The state of Iowa is named for the Ioways, but most Iowans—and most Americans—know little about them. In This Is the Route of My Forefathers, William Green elevates an understudied history by synthesizing oral traditions, written records, and archaeological data to decode the 1837 map drafted by Ioway leaders. Spanning Indigenous settlements from Missouri to Wisconsin, this map was created to depict tribal history and defend tribal land claims at the height of the Indian removal era.
Illustrating nearly 200 years of Ioway history, the 1837 Ioway map provides insights into the tribe’s political and diplomatic strategies, their relationships with neighboring nations, and how they resisted and negotiated in the face of dispossession. This Is the Route of My Forefathers uses an interdisciplinary approach to reveal how group accounts may fade over time, while accounts of origin—legendary histories—remain rich and vibrant.
“For thirty years, Green could not stop talking about the map of Iowa prepared in 1837 by Ioway chiefs going to Washington to negotiate U.S. demands for their lands. At last, with this book, we all can talk about this remarkably detailed map, clear once we read the identifications worked out by Green and the late Ioway Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Lance Foster. Green's field archaeology experience evaluates sites labeled Oneota, while Foster's knowledge of his nation's history greatly enriches interpretation of the map. The story they tell of the 1837 negotiations is a significant addition to the political history of the United States' expansion, tribal resistance, and First Nations’ resilience.”—Alice Beck Kehoe, author, Truth and Power in American Archaeology
“This Is the Route of My Forefathers fills a long-standing gap in scholarship on the Ioway people. By weaving together oral traditions, archaeology, and history, William Green continues the vision of Lance Foster—ensuring the Ioway story is honored and remembered.”—Carlton Shield Chief Gover, Pawnee Nation, University of Kansas
“As I was growing up, I learned from my grandparents of many places on No Heart's map. The map confirms the connections and history of our People. William Green speaks volumes about the Ioway people as he tells the history of the map and gives it life! There is so much we can learn from this book.”—Joyce Big Soldier Miller, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
“Bill Green has provided the best account to date of this remarkable document [the 1837 Ioway map], and we Ioway appreciate it deeply.”—Lance Foster, from the foreword
Lance Foster
Saul Schwartz
