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The Communities
The 1832 census captured a snapshot of unique communities across a broad geographic area. Through this register, we are able to scratch the surface of a deeply nuanced way of life and community organization.
Families within a village​
The 1832 census records HoocÄ…k registrants by family unit under a designated "Head of Household." What these family units represented was likely situationally unique. Some household numbers appear to reflect an elder family member presiding over more than one generation within their family unit, with multiple adult men and women listed. Others appear to be newly branched-out families with young children; matriarch widows presiding over younger descendants; and even multi-cultural families.
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One of the unique features which distinguishes this census from its Euro-American counterparts is the relative prevalence of women registering as heads of households. While HoocÄ…k are generally considered a patriarchally organized people group, many women—even those representing multiple adult men within the household—came to the agency to register as the elder leader of their family unit.
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Civic Life​
Every culture has developed means of organizing together for establishing order toward the common good. The villages on the 1832 census were not run by a government as we may think of it today. Civic duties, ranging from leadership to land stewardship, were traditionally tied to a person's clan. Clan association was reflected in the names recorded on the census, illustrating the diversity of family groups and social responsibilities within villages. The twelve clans had unique responsibilities in the village's communal life as each contributed its distinctive part to the functioning of the whole.
Some villages did not have a full complement of clans. The villages on the census represent both small communities with one or two families and larger towns with hundreds of people. Just like in modern communities, HoocÄ…k families of 1832 experienced a variety of societal situations—some in small, close-knit groups representing just a handful of clans and others in more metropolitan settings with multiple clans and backgrounds represented.
A Continuing Story​
The stories of HoocÄ…k community life continue to be forged as new generations come onto the scene, face new challenges, and embrace new opportunities. The census of 1832 illustrates just one generation living out its chapter of a continuing story which extends beyond the history books.
Living Where, When, and Why​
People are people. Considerations for which village to be a part of in 1832 were as individual as they are now, whether as a result of marriage, a desire to relocate to an area with better opportunity, an impetus to seek solace from encroaching non-tribal neighbors, or any multitude of reasons. The villages, themselves, were physically located and utilized on a more regimented utilitarian basis. Seasonal movement to and from village locations to access resources was a part of life. Months of the year were named for the phenology of the environment and often corresponded with seasonal subsistence activities or even a move to an entirely different location during different seasons, whether for agriculture, hunting, or gathering. The villages on the census likely represent the home base at which communities regrouped following the more solitary months of the annual routine.