The Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma is a federally-recognized, sovereign American Indian Nation. The Pawnee are comprised of four distinct bands (1) the Chaui, (2) the Kitkehahki, (3) the Pitahawirata, and (4) the Skidi. The Pawnee Nation’s traditional homelands lie in the present-day states of Nebraska and Kansas. The Kawarakis Pawnees, the ancestors of the Chaui, Kitkehahki, and Pitahawirata Bands, settled in southeastern Nebraska in approximately AD. 900. The Chaui, Kitkehahki and the Pitahawirata speak the South Band dialect and the Skidi Band possesses its own dialect, both dialects comprise the Pawnee language.

Under three treaties with the United States 1833, 1843, and 1857 - the Pawnee ceded all of their lands to the United States Government except a reservation 10 miles wide by 30 miles long along the Loup River in Nebraska. This reservation was sold, and in 1876 the Pawnee Nation was relocated to its present day location in central Oklahoma. By 1893, individual allotments of 60 acres had been made to 821 tribal members. The remaining lands, 169,320 acres were opened up for white settlement. After the 1893 allotment, tribal members began selling their land, and this trend continued to diminish the land base of our Reservation. In 1988, all that remained of the 113,700 acres of allotted acreages was 28,292 acres on 207 tracts. Of the original 300,680 acres comprising the Pawnee Reservation, there remains today 684 contiguous acres that comprises the Pawnee Nation Reservation. The Pawnee Nation exercises jurisdiction over a total of 29,951 acres of tribally-owned, individually owned, and federal trust lands.

According to historical accounts the Pawnee population was estimated to be 20,000-25,000 in the early part of the nineteenth century. However, the population underwent a steady decline in the latter part of the nineteenth century due to warfare (with traditional enemies), disease, and the hardships produced by the Pawnee’s relocation to Oklahoma. By the start of the twentieth century only 600-700 Pawnee tribal members remained. Tribal membership has subsequently rebounded to a present day enrollment of 3,190 members.

Today, the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma operates a modern-day, sovereign tribal government. The supreme governing body of the Pawnee Nation is the Pawnee Business Council, an eight member council. Executive and Legislative powers are vested in this governing body. The elected officials of this body are elected every four years to staggered terms. The Pawnee Nation also has a traditional council of Chiefs, the Nasharo Council, comprised of two chiefs from each of the four bands who are elected by tribal members every four years. These two bodies provide traditional and modern forms of governance for the Pawnee Nation and exercise their jurisdiction over the 684-acre Pawnee Nation reserve and the more than 29,951 acres that comprise our traditional boundaries within Oklahoma. The Pawnee Business Council, through the Pawnee Nation's Executive Director, oversees twenty-nine departments and programs.