Date of Award
8-27-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
First Advisor
Christopher Steinke
Committee Members
David Vail; Nathan Tye; Will Stoutamire
Keywords
Diplomacy;Economics;Fur Trade;Great Plains;Missouri River;Omaha
Abstract
This thesis will examine the history of Umóⁿhoⁿ (Omaha) diplomacy with a special emphasis on the era from 1790 to 1801, which is a significant period in Umóⁿhoⁿ diplomacy. Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe (Blackbird) was a influential diplomatic figure on the Great Plains. The Umóⁿhoⁿ and Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe created an era of prosperity from 1790 to 1801. The diplomatic connections at Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe disposal are unrivaled by his contemporary Indigenous leaders. This thesis will lay out evidence that supports Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe as one of the greatest negotiators and diplomats of the time. Multiple primary sources that had direct connections to Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe will be examined. The primary sources are first-hand accounts of the journals of traders, explorers, cartographers, and anthropologists who encountered the Umóⁿhoⁿ and documented their history or language. All of these sources become evidence showcasing the history of Umóⁿhoⁿ diplomacy with outsiders. The thesis will highlight Umóⁿhoⁿ diplomacy with other Indigenous nations before the arrival of the white man. As Umóⁿhoⁿ diplomacy continues to evolve, this thesis examines how the Umóⁿhoⁿ were introduced to European trade and how the Umóⁿhoⁿ took part in the fur trade. Eventually, the successful warrior Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe became the “chief” of the Umóⁿhoⁿ, and this thesis will trace his rise to power. The Umóⁿhoⁿ under Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe reached their pinnacle of diplomacy in 1790, which continued until Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe died in 1801. During this pinnacle, Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe balanced the responsibility of leading his people, negotiating a complex Indigenous alliance network, and bringing his nation into a trading superpower through European fur trade connections. This thesis will conclude with the aftereffects of the death of Wazhiⁿ'gaçabe for the Umóⁿhoⁿ’s diplomacy. Further, this thesis takes readers to the twenty-first century with a conclusion of modern Umóⁿhoⁿ diplomacy.
Recommended Citation
Wojcik, Brent Michael, "Blackbird's Missouri River: The Pinnacle of Omaha Diplomacy, 1790-1801" (2025). History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity. 58.
https://openspaces.unk.edu/hist-etd/58