Piqua Shawnee Tribe
| Named after | Piqua town[1], Shawnee people |
|---|---|
| Formation | nonprofit (2025_ |
| EIN 33-4733382[2] | |
| Legal status | Active |
| Purpose | Cultural, Ethnic Awareness (A23)[2] |
| Headquarters | Oxford, Alabama (nonprofit)[2] |
| Location |
|
| Membership | 300 (2022[4]) |
Official language | English |
Chairman | Gary Hunt[3] |
| Website | piquashawnee |
The Piqua Shawnee Tribe is a state-recognized tribe in Alabama. The organization is not a federally recognized American Indian tribe.[5] The federally recognized Shawnee Tribe and Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians regard the Piqua Shawnee Tribe as a fraudulent organization.[6][7]
Name
[edit]Piqua was the name of a historical Shawnee town near the Mad River in Ohio.[1] The name Piqua referred to "a man that sprang up out of the ashes".[1] The Shawnee people are an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands.
Organization
[edit]The Piqua Shawnee Tribe is based in Birmingham, Alabama[3] and Oxford, Alabama.[4] They had 300 members in 2022.[4]
In 2022, their administration was:[4]
- Principal Chief: Gary Hunt, Medicine Hawk
- Second Chief: Duane Everhart
- Treasurer: Rodney Phillips
- Secretary: Jan Fraz
- Tribal Mother: Anita Penington
- Ceremonial Keeper and State Representative: Don Raknin
- Tribal Representative: Morgan Silvers
- Senior Advisor to the Chief & Preservation Officer: Barbara Lehman
The Piqua Shawnee Tribe is listed on the website of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) as a state-recognized tribe in Alabama.[3] They are a member of NCAI.[3]
The Piqua Shawnee Tribe incorporated as a nonprofit organization in Oxford, Alabama in 2025.[2]
History
[edit]Alabama began a process for state-recognition of tribes in 1984. Requests for recognition go through the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission. The Piqua Shawnee Tribe was granted state recognition on July 10, 2001.[5] It is among nine state-recognized tribes granted recognition in Alabama.[8] The Shawnee Tribe, the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and some other federally recognized American Indian tribes regard the Piqua Shawnee Tribe as a fraudulent organization.[6][7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Rev. A. H. Bassett (1866). "Inaugural Address of the Mad River Valley Pioneer and Historical Association". The Firelands Pioneer, Volumes 7–13. Norwalk, OH: Firelands Historical Society. p. 92.
- ^ a b c d "Piqua Shawnee Tribe". GuideStar. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Tribal Directory". National Congress of American Indians. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Reference Encyclopedia of the American Indian" (PDF). UC Berkeley Law. Delray Beach, FL: Todd Publications. 2022. p. 74. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Piqua Shawnee". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
- ^ a b "Defend Tribal Sovereignty: Vote "Yes" On Amendments to NCAI Constitution". Native News Online. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
- ^ a b "The Absentee Shawnee News" (PDF). Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ "Smith brings awareness to Indian heritage". The Troy Messenger. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
External links
[edit]- Official website, Piqua Shawnee Tribe
- The Piqua Shawnee Tribe, Alabama Indian Affairs Commission