Otoe

The Otoe, also spelled Oto, are a Native American people of the Great Plains. They are part of the Chiwere-speaking branch of the Siouan language family, closely related to the Ioway and Missouria. Historically, the Otoe inhabited the central Missouri River valley, in what are now parts of present-day Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska. They lived in agricultural villages and engaged in long-distance trade, cultivating crops such as corn, beans, and squash while also hunting and gathering.

The Otoe formed a loose confederacy with the Ioway and Missouria and maintained seasonal movements between river valleys and upland camps. After extensive European contact in the 18th and 19th centuries, they signed treaties with the United States and ceded large portions of their homeland. By the 1870s, many Otoe were relocated to Indian Territory, present-day Oklahoma.

Today the Otoe-Missouria Nation, also known as the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, is a federally recognized tribe headquartered in Red Rock, Oklahoma. The tribe operates its government through an elected council and provides cultural, educational, and economic programs for its members.

The Otoe language remains a key aspect of cultural heritage. It is a Chiwere dialect related to Ioway and Missouria, but like many Indigenous languages, it is endangered, with revitalization efforts undertaken by the Otoe-Missouria Nation and supported by academic and community programs.

The name Otoe also appears in place names in the region, notably Otoe County, Nebraska, reflecting the historical presence of the people in the area.