Omaha Tribe celebrates 200 years of 'peace and friendship' with United States

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/omaha-tribe-celebrates-years-of-peace-and-friendship-with-united/article_33a2e0f9-f9b5-5a47-8b01-043584e90445.html

POSTED: MONDAY, JULY 20, 2015 6:15 PM | UPDATED: 10:22 PM, MON JUL 20, 2015.
By Jordan Pascale / World-Herald staff writer

The Omaha Tribe celebrated 200 years of peace and friendship with the federal government Monday, commemorating the anniversary of its first treaty with the United States.

About 75 people gathered at Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue to symbolically renew the treaty with the United States through speakers, a history lesson and traditional ceremonies. Tribal Chairman Vernon Miller, U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford, Native American activist John Pappan and former tribal Councilman Mitchell Parker all spoke during the three-hour event.

The “Peace and Friendship” treaty was signed on July 20, 1815, north of St. Louis by six Omaha chiefs, including Big Elk, and explorer-turned-governor of the Missouri Territory, William Clark.

The treaty, which came about after the War of 1812, granted mutual forgiveness for past hostilities and established peace and protection between the tribe and the United States.

FULL story at link.