Arapaho
Language Information
Arapaho language (indigenously known as Hinono'eiti´t) is spoken exclusively in the United States, primarily on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Historically, it was also spoken in parts of Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Montana.
The Arapaho people originally lived as an agricultural community in the Red River Valley of modern-day Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada. By the early 18th century, pressure from neighboring tribes and the introduction of horses by French traders prompted them to migrate southwest to the Great Plains. There, they transitioned into a nomadic lifestyle centered on buffalo hunting.The Tribal Split: By the mid-19th century, the expansion of the United States forced the Arapaho to split into two separate geopolitical entities:Northern Arapaho: Settled on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming alongside the Eastern Shoshone.Southern Arapaho: Moved south into Oklahoma and integrated with the Southern Cheyenne.
Arapaho is a severely endangered language. Following World War II, English largely replaced Arapaho as the primary household language. Today, fewer than 100 fluent native speakers remain—virtually all of whom are over the age of 70.
The Arapaho people originally lived as an agricultural community in the Red River Valley of modern-day Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada. By the early 18th century, pressure from neighboring tribes and the introduction of horses by French traders prompted them to migrate southwest to the Great Plains. There, they transitioned into a nomadic lifestyle centered on buffalo hunting.The Tribal Split: By the mid-19th century, the expansion of the United States forced the Arapaho to split into two separate geopolitical entities:Northern Arapaho: Settled on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming alongside the Eastern Shoshone.Southern Arapaho: Moved south into Oklahoma and integrated with the Southern Cheyenne.
Arapaho is a severely endangered language. Following World War II, English largely replaced Arapaho as the primary household language. Today, fewer than 100 fluent native speakers remain—virtually all of whom are over the age of 70.
- Language Family
- North American Indian
- Subgroup
- Algonkian