etc.? I return the leavee of the address you sent.
I think this will harmonize and the
discrepancies you mentioned, for there were at least two "Fool
Chiefs" among the leading historical characters of the Kaws.
Very truly, Geo. P. Morehouse
Unfortunately, I was not able to locate an image of either "Fool Chief." I find it interesting
that “fool” is part of the name or a title for other tribes besides the Kaw. What
we today think of as a fool had an entirely different meaning, at least among
some Native American tribes.
In my latest book, Charlie's Choice, I placed Charlie's Kansa uncle in the Fool Chief's camp as it existed in 1856.
PLEASE CLICK HERE to reach the full book description and purchase link for Charlie's Choice. Charlie's Choice is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
Sources:
https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/219522
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