Crow Native Americans are members of an Indian tribe indigenous to the United States. After slowly migrating westward from the Missouri Valley in reaction to colonial expansion and contact with Europeans, Crow Native Americans now occupy a reservation located in the south-central part of Montana. There are more than 10,000 enrolled members of the tribe.
Most Crow tribe members speak English, but they also share a common Missouri Valley Siouan language. More than 80 percent of them still speak this language, and it is required that tribal business be conducted in it. The Crow language is the most widely spoken non-English language in Montana.
About 70 percent of all Crow Native Americans live on a reservation of approximately 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares), with the remaining members residing in nearby communities. This is the fifth-largest Indian reservation in the U.S. and is located mainly in Yellowstone and Big Horn counties in south-central Montana near Billings. Passing through the reservation are the Bighorn, Wolf and Pryor mountain ranges and the Big Horn and Little Big Horn rivers. The reservation has six main towns, with Crow Agency being the largest, at about 1,600 people, as well as being the seat of government for the tribe.
Several treaties with the United States established the Crow as a sovereign nation within the boundaries of the reservation. For many years, the system of government that Crow Native Americans used was a direct democracy, something like that of ancient Athens, which reflected their past as a nomadic tribe. In 2001, a new constitution was approved, and the Crow changed their governance system. Under the new constitution, there are three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. A system of separation of powers with checks and balances among the branches was established.
Some Native American tribes have prospered because of legalized gambling or the sale of natural resources, but the Crow have not. Crow Native Americans are economically disadvantaged, with more than 40 percent living below the poverty line as of 2010. There is a shortage of housing that has adequate plumbing, insulation and electricity.
Crow Native Americans support themselves mainly by ranching, farming and some mining. Some work for the tribal government. Tourism also generates income for the tribe. The Little Bighorn National Monument, the site of General George Custer’s last stand, is located on the reservation. Each August, the tribe hosts Crow Fair, which is widely regarded as the largest and best Indian celebration on the northern plains.
