The Council of Forty-four is one of the two central institutions of traditional Cheyenne Native American tribal governance, the other being the military societies such as the Dog Soldiers.
The Council of Forty-four is the council of chiefs, comprising four chiefs from each of the ten Cheyenne bands plus four principal[1] or "Old Man" chiefs who had previously served on the council with distinction.[2] Early in Cheyenne history, three related tribes known as the Heviqs-nipahis, the Sutaio and the Masikota, unified themselves to form the Tsé-tsêhéstâhese or the "Like Hearted People" who are known today as the "Cheyenne." The unified tribe then divided themselves into ten bands:
|
|
Council chiefs are generally older men who command wide respect.
Historically, they were responsible for day-to-day matters affecting the tribe[2] as well as the maintenance of peace both within and without the tribe by force of their moral authority.[3] While chiefs of individual bands held primary responsibility for decisions affecting their own bands, matters which involved the entire tribe such as treaties and alliances required discussions by the entire Council of Forty-four.[4] Chiefs were not chosen by vote, but rather by the Council of Forty-four, whose members named their own successors, with chiefs generally chosen for periods of ten years at councils held every four years. Many chiefs were chosen from among the ranks of the military societies, but were required to give up their society memberships upon selection.[1]