![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Tutelo-Saponi_lang.png/640px-Tutelo-Saponi_lang.png&w=640&q=50)
Saponi
Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the historic Native American tribe. For the state-recognized tribe in North Carolina, see Sappony.
The Saponi are a Native American tribe historically based in the Piedmont of North Carolina and Virginia.[4] They spoke a Siouan language,[3] related to the languages of the Tutelo, Biloxi, and Ofo.[4]
Quick Facts Regions with significant populations, Languages ...
![]() Distribution of Tutelo-Saponi language in the 16th century | |
Regions with significant populations | |
---|---|
Virginia and North Carolina (historically); Pennsylvania and New York, by mid-18th century[1][2] | |
Languages | |
English, formerly Tutelo-Saponi | |
Religion | |
Christianity, Indigenous religion | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Tutelo,[3] Occaneechi, Monacan, Manahoac, other eastern Siouan tribes |
Close
They were part of the Monacan confederacies.[5] Saponi, Tutelo, and Yesang were collectively called the Nahyssan.[5] The Cayuga adopted the Saponi into the League of the Haudenosaunee in 1753, and some Saponi descendants are part of the Cayuga Nation.[1][6]