PUBLICATIONS
April 2000 Issue
The Geographical Review
April 2000, Vol. 90 (2), pp. 155-176
THE KIOWA HOMELAND IN OKLAHOMA
STEVEN M. SCHNELL
Keywords: American Indians, homeland, Kiowa, Native Americans, Oklahoma, sense of place.
ABSTRACT:
Kiowa Indians derive their common identity from deep roots in southwestern
Oklahoma, an area they call their "homeland."On this landscape are recognized and distinctive
marks, both visible and invisible: The Kiowa have blanketed it with their significant stories.
The region is important as a psychological anchor in the Kiowa past and as a core for
their modern identity as a distinct people. In this article I explore Kiowa stories, ideas, and
feelings about specific landmarks of the homeland. I also step back to discuss how the homeland
generates attachments that are not attributable to individual elements within it.
Keywords: American Indians, homeland, Kiowa, Native Americans, Oklahoma, sense of place.
ABSTRACT:
Kiowa Indians derive their common identity from deep roots in southwestern Oklahoma, an area they call their "homeland."On this landscape are recognized and distinctive marks, both visible and invisible: The Kiowa have blanketed it with their significant stories. The region is important as a psychological anchor in the Kiowa past and as a core for their modern identity as a distinct people. In this article I explore Kiowa stories, ideas, and feelings about specific landmarks of the homeland. I also step back to discuss how the homeland generates attachments that are not attributable to individual elements within it.