Mandan Bands and Dialects

The Mandan people used to be divided into 4 divisions, or bands, before the smallpox epidemic of 1781. These bands spoke three closely related dialects and lived in 6 to 9 villages at different time periods. The bands recognized that they were closely related, yet each one of them was politically independent and maintained a separate ceremonial structure.

The smallest dialect was spoken by the Awikaxa band, who were the southernmost Mandans. Their immediate neighbors to the south, in what is now South Dakota, were the Arikara with whom the Awikaxa were related by intermarriage. The Awikaxa always maintained friendly relations with the Arikara, even when the more northerly Mandan bands might have been warring with them. After 1781, the numerically much reduced Awikaxa found it difficult to resist the Sioux encroachment and, after a few years of cohabitation with the Arikara, moved in with the Nuu’etaa, with whom they soon became assimilated.

The Nuu’etaare, or Nuu’etaa, were the largest band. They spoke a single dialect but lived in several villages. After the smallpox of 1781 they consolidated into a single village that also welcomed into their midst the formerly independent Awikaxa and Istoope.

The Istoope band, or Tattooed Faces, spoke the same dialect as the Nuu’etaare; however, politically they were independent. The Istoope received their name from the distinctive tattoo marks on their faces. Like the Awikaxa, the Istoope moved in with the Nuu’etaare some time after 1781 and by the time after the 1837 smallpox epidemic became assimilated by the Nuu’etaa.

In the Plains sign language the most common gesture that designates the Mandan is reflected in the meaning of Istoope – Tattooed Faces. It is made by a scratching motion from the lower lip to the chin, as if painting vertical stripes there.

The Nuuptaare, or Nuuptaa, were a large band with their own dialect. Some of the early visitors, such as Prince Maximilian, have left us contrastive word lists in Nuuptaa and Nuu’etaa dialects. The Nuuptaa dialect was still spoken by some in the 20^th century and the last speakers of Nuu’etaa all knew how to say some Nuuptaa words that sound markedly different from Nuu’etaa.

Since the last fluent speakers of Mandan spoke the Nuu’etaa(re) dialect, the name Nueta has become the most accepted generic term for the Mandan people and language. It is important, however, to remember that not so long ago it was the designation of only one of the four subdivision of the Mandan people and only one of the tree dialects.