Kirikirish Nation (Wichita - Raccoon Eyed People)
The Wichita nation is a founding member of the Tribal Confederacy. Early contact with Spanish, French, and later Anglo-American settlers pushed them north out of much of Texas to their traditionally held lands north of the Red River.
There are several tribes that are part of the Wichita Nation - Kirikirish, Pawnee, Arikara, and Kiowa are most prevalent. A shared language, religion, and culture helped to bind them together.
They are known for founding villages, often using the grasses of the plains as a building tool, as opposed to a more nomadic lifestyle. These villages however could be moved if the Buffalo herds that they relied on moved.
Another common practice is facial tattooing, which is where their name is derived.
Having been forced out of a large portion of their ancestral lands they were key in providing for the Eastern tribes displaced by the United States. Their city of Etzanoa is often host to the Tribal Councils and is one of the major grain producers in the Plains
Structure
Two chiefs would be selected to lead the nation. One would typically handle external affairs and the other internal affairs. These roles could change between the two as the needs arose.
Assets
Agricultural lands that have been consistently productive
Demography and Population
Many live in permanent settlements usually varying in size from 1000-10,000. There are many smaller tribes who are semi-nomadic, usually with a focus on hunting, who provide meat, bones, and leather to the other tribes in exchange for produce.
Territories
Occupy much of the territory north Dallas and Fort Worth on the opposite side of the Red River
Military
While they do contribute to the War Bands of the Tribal Confederacy, the Wichita are known more as farmers. They do contribute to the fearsome cavalry that help hold the Tribal borders.
Technological Level
The Wichita appear low-tech due to their farming techniques but this has more to do with culture. They will import steel tools that they are not able to create themselves and put them to use but these will still be hand powered devices. This may be in part due to the plains horses being excellent for riding but not ideal work horses.
They have been contributing to modern chemistry in the use of unique plant growth in the region being applied to alchemical studies.
Foreign Relations
The Wichita have been a bulwark on two fronts: The Republic of Texas to the south and Comancheria to the west. Another rival tribe, The Osage, exist to the east though they are both now members of the Tribal Confederacy and most of their squabbles now are confined to inter-tribal politics.
Agriculture & Industry
The plains provide a rich crop including the Three Sisters: Maize, Beans, and Squash which are staples of the Tribal diet. Buffalo herds are large in this region and hunting tribes help provide meat as needed.
Trade & Transport
Most common transport is on foot and horseback, though the eastern tribes have brought with them canoe travel that has been adapted to the rivers in the area. In Wichita territory these canoes are often very light and easy to carry/pull over the grass lands for when rivers are low.
Infrastructure
Farming villages have well built grain silos that can safely store produce for long periods. These have become home to domestic cats imported from Europeans to help control pests. The farming techniques are effective but seem antiquated by many Anglo visitors with most work being done by hand as opposed to using animal or mechanical power.
As with many nations in the Tribal Confederacy there are many names used. Names used by the tribe itself, their neighbors, and European visitors do not always match and sometimes the names can even differ with a tribe itself. Usually it is language that is used to denote a nation though divisions can occur.
Type
Geopolitical, Tribe
Training Level
Semi-professional
Economic System
Barter system
Major Exports
Produce is the most common export as well. There are several plants native to the region that can be traded to European merchants at a great profit for the tribe as well, but most of the Wichita excess is sent to other Tribal Federation regions.
Major Imports
Metal tools are imported from the north from British traders.
Location
Neighboring Nations
Comments