November 1, 1846 Arrival at Westport Landing
On this day, Myaamiaki on the steamboat Clermont No. 2 arrived at the Westport Landing, also known as the Kanza Landing, in the Town of Kansas, now known as Kansas City, Missouri. As sad and sick as Myaamiaki were, they must have been glad to get off the steamboat and probably hoped they would never have to travel by boat ever again. They encamped just outside the town that night, although we are not told anything else about their sleeping arrangements. We might assume they slept with their wearing blankets on the cold, bare ground, certainly not in healthy lodgings for the two-thirds of Myaamiaki who were sick. Still, many of them must have thought sleeping on the hard ground was better than another night on the boat.
Map by Kristina Fox with annotations by Diane Hunter from George Strack, et al., myaamiaki aancihsaaciki: A Cultural Exploration of the Myaamia Removal Route (Miami, OK: Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, 2011), which was supported by a National Park Service Historic Preservation Grant (#40-09-NA-4047)
In the next installment, to be posted on November 2, we will see Myaamiaki beginning the overland and final leg of this incredibly difficult journey.
Post written by Diane Hunter, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. Diane can be contacted at dhunter@miamination.com.
Aacimotaatiiyankwi 