Nebraska’s Native history is both ancient and diverse. Learn about the six tribal nations whose long histories in Nebraska continue on today.
There have been people living in what is now Nebraska for thousands of years before it was a state, or the United States was even an idea. Multiple Native American tribal nations have called what is now Nebraska home for a very long time. And while some of their names might be familiar to people all over the United States, not everyone knows the history and heritage behind the words.
The diverse group of Native tribal nations with roots in Nebraska includes nations that also have history in other states. Four are headquartered in Nebraska today, while two others are headquartered in Kansas and have reservations that extend into Nebraska. It should be noted that the following are not an exclusive list of tribal nations with Nebraska connections; for example, the Arapaho Nation had a historical presence in the western portion of the state for centuries, as did the Comanche, while the Lakota had a history of hunting on Nebraska land, but not settling there. But below, you’ll find six tribal nations whose Nebraska roots go deep, and who have a presence in the state today.
1. Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska
Don’t let the name confuse you—the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska (sometimes abbreviated to ITKN) is not based in Iowa, and in fact, the state of Iowa actually takes its name from the Iowa nation. The federally recognized sovereign nation gets its name from the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which drew a line across the Iowa Reservation. They are one of two federally recognized Iowa tribal nations, the other being the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma.
Although many members of the ITKN live in Nebraska, the tribe’s headquarters is across the state line in Kansas. In Kansas, the ITKN have partnered with another tribal nation with Nebraska connections, the Sac and Fox, to open the Iowa Sac and Fox Mission Museum. The project began when a former mission school was returned to Iowa by the State of Kansas in 2021, and the museum opened its doors to educate people about the ITKN and Sac and Fox in 2022.
2. Omaha Tribe of Nebraska
While every Nebraskan knows the City of Omaha, many may not realize the city takes its name from the Omaha people, who lived in that part of Nebraska when the city was founded and remain there today. The Omaha belong to the Dhegiha branch of the Siouan language family and are closely related to the Ponca. The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska is headquartered in Macy, where the Omaha reservation is located, and several thousand members of the tribe are residents and voting members for the purpose of electing the tribal government.
The Omaha tribal government controls tribal membership and runs employment programs, social services, and other initiatives for tribal members. The tribal nation also owns a variety of businesses, including the nonprofit Big Elk Housing Development, two casinos, a cafe, and more.
3. Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska maintains a presence across the eastern portion of the state, including a tribal headquarters in Niobrara. One of the most important Ponca educational and historic sites in the state is located nearby, on the tribe’s Agency Grounds, where the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska manages the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Powwow Grounds, Museum, and Educational Trail. Ponca tribal members are dispersed far beyond Niobrara, but many return to the area for powwows, and the museum and trail offer year-round educational experiences for visitors of all ages.
In addition to educational outreach and the annual powwow, the Ponca are involved in extensive cultural heritage and preservation work. This includes programs to preserve their distinctive language and reintroduce bison to traditional tribal homelands with aid from the Intertribal Bison Cooperative (ITBC). They also offer services for thousands of enrolled tribal members in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa.
4. Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska
While the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska has roots in Missouri (among other places like Wisconsin and beyond), especially along the Missouri River, they’re based today in Kansas and Nebraska, as the name implies.
The Sac and Fox are two distinct groups, whose names have been translated to “People of the Yellow Earth” (Sac) and “People of the Red Earth” (Fox). Today, there are three federally recognized Sac and Fox tribes: the Sac and Fox Nation in Oklahoma, which is the largest; the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska; and the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa.
As with the ITKN, the Sac and Fox of Kansas and Nebraska have an official headquarters in Kansas but maintain a presence in Nebraska. The tribal government controls commissions like the tribal courts, police department, and gambling commission, and runs programs for education, public health, and more.
5. Santee Sioux/Eastern Dakota
While the Lakota Sioux had a temporary presence in Nebraska, the Santee Sioux Nation, also sometimes referred to as a branch of the Eastern Dakota, has historically been known as the “frontier guardians of the Sioux Nation.” While their historic territory ranged from northwestern Nebraska up into Minnesota and Montana, today, the Santee Sioux Nation is based on the Santee Sioux Reservation, spanning roughly 9,400 acres by the Missouri River on Nebraska’s northeastern border.
There are four historical bands within the modern Santee Sioux Nation: the Mdewakantonwan, Wahpeton, Sisseton, and Wahpekute. Today, the Santee Sioux are organized through an eight-member Tribal Council government, divided into four districts, who oversee initiatives like the 2025-2030 Santee Sioux Nation CEDS Plan, a community-driven multi-year plan to improve housing and infrastructure, and expand business and economic opportunities, while remaining responsible stewards of the land. Curious non-members can also learn more about the Santee Sioux Nation Museum and Headquarters in Niobrara.
6. Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
The federally recognized Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is a nation of the Ho-Chunk people, as are the Ho-Chunk of Wisconsin, who, although they share linguistic and cultural ties to the Winnebago of Nebraska, are a distinct nation in and of themselves. The Winnebago of Nebraska are a sovereign nation that runs its courts, police department, and development and social services according to its Constitution.
The tribal headquarters is in Winnebago, a village in Thurston County on tribal lands that takes its name from the Winnebago people. The Winnebago hold regular cultural events, including powwows and language preservation initiatives. In July 2026, the Winnebago tribal land trust grew by an additional 1,600 acres returned by Congress after the Army Corps of Engineers seized the land more than 50 years ago.
Even those who don’t know much about Nebraska’s Native history and culture have plenty to explore and learn about within the state, and in neighboring states as well. Consider checking out one of the Cornhusker State’s many Native museums and cultural attractions near you!
