Mekoche (or Mequachake, Shawnee: mecoce) is the name of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee People. The Shawnee now exist as three federally recognized tribes located in the state of Oklahoma. The other four divisions are the Chalahgawtha, Kispoko, Pekowi, and Hathawekela. (All five division names have been spelled in a great variety of ways and are now divided into the three federally recognized Shawnee tribes.)
Traditionally, Shawnee healers came from the Mekoche patrilineal division.[1]
Pigeon Town, occupied by the Shawnee Mekoche division, was located on Mad River, 3 miles northwest of West Liberty, Logan County, Ohio.[2] Macochee Creek is named for this Shawnee division; it is a small stream that meets the Mad River at West Liberty, having arisen near modern Pickrelltown, Ohio.[3]
Notable Mekoche
edit- Black Hoof
- Chief Russell "Logan" Sharp (1953-2010), a Lower Eastern Ohio Mekoce Shawnee from Wilmington, Ohio, conducted a Peace Tree Ceremony at West Virginia University in 2009. He lectured on "The Struggle of Non-federally Recognized Natives."[4][5]
References
edit- ^ John E. Kleber (18 May 1992). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. University Press of Kentucky. p. 815. ISBN 978-0-8131-2883-2. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
- ^ "Shawnee Indian Tribe History". Access Genealogy. 9 July 2011. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
- ^ DeLorme. Ohio Atlas & Gazetteer. 7th ed. Yarmouth: DeLorme, 2004, p. 56. ISBN 0-89933-281-1.
- ^ "Native American Peace Tree Ceremony guest is former Shawnee Chief". Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. West Virginia University. 2009-10-07. Archived from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
- ^ "Russell "Logan" Sharp". Wilmington News Journal. Wilmington, Ohio. 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2013-02-18.