English:

pronghorn, antelope

Arapaho:

nisíce, pl. nisicoho’, obv. nisico, obv. pl. nisicoho

Related Words:

wearing antelope/buckskin: niisicihinouhut = ‘he is wearing buckskin’

Technical Information:

Antilocapra americana

Antelope and the Arapaho

Antelope were formerly an important food source. The antelope were hunted communally, using a game-drive system. The Antelope River and the town of Douglas, Wyoming (located on that river) were named nisiceniicie (‘antelope river’), from which the English name is derived.

Like other animals, the antelope was admired for certain specific qualities, and amulets or charms were made from parts of the animal in an effort to obtain the same qualities for the wearer: Kroeber (The Arapaho, p. 441) describes an amulet made of antelope horn, and worn by a child. This was intended to make the child grow up and learn to walk quickly (like young antelopes, which must be able to get up and outrun predators as soon as possible). Such amulets were used to make horses run faster as well.

Pronghorn buckskin clothing was especially reserved for chiefs and for special ceremonial occasions.